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.
Don't take Your Love Away
Jennifer Kimball Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A river that ran through our home
You were gone travelling a couple of days
So I dried out our things all alone
and I opened a box I'd never seen
Full of old letters written to you
Don't take your love away, she said,
Page by page I laid them out to dry
What I knew I shouldn't read
How could you love somebody so much
Knowing they've chosen to leave?
I miss what we were, I want what we had
Your silence the cruelest reply
Don't take your love away she said...
Wouldn't it be easier in black and white
I'm reading this too close to home
I've got some letters and a box of my own
That I've saved for all these years
I've kept them for all these years.
The day's getting lonely, the sun's setting late
And now even your keys at the door
They never sounded this way before
Don't take your love away...
In Jennifer Kimball's song Don't Take Your Love Away, the singer expresses concern about the state of her relationship with her partner. The song begins by describing a scene in which the street has become flooded, leaving the singer alone in the home. As she tries to dry out their belongings, she discovers a box of old letters written to her partner. She admits to reading the letters, though she knows she shouldn't have. She expresses frustration with the fact that her partner loves her so much but continues to leave her. She is nostalgic for the past and wishes they could go back to the way they used to be. The song ends with her pleading with her partner not to take his love away and lamenting the fact that even his keys sound different as he enters the home.
The song explores the complicated nature of relationships and what it feels like to be alone while still technically in a partnership. The singer's longing and sadness are palpable, as is her desire to fix things with her partner. She seems to be struggling with the notion that her partner loves her but still chooses to leave, perhaps wondering if love is truly enough to sustain a relationship. The lyrics are poignant and introspective, making the song relatable to anyone who has had a difficult time in love.
Line by Line Meaning
The street was a river, middle of June
The street was flooded during the rainy season in June.
A river that ran through our home
The flood waters entered their home and affected their belongings.
You were gone travelling a couple of days
The singer's partner was away for a short period of time.
So I dried out our things all alone
The singer had to do the necessary cleaning and drying of their affected belongings alone.
and I opened a box I'd never seen
The singer found a box that was previously unknown or unseen.
Full of old letters written to you
The box contained many old letters addressed to the singer's partner.
Don't take your love away, she said,
The singer's partner was warned not to end their relationship.
Don't take your love away.
The singer reiterates the plea to not end their relationship.
Page by page I laid them out to dry
The singer sorted out the letters and laid them out to dry after being soaked in flood waters.
What I knew I shouldn't read
The singer already had an idea that reading the letters was not a good idea.
How could you love somebody so much
The singer wonders how her partner could claim to love her so much despite their intention to leave.
Knowing they've chosen to leave?
The singer emphasizes the fact that her partner has already decided to end the relationship.
I miss what we were, I want what we had
The singer expresses her longing for the happy times they shared in the past.
Your silence the cruelest reply
The singer feels that her partner's silence towards their relationship was the most hurtful response she could receive.
Don't take your love away she said...
The singer repeats the plea for her partner not to end their relationship.
Wouldn't it be easier in black and white
The singer wonders if ending their relationship would be easier if they had a clear reason.
I'm reading this too close to home
The singer finds it difficult to read the letters as it becomes too personal and touches upon their own relationship.
I've got some letters and a box of my own
The singer reveals that she also has a box of old letters and memorabilia.
That I've saved for all these years
The singer has kept the box hidden for many years.
I've kept them for all these years.
The singer kept the box of old letters and other items for many years as a keepsake.
The day's getting lonely, the sun's setting late
The singer feels lonely as the day ends.
And now even your keys at the door
The sound of her partner's keys at the door signifies their impending arrival.
They never sounded this way before
The singer notices that the sound of her partner's keys seems different now.
Don't take your love away...
The singer repeats the plea not to end their relationship as her partner arrives home.
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