Jenn Grant (born August 20, 1980) is a Canadian folk pop singer-songwriter … Read Full Bio ↴Jenn Grant (born August 20, 1980) is a Canadian folk pop singer-songwriter based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2006, she won Best New Artist and Best Female Artist at the Nova Scotia Music Awards.

Grant performed as a musician for a time in her early teens, but stopped due to a bout of stage fright, and did not return to performing until her early 20s when she played some shows with Heavy Blinkers. She then released an independent EP, Jenn Grant and Goodbye Twentieth Century, in 2005.

She collaborated on her debut album, Orchestra for the Moon, with such artists as Ron Sexsmith, Heavy Blinkers, Matt Mays and Jill Barber, and later toured Germany and Canada in support of the album, including as an opening act for The Weakerthans.

She later began recording her second album, Echoes, on a farm in rural Ontario in 2008. The album was produced by Jonathan Goldsmith and engineered by Walter Sobczak at The Studio at Puck's Farm. Her voice was also featured in the song "We Made a Pact" by Hey Rosetta on their 2008 album Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood). Echoes was released in 2009.

In 2010 and 2011, she collaborated with Buck 65 on several tracks, including "Paper Airplane", "Cold Steel Drum", "Days Go By" and a cover of Leonard Cohen/'s "Who By Fire", on his 20 Odd Years series of EPs. Late in 2010, she also released a four-song EP, Songs for Siigoun, which featured a cover of John Denver's "Annie's Song".

She released her third full-length album, Honeymoon Punch, in early 2011. Her fourth album, The Beautiful Wild, followed in 2012, and her fifth album, Compostela, was released on October 21, 2014.

She continues to paint, including designing some of her own album covers.

Baby’s Been Away
Jenn Grant Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now I know that love may grow like a wildflower*
You stay up for the thrill and drive all night
Your reckless will
[Chorus: ~Duet~:]
Jenn: You’ve got a notion to say
Dan: Wooh you are
Baby’s been away
Ooh ooh by far

Ooh ooh
You’re a wildflower
Out of the ground
To wrap around
To follow you downtown
So take my word
I promise you
You are my world
[Repeat Chorus:]
Walked up and hit a nerve

[Repeat:]
[Repeat Chorus:]

Overall Meaning

In "Baby's Been Away," Jenn Grant croons about the natural growth of love, using a striking metaphor comparing it to a "wildflower". The idea that love can develop and bloom on its own is further emphasized with lyrics such as "You stay up for the thrill and drive all night," conveying the idea that love can be both exciting and overwhelming. The line "Your reckless will" here can be interpreted to mean that even if love is unpredictable and unconventional, it can still be beautiful.

During the chorus, Dan and Jenn duet, with Dan singing the line "You've got a notion to say," and Jenn echoing it with "Baby's been away." These lyrics add an air of mystery to the song, leaving listeners wondering about the character of "Baby" and why they have been absent. The line "you're a wildflower out of the ground" could be interpreted to mean that the object of the song is unique and special, a rare flower that has grown in a wild and unpredictable environment. The song ends on a hopeful note, highlighting the fact that even though something may be temporarily lost or away, it can still be found and nurtured again.

Line by Line Meaning

Now I know that love may grow like a wildflower
Love is something that can grow organically, wild and free, just like a wildflower.

You stay up for the thrill and drive all night
You're reckless, staying up all night and living on the edge just for the thrill of it.

Your reckless will
You have a tendency to be reckless in your actions and decisions, following your impulses without a care.

You’ve got a notion to say
You have a strong desire or urge to express something to someone.

Wooh you are
An expression of excitement or enthusiasm for the person being addressed.

Baby’s been away
The person's significant other, referred to as 'baby,' has been absent or away for some time.

You’re a wildflower
You are free-spirited and unpredictable, just like a wildflower.

Out of the ground
You are unique and stand out, just like a wildflower popping up unexpectedly in a field.

To wrap around
To hold onto and embrace tightly.

To follow you downtown
To go wherever you go, even if it means going to the city, which in this case is associated with danger, excitement, and adventure.

So take my word
Believe me when I say something.

I promise you
I give you my word, an assurance that I will do something or keep my word.

You are my world
You mean everything to me and are the center of my universe.

Walked up and hit a nerve
Someone or something has caused an emotional reaction, resulting in a sudden feeling of intense discomfort or distress.

Writer(s): Jennifer Winnifred Grant, Daniel William Ledwell

Contributed by Daniel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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