Born in Toronto, Castle was raised in Mississauga and Orangeville, and spent time living in London, England, and Vancouver, British Columbia, before returning to Toronto and launching her music career at open mic nights in the city.
Castle says that she “takes the world very seriously, while believing very much in impossible things.” This idea of being rooted in the real world – yet still free to soar in the ether of daydreams – offers insight into the contradictory and alluring world of Jennifer Castle.
After lending her unmistakable voice to a diverse list of recordings – including The Constantines’ Kensington Heights, Fucked Up’s Year of the Pig and David Comes to Life, as well as albums by Ryan Driver, Eric Chenaux, Doug Paisley and Wooly Leaves – Jennifer Castle now brings her timeless take on folk music to the world under her own name for the first time with Castlemusic. One of Canada’s best kept secrets, Castle has managed to stay low-key and grounded in Toronto, Ontario, quietly crafting songs that capture the wonder of those impossible visions.
Visit the official page at http://www.flemisheye.com/jennifer-castle
Texas
Jennifer Castle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To kiss my grandmother goodbye
She forgets things
But when I look her in the eye
I see my father
And he's been gone so very long
In the name of time travel
And send a lover
Up to my bedroom when you can
When they find out
I'm not a young American
And they whip me
With the belt of Orion
Under which he
My black haired love
Lays dying
My black haired love
Lays dying
Out in the street
He lays dying
I wonder the Garden of Eden
In search of a way
To stop the bleeding
'Cause when you're a friend to me
I'll always love you in that way
And when you believe in me
I'll lift you from your little grave
When you're a friend to me
I'll always love you in that way
And when you believe in me
I'll lift you from your little grave
And I'll tie a ribbon
(I'll tie a ribbon)
I'll tie a ribbon
In your name
I'll tie a ribbon
(I'll tie a ribbon)
I'll tie a ribbon
In your name
I'll tie a ribbon
I'll tie a ribbon
In your name
I'll tie a ribbon
Tie a ribbon
In your name
Tie a ribbon
In your name
I'll tie a ribbon
In your name
I'll tie a ribbon
The lyrics to Jennifer Castle's song "Texas" are deeply emotional and expressive, conveying themes of loss, memory, and love. The lyrics begin by describing a visit to Texas to say goodbye to the singer's grandmother, who struggles with memory loss. However, looking into her grandmother's eyes reminds the singer of her father, who has been gone for a long time. The singer then imagines time travel, wishing to reach out to her father through her music and send love to her bedroom.
The lyrics then take a turn towards the darker side, as the singer imagines being whipped with the "belt of Orion." This image is haunting and violent, yet it may serve as a metaphor for the trials and hardships that come with love and life. The singer then describes her "black haired love" dying, making reference to the Garden of Eden and searching for a way to stop the bleeding. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they seem to explore the idea of finding hope and meaning in the midst of loss and pain.
Overall, the lyrics to "Texas" are deeply poetic and convey powerful emotions. They blend together images of love, loss, and the search for meaning and connection through time and space.
Line by Line Meaning
I go down to Texas
The singer is traveling to Texas.
To kiss my grandmother goodbye
The singer is going to visit her grandmother who she may not see again.
She forgets things
The grandmother has memory impairment issues.
But when I look her in the eye
Despite her memory issues, the artist still feels a connection with her grandmother.
I see my father
The artist's father has passed away, and the grandmother reminds her of him.
And he's been gone so very long
The singer's father has been dead for a significant amount of time.
In the name of time travel
The singer wants to send a message to her father through time.
Help him to hear to my little song
The artist hopes her father can hear her message and connect with her through a song.
And send a lover
The artist is hoping to find a romantic partner in Texas.
Up to my bedroom when you can
The artist is inviting this lover to her bedroom.
When they find out
The singer is concerned about judgment from others and potential consequences of her actions.
I'm not a young American
The artist is different from the perceived norm in America.
And they whip me
The singer is being punished for being herself and living a non-traditional lifestyle.
With the belt of Orion
This punishment feels cosmic and beyond her control.
Under which he
The punishment could be caused by the underlying societal structures that are causing her lover to suffer.
My black haired love
The artist has a lover with whom she shares a deep connection.
Lays dying
The lover is experiencing some kind of suffering or hardship.
Out in the street
The lover's struggle is public and visible.
He lays dying
The lover is in great pain or distress.
I wonder the Garden of Eden
The artist is seeking paradise, but is living in a fallen world.
In search of a way
The artist is hoping to find a solution to the struggles she and her lover face.
To stop the bleeding
The artist is trying to find a way to end the pain and suffering they are experiencing.
'Cause when you're a friend to me
When someone is kind and supportive to the singer, she will reciprocate that kindness and love.
I'll always love you in that way
The artist will always be grateful and loving towards those who are kind to her.
And when you believe in me
When someone shows faith and trust in the singer, she will rise to the occasion.
I'll lift you from your little grave
The singer will help those who support her to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.
And I'll tie a ribbon
The singer will perform a symbolic act to honor someone who has helped her.
(I'll tie a ribbon)
This act is important to the artist, who repeats the line multiple times for emphasis.
In your name
The symbolic act is a tribute to the person who helped her.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jennifer Fay Castle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Desert Trance
Beautiful. A true artist. More people need this
Zalomé Ztudios
I need to share this with my friends! Making me want to make some music right now. Wonderful!
Paul Kazee
I saw CASTLE in Northampton, Mass last night, and initially, when she stepped on stage with a guitar and harmonica, greeting the audience in a rather meek, quiet voice, I worried as to whether the GODSPEED audience would take to her. I needed have, however, as her singing voice was wonderful, even acrobatic at times, and her lyrics – what I could make of them two beers down – were often clever and thoughtful. Musically, the song that made the greatest connection with me was the one that amusingly, yet ruefully, included the refrain, I’M GONNA MAKE A MAN OUTA ME. The song that spoke to me most directly, however, was SHIFTING SHAPES, the theme of which (or at least my understanding of it) I found myself discussing with a friend during the break. Of course, being that total asshole that I am, when she later sang DON'T NEED A LOVER, I turned to my friend and scoffed... "Clearly, she hasn't met me yet!"
zasddsaf
stoked for the LP! lovely subtle "percussion" on this one!
Peter Robinson
Love it Jennifer.
David Flack
Awesome. Can't wait to see you at the Mariposa Folk Festival.
Dylan Thibert
great song
Isabel Park
Great video to go with a great song
Arno J
Great videoclip. Great song.
hvywtr
sweet moves! so fun! <3