Following The Story's breakup, Kimball released her first solo album, the critically acclaimed Veering from the Wave (Imaginary Road/PolyGram), in 1998. She followed this with a 2006 release Oh Hear Us (Epoisse).
Kimball performs regularly with several Boston-based bands including Wayfaring Strangers, Family Affair, and Maybe Baby, a quartet she fronts with her husband Ry Cavanaugh. She is in high demand as a vocalist and has performed on more than 60 releases by Catie Curtis, Jabe Beyer, Kris Delmhorst, Peter Mulvey, Ellis Paul, Lucy Kaplansky, Lori McKenna and Patty Larkin.
Can't Climb Up
Jennifer Kimball Lyrics
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Let your heart bring you around.
You fall down when I need someone
To stand up to me and set me straight
You let me run roughshod over all the livelong day
Then you turn your back and walk away.
Drained your cup now you're all unwound.
You never really could talk to me
You're on the train and headed out of town
I put a penny on the track.
So, your mama's gone but you're a rich girl now.
How could you say that to me.
What have you done to your own heart
That cruelty comes with such ease?
Can't climb up, can't crawl down
Pass the buck, turn off the sound.
You can't get past no ring on my finger
You'd really rather put a check in the mail
I know this letter.
Father, father!
I'm lost in a dark wood
No golden thread to lead me back.
Can't climb up, can't crawl down
Left your joy in the lost and found.
Can't climb up, can't crawl down
Let your heart bring you around.
You lost your joy - you've got to find your joy
The lyrics of Jennifer Kimball's song "Can't Climb Up" tell a story of a relationship that has gone awry. The first verse paints a picture of someone who is stuck in a rut and unable to make any progress in their life. They can't climb up, they can't crawl down, and they seem to be going in circles. However, the singer suggests that the key to getting out of this stagnant place is to let your heart guide you.
The second verse introduces a second character in the story who seems to have been enabling the singer's bad behavior. This person has been letting the singer run roughshod over them, but now they have decided to walk away. The singer is clearly confused and hurt by this sudden abandonment, and they are struggling to make sense of it.
The third verse introduces a new element to the story - a rich girl who has lost her mother. The singer is disgusted by the way the rich girl talks to them, and they question how someone who has suffered such a loss could be so cruel. The phrase "can't climb up, can't crawl down" is repeated several times throughout the song, almost like a refrain. It seems to suggest that the characters are trapped in their own emotional turmoil, unable to move forward or backward.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most poignant. The singer speaks directly to a figure they call "father." They are lost in a dark wood, and there is no golden thread to lead them back. This is a reference to the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur, in which Theseus is given a ball of thread to use as a guide to find his way out of a labyrinth. The singer seems to be asking for guidance, but it's unclear if they will ever be able to find their way out of the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't climb up, you can't crawl down
You feel stuck, no matter which way you go.
Let your heart bring you around.
Listen to your heart and follow its guidance.
You fall down when I need someone
When I need support, you're not there for me.
To stand up to me and set me straight
You don't challenge me and help me grow.
You let me run roughshod over all the livelong day
I take advantage of you and treat you poorly, and you allow it.
Then you turn your back and walk away.
You've finally had enough and leave me behind.
Drained your cup, now you're all unwound.
You've given everything, and now you're exhausted and broken.
You never really could talk to me
We've never had a deep, meaningful conversation.
You're on the train and headed out of town
You're leaving to pursue your own life and dreams.
I put a penny on the track.
I'm trying to slow down time, but it's futile.
So, your mama's gone but you're a rich girl now.
You've inherited something valuable, but it can't replace the love of a mother.
How could you say that to me.
What you said hurt me deeply.
What have you done to your own heart
Why have you become so cruel and heartless?
That cruelty comes with such ease?
Why is it so easy for you to be mean to me?
Pass the buck, turn off the sound.
You deflect responsibility and try to ignore the problem.
You can't get past no ring on my finger.
You can't accept that I'm married to someone else.
You'd really rather put a check in the mail.
You're willing to throw money at the problem instead of facing it.
I know this letter.
I'm familiar with this kind of response from you.
Father, father! I'm lost in a dark wood
I'm desperate for guidance or help from someone who is like a father.
No golden thread to lead me back.
I don't know how to find my way again without someone else's help.
Left your joy in the lost and found.
You've lost your happiness and don't know where to find it.
Can't climb up, can't crawl down
You're still feeling stuck and helpless.
Let your heart bring you around.
Again, try to listen to your heart and follow its guidance, even when it's difficult.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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