According to Songfacts, Nettles made inroads on the independent circuit, gaining a small degree of national attention, then later becomes a pop-country superstar. With Jennifer Nettles Band, the future Sugarland artist released three independent albums and went on the Lilith Fair in 1999. The band drew praises from a number of music publications including Performing Songwriter magazine, and accumulated a substantial fan base along the East Coast.
Nettles formed Sugarland in 2003 and when they hit it big, her Jennifer Nettles Band pretty much vanished
With a presentation of engaging tunes, dynamic vocals, and poetic flair in a passionately charged live setting, Jennifer Nettles and her band were quite successful during the mid- to late '90s. Originally a native of Atlanta, GA, Nettles successful career began with the release of Story of Your Bones and quickly a following was created. Over the course of her touring, Nettles received rave reviews from many publications including Jezebel, Atlanta City Mag, the Album Network, Southeastern Performer, and the Performing Songwriter. Nettles was rewarded with gigs at such momentous occasions such as the 1999 Lilith Fair Tour, Big Day Out 2000, and Music Midtown 1999.
Though much of her crafty songwriting and poetic expression merited a listen on their own, Nettles joined the royal company of a gifted and charismatic backing band. Drummer Brad Sikes put forth the group's ever-changing and diverse rhythms. Scott Nicholson bought to life the magic of the piano's keys with stirring ebony-and-ivory passages. Wesley Lupold lays down the framework of the songs chord structures with bass. And Mike Cebulski presented an eclectic array of sounds and rhythms with his gift of percussion. Nettles received airplay in major cities such as New York, Cleveland, Memphis, Atlanta, and throughout the Carolinas. Because of her songwriting magic and growing fan base, and those behind the scenes who devote their time toward helping market her music, Jennifer Nettles received the distinguished honor of being presented the Independent Musician of the Year award for 2001.
Nettles was influenced and inspired by a splendid mix of rock, blues, folk, and soul, and those influences reflected clearly in her work. She began her singing career in 1996 while performing with Soul Miner's Daughter in the Atlanta and Decatur music scene. A singer since the age of seven, Nettles certainly was not shy of showing her witty charm, and was not afraid of challenging herself to continually write and sing powerful, honest, soul-charging songs with engaging lyrical content. At times her tunes were filled with amazing richness and personality, while others left the listener dazed and haunted.
Jennifer Nettles Band made routine trips to such notable venues as the Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), the 40 Watt (Athens), and the Mercury Lounge (New York City). Her songs are full of poetic meaning, and the band plays with a sense of attitude, winning over her audiences each and every time, and making a crop of fresh new listeners happy as well. Her release Gravity: Drag Me Down appeared in February 2002.
The Awakening
Jennifer Nettles Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The awakening will be swift and harsh and rude
And it won't be what you know and it won't be what you'd expect
And it will carry with it the force of fear-inspiring wreck
This keeps me up all night, makes me pass the day in bed
And it's caused me such grief, it's been months since I've bled
But I will do what is right, I will do what's expected
No I won't be chastised and I won't be rejected
(Chorus)
But I will wait for you to come around
And I will wait for you to change your mind
And I will give you your one last chance over and over a thousand times
I wanted to be your shelter, I wanted to be your home
I wanted to be your reason and have that reason made known
So no one would know my weakness, no one would hear what I'm thinking
I am the biggest coward; they call the woman of the hour
Doing eighty miles an hour, I roll the window down
And with the freedom heavy on the air, I felt that I would drown
And everything is different, and though freedom had its price
A poor man's Joan of Arc, through the ashes still I rise
(Chorus)
Cause I did wait for you to come around
And I did wait for you to change your mind
And I did give you your one last chance over and over a thousand times
And I will live out of love and I will act out of fairness
And I will be the richness that lies beneath the surface of awareness
The Jennifer Nettles Band's song "The Awakening" speaks of a sudden and difficult event that forces the singer to confront what she knows and expects. It hints at something life-changing that will shake her to the core, and leave her vulnerable and afraid. The lyrics suggest that this awakening has already begun and the singer is struggling to cope with its consequences, both physically and emotionally.
The chorus of the song talks about waiting for someone to change their mind despite giving them numerous chances. The singer speaks of her desire to be a safe place for someone, to be a shelter and home for them. She admits to being a coward, and yet she keeps waiting, hoping that the person will see reason. She also speaks of wanting to keep her thoughts and emotions hidden from the world, so that no one can exploit her weaknesses.
The song's lyrics suggest that the awakening is a painful but necessary process that is ultimately uplifting. Through the singer's journey, the song highlights the importance of hope, resilience, and love. It encourages listeners to persevere through difficult times, to act with fairness, and to find the richness that lies beneath the surface of awareness.
Line by Line Meaning
Gather yourself, up 'til now there's been no clue
Take a moment to prepare yourself, because what's coming is unknown and unexpected.
The awakening will be swift and harsh and rude
The change that's coming will be quick, tough, and unpleasant.
And it won't be what you know and it won't be what you'd expect
The change will not be familiar or comfortable.
And it will carry with it the force of fear-inspiring wreck
The change will be scary and impactful.
This keeps me up all night, makes me pass the day in bed
The worry about the impending change is causing sleepless nights and unproductive days.
And it's caused me such grief, it's been months since I've bled
The stress of the situation is so great that it's affecting the person physically.
But I will do what is right, I will do what's expected
Despite the difficulties, the person will make the right decisions and do what's necessary.
No I won't be chastised and I won't be rejected
The person is confident in their choices and won't let others bring them down.
I wanted to be your shelter, I wanted to be your home
The person wanted to provide comfort and solace to another.
I wanted to be your reason and have that reason made known
They wanted to be someone's motivation and have that recognized.
So no one would know my weakness, no one would hear what I'm thinking
The person was afraid of vulnerability and sharing their innermost thoughts with others.
I am the biggest coward; they call the woman of the hour
Despite feeling afraid, the person is still trying to do the right thing and be brave.
Doing eighty miles an hour, I roll the window down
The person is going fast and letting the wind wash over them.
And with the freedom heavy on the air, I felt that I would drown
Despite the freedom, the person still feels overwhelmed and weighed down.
And everything is different, and though freedom had its price
The person acknowledges the cost of freedom and the changes it brings.
A poor man's Joan of Arc, through the ashes still I rise
The person is rising up and persevering despite being disregarded by society.
Cause I did wait for you to come around
The person was patient in waiting for someone to change.
And I did give you your one last chance over and over a thousand times
They gave someone multiple opportunities to change.
And I will live out of love and I will act out of fairness
The person will prioritize love and fairness in their actions.
And I will be the richness that lies beneath the surface of awareness
They will focus on the deeper, hidden aspects of life and relationships.
Contributed by Andrew Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Earthmother1948
Beautiful lyrics. I am so glad I discovered her music. I love singer-songwriters and Jennifer Nettles is one of the best!!
@tombirney7276
Jennifer's voice has been trained exquisitely since this song was released. But in the canon of her lyrics, this is her most vulnerable and telling. Thank you Carla 4 being so devoted to a firecracker child!
@thatgirlmeghan
Still wonderful after all these years
@kkb7261
Hauntingly beautiful- reaches the deepest recesses of your soul. Her voice is ethereal
@lite_ning4256
I have listened to this song for years...tonight it's as rhough my first time ever!! Thanks to Him!!
@davidhampton5494
She became a very good country singer.
@tombirney7276
thank you for posting this song, never heard it b4... never want to have it leave my playlist now!
@kkb7261
The piano and her voice~
Beautifully beautifully executed. The lyrics resonant so deeply my soul aches every time I listen to it.
@scottnicholson9655
Thank you for mentioning the piano
@killcancer6499
Thank you, a thousand times over.