Messersmith is not only a musician is half-truth, but also a storyteller. His first full-length release The Alcatraz Kid is a moving collection of acoustic-driven lullabies with titles like “Novocain” and “Beautiful Children” that innocently question the purpose of things to come. The integrity of these delicate songs immediately struck a chord with critics and fans alike, and captured the attention of Semisonic’s Dan Wilson, who offered to produce Messersmith’s follow-up album, The Silver City.
The Silver City was a natural progression in sound and reflection: the compositions grew fuller and more dynamic with a classic-pop feel inspired by the Beach Boys and Beatles: While the topics focused on midlife struggles with tracks like “Dead End Job” and “Miracles.” Local and national attention soon followed with NPR and college stations around the country, followed by U.S. tours and sold-out shows in New York, Chicago and Minneapolis.
The Reluctant Graveyard bookends this trilogy of lifelong (ahem, literary) observations with songs like “Lazy Bones” and “Organ Donor,” and sonically continues on the ’60s chamber pop path Messersmith set out with his sophomore release. He continues to share stages with notables such as Sondre Lechre and The Watson Twins, and has been featured on MTV and Ugly Betty.
Hitman
Jeremy Messersmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone to bump it off a balcony
Nonchalantly leave the scene
I need a hitman for my heart
It doesn't care who might get hurt
Never thinks, only loves recklessly
Slow, but sure, it's killing me
I have loved you for so long
And I don't know how to stop
Tired of crying, holding on
My heart wants to love you
And I just want it gone
I need a hitman for my heart
Someone to gently strangle it at night
Lovingly, by candlelight
I need a hitman for my heart
I have loved you for so long
And I don't know how to stop
Tired of crying, holding on
My heart wants to love you
And I just want it gone
I need a hitman
For my heart
I need a hitman for my heart
Someone professional
Who's fast and clean
So I won't feel anything
I need a hitman for my heart
The lyrics to Jeremy Messersmith's song "Hitman" convey the intense desire to rid oneself of the pain that comes with loving someone who does not reciprocate those emotions. Messersmith creates a metaphorical hitman to symbolize the need for someone to destroy the heart that continues to hold onto these feelings. The idea of employing a hitman as a solution to heartbreak is a powerful and emotive metaphor that suggests the singer's desperation to escape the pain of an unrequited love.
The lyrics express the overwhelming sense of helplessness that is felt when consumed by unrequited love. The metaphorical hitman is a way of taking back control and finding a solution to the pain by completely destroying the source of it. The desire for the hitman to gently strangle the heart at night, by candlelight, is an indication of the singer's need for closure and acceptance.
Overall, the lyrics of "Hitman" showcase the raw and intense emotions associated with loving someone who does not reciprocate those feelings. The metaphorical hitman serves as a profound and emotive symbol that conveys the overwhelming sense of hopelessness that can accompany unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
I need a hitman for my heart
I need someone to help me stop loving you.
Someone to bump it off a balcony
Someone who can get rid of my love with ease and nonchalance.
Nonchalantly leave the scene
Without causing too much of a disturbance and without leaving any evidence behind.
It doesn't care who might get hurt
My heart loves you recklessly and without regard for the consequences.
Never thinks, only loves recklessly
My heart is not rational when it comes to love, it only feels strongly.
Slow, but sure, it's killing me
My love for you is causing me pain and heartache bit by bit over time.
And I don't know how to stop
I feel trapped in my love for you and don't know how to get out of it.
Tired of crying, holding on
I am worn out from the emotional toll of loving you and holding on to this hopeless love.
My heart wants to love you
Despite everything, my heart still wants to be with you and love you.
And I just want it gone
I want to be free from this love that is causing me so much pain.
Someone to gently strangle it at night
Someone who can end my love for you in a peaceful and loving way.
Lovingly, by candlelight
In a way that is intimate and comforting.
Someone professional
I need someone who can take care of my problem in a clean and efficient way.
Who's fast and clean
Someone who can get the job done quickly and without any mess left behind.
So I won't feel anything
I want it to be over quickly and painlessly, without any more hurt or heartache.
Contributed by Brody W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.