Having spent nearly two years on the road touring in support of 88 Keys and… Read Full Bio ↴Having spent nearly two years on the road touring in support of 88 Keys and Counting,

The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.

Whoa Is Me
Grieves Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't wanna talk about it
Or get it off my back
I don't wanna dance around the subject
You and I both know better than that
I tried to make the best of it
But in the end it didn't really mean much
Leave me with a fiddle, sitting by the piano
Breathing in the dust

My dog died
"When you were six!"
Really? I guess I've never gotten over it
Dark cloud constantly hovering over me
I've been a bad seed ever since the ovaries
Momma looked at me and told me what it was
Said boy's got a shadow big enough to block the sun
When it's all said and done, I'm comfortable and numb
To the fact that I'm constantly sweating under the gun
But it's worth it, ain't it? My friends think I'm famous
My manager wants to put his foot inside of my anus
Haven't got a decent night's sleep now in ages
And all I got to show is empty loose-leaf pages
It piles up but that's the life that I'm used to
Pressing up against the knife with a loose screw
Sing the blues and everybody assumes you could use
A little old-fashioned, down home talking to

I don't wanna talk about it
Or get it off my back
I don't wanna dance around the subject
You and I both know better than that
I tried to make the best of it
But in the end it didn't really mean much
Leave me with a fiddle, sitting by the piano
Breathing in the dust

My truck broke
"You ride the bus!"
Well it never showed up and it really sucked
Storm water constantly filling my cup
Been a hot mess ever since I was just a pup
Papa looked at me and told me what it is
Said boy's got a weight on his shoulders no one can lift
Tried a couple times and honestly I admit it's a bitch
But I kind of appreciate what it did cause it's worth it
Yeah? The world gets a laugh but my girl's telling me I
Could benefit from a quack
Haven't got a moment in forever-and-a-half, and they wonder why I'm drinking like a pirate in a crashed ship
That's it, no more no less
You should learn to be as comfortable with your mess
Sing the blues and everybody expects they could be the one to save you from the depths

I don't wanna talk about it
Or get it off my back
I don't wanna dance around the subject
You and I both know better than that
I tried to make the best of it
But in the end it didn't really mean much

Leave me with a fiddle, sitting by the piano
Breathing in the dust

Overall Meaning

In the song Whoa Is Me by Grieves, the artist expresses his discomfort towards discussing his problems with others. Through his lyrics, Grieves illustrates his inner battles with maintaining his composure and benefits from his stressors. The artist begins with stating that he does not want to talk about his problems or dance around the subject, indicating that he is not comfortable with feeling vulnerable or possibly being pitied. Grieves recalls his past, recounting his dog's death when he was six years old, remarking on how he has never truly gotten over it. He acknowledges that he has lived with a dark cloud over him and considers himself a "bad seed" who has struggled since birth. Grieves' mother also believed that he had a shadow "big enough to block the sun," emphasizing how his problems have always affected him on a grand scale.

As the song progresses, Grieves becomes more candid about his struggles, referencing his constantly filled-up cup, which he claims has turned him into a "hot mess" since he was young. His father recognized that he has had a heavy burden on him his entire life, stating that no one could lift it from his shoulders. Despite his struggles, Grieves learns to appreciate his stressors, indicating that they are worth it in the end, even if they are difficult to endure. He reflects on his life and reveals that he has many pages of empty, loose-leaf paper to show as accomplishments, implying that although he works hard, he doesn't always see tangible rewards. The song concludes on a resigned note, suggesting that singing the blues and acknowledging one's pain is expected, but one shouldn't rely on others to save them from the depths of their struggles.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't wanna talk about it
I don't want to discuss my problems

Or get it off my back
I don't want to relieve myself of the burden of these problems

I don't wanna dance around the subject
I don't want to avoid talking about the issue

You and I both know better than that
We both know that avoiding the problem won't solve it

I tried to make the best of it
I did my best to handle the situation

But in the end it didn't really mean much
But ultimately, my efforts didn't make a significant difference

Leave me with a fiddle, sitting by the piano
Let me be alone with my thoughts and my music

Breathing in the dust
Feeling resigned and defeated

My dog died
I experienced a traumatic event in childhood

"When you were six!"
My trauma happened when I was very young

Really? I guess I've never gotten over it
I may have never fully processed or healed from this event

Dark cloud constantly hovering over me
I feel weighed down by my problems and trauma

I've been a bad seed ever since the ovaries
I've struggled with personal issues and challenges my whole life

Momma looked at me and told me what it was
My mother recognized my struggles and tried to help me

Said boy's got a shadow big enough to block the sun
My problems and sadness are overwhelming

When it's all said and done, I'm comfortable and numb
I've become used to and maybe reliant on my sadness

To the fact that I'm constantly sweating under the gun
I'm always under pressure and stressed

But it's worth it, ain't it? My friends think I'm famous
Despite the challenges, having fame and success is supposed to make it worth it

My manager wants to put his foot inside of my anus
I have people in my life who take advantage of my success

Haven't got a decent night's sleep now in ages
My stress and problems have affected my ability to sleep

And all I got to show is empty loose-leaf pages
Despite my success, I feel unfulfilled and empty inside

It piles up but that's the life that I'm used to
Despite the mounting issues, I'm accustomed to living this way

Pressing up against the knife with a loose screw
I'm living on the edge and may be getting closer to breaking down

Sing the blues and everybody assumes you could use
People expect that being a musician means I'm automatically sad or struggling

A little old-fashioned, down home talking to
But what I really need is some genuine support and understanding

My truck broke
Another thing has gone wrong in my life

"You ride the bus!"
Someone is pointing out that I don't have everything I need

Well it never showed up and it really sucked
Even the solutions that are supposed to help don't always work out

Storm water constantly filling my cup
My problems and struggles are never-ending

Been a hot mess ever since I was just a pup
I've been struggling with these issues since I was young

Papa looked at me and told me what it is
My father recognized my struggles and tried to help me

Said boy's got a weight on his shoulders no one can lift
My problems are too much for anyone else to handle or solve

Tried a couple times and honestly I admit it's a bitch
People have tried to help me before, but it's hard to overcome these challenges

But I kind of appreciate what it did cause it's worth it
Despite the struggles, I still value my music and its impact

Yeah? The world gets a laugh but my girl's telling me I
Even though people may not take my struggles seriously, my loved ones do

Could benefit from a quack
Someone is suggesting that I see a therapist

Haven't got a moment in forever-and-a-half, and they wonder why I'm drinking like a pirate in a crashed ship
I don't have any time to relax, so I turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms

That's it, no more no less
Sometimes it's just too much to handle

You should learn to be as comfortable with your mess
People should accept their struggles and not be ashamed of them

Sing the blues and everybody expects they could be the one to save you from the depths
People assume that musicians are asking for help through their music, but it's not always the case

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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