Their self-released debut album, Remember Who I Am, sold 5,000 copies before it was re-released by Daemon Records, the independent record label run by Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. Their folk-rock musical style is heavy on close harmony.
Before the three came together as Girlyman, Nate was an award-winning singer-songwriter, and Doris and Ty (best friends since second grade in Princeton Junction, NJ) were the award-winning duo The Garden Verge. Later, they played and clicked with old friend, JJ, gagged her, and threw her in the Girlyvan.
Members:
Ty Greenstein (vocals, guitar, mandolin and percussion)
Doris Muramatsu (vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo)
Nate Borofsky (vocals, baritone guitar, bass guitar)
JJ Jones (drums)
The Shape I Found You In
Girlyman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I spent twenty lifetimes at your door
But your heart was busy within
Building bomb shelters under your skin
That's the shape I found you in
That's the shape I found you in
I was calling to you
But my heart tried to cheat
Building safety nets under my feet
So if I fell I would fall right in
That's the shape you found me in
You were delivered to me
We were closed as the stores on Christmas Eve
So I felt around in the dark
Building rope ladders into your heart
Climbing hand over hand to get in
That's the shape I found you in
That's the shape I found you in
The lyrics of "The Shape I Found You In" by Girlyman depict a love story that is complicated, but also deeply romantic. The singer sings about their unrequited love for someone who was already in a relationship. Despite this obstacle, they spent years trying to break down the other person's walls and barriers, desperately hoping to be let in. The individual they long for, however, spends their time building "bomb shelters under [their] skin", a metaphor for their defense mechanisms and resistance to vulnerability. The singer recognizes this, but they remain powerless to stop themselves from pursuing the person they desire.
Meanwhile, the singer is also guarded, building "safety nets under [their] feet" in case they are rejected. It seems their feelings for the other person have caused them to become similarly defensive and guarded. Finally, the two come together, but not without significant effort. The singer describes feeling their way around in the dark, and building "rope ladders" into the other person's heart. The love between them is hard-won, but ultimately worth it.
Overall, "The Shape I Found You In" is a poignant and eloquent exploration of complicated love and vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
You were spoken for
You were already in a committed relationship
I spent twenty lifetimes at your door
I spent a considerable amount of time trying to get your attention and impress you
But your heart was busy within
You were emotionally unavailable to me
Building bomb shelters under your skin
You were protecting yourself from getting hurt by building emotional walls
That's the shape I found you in
That's the state you were in when I first met you
I was calling to you
I was trying to reach out to you
It was one thing I knew how to do
Calling out to you was the only thing I was confident in doing
But my heart tried to cheat
My emotions were conflicting with my actions
Building safety nets under my feet
I was trying to protect myself from getting hurt by establishing emotional boundaries
So if I fell I would fall right in
If I let my guard down, I would fall deeply in love with you
That's the shape you found me in
That's how I was emotionally when you first noticed me
You were delivered to me
You came into my life unexpectedly
We were closed as the stores on Christmas Eve
We were emotionally unavailable to each other
So I felt around in the dark
I was navigating through uncertainty
Building rope ladders into your heart
I was trying to establish a connection with you emotionally
Climbing hand over hand to get in
I was working hard to get closer to you emotionally
That's the shape I found you in
That's how you were emotionally when I first met you
That's the shape I found you in
That's how you were emotionally when I first met you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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