Even before reaching public attention by appearing on Norah Jones' breakthr… Read Full Bio ↴Even before reaching public attention by appearing on Norah Jones' breakthrough debut album, Jesse Harris was a well regarded singer-songwriter in his own right, particularly with well received regular appearances at New York's The Living Room (the acoustic night of choice for the uber-hip alt.country folk set). The release of The Secret Sun album cemented his reputation as an artist of note.

It Washed Away
Jesse Harris Lyrics

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We walked out in the snow
That fell so soft and slow
That day it washed away
And then out in the rain
So wet but without pain
That day it washed away
That day it washed away

And all the hours
That wouldn't fly
Find thee
And passed us by

All night we lay awake
And watched the morning break

That day it washed away
That day it washed away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jesse Harris's song "It Washed Away" speak to the transience of time and the impermanence of all things. The opening lines set the scene in a snowfall, a moment that is depicted as gentle and tranquil. Despite this, the singer notes that the moment was "washed away" - suggesting that no matter how lovely or pleasant something may be, it will eventually pass. Later in the song, the singer describes watching the morning break after a long night of wakefulness, which again reminds them of the fleeting nature of time.

The chorus of the song underscores this sentiment. The line "all the hours that wouldn't fly" conveys a sense of frustration over wasted or unproductive time, while the line "find thee" imbues the moment with a romantic, almost poetic quality. The fact that these hours "passed us by" acknowledges that no matter what we do, time continues to move forward and we cannot hold onto a single moment.

Overall, "It Washed Away" is a melancholic reflection on time and its inevitable passage. The song invites listeners to consider the importance of cherishing each moment as it arises, knowing that it too will eventually be swept away.

Line by Line Meaning

We walked out in the snow
We took a walk outside in the snow.

That fell so soft and slow
The snow was falling gently and slowly.

That day it washed away
The memory of that day was lost or forgotten.

And then out in the rain
Later, we went outside in the rain.

So wet but without pain
Although we were wet, we were not bothered by it.

That day it washed away
The memory of that day was lost or forgotten.

And all the hours
The time that passed.

That wouldn't fly
The time seemed to go slowly or not at all.

Find thee
They caught up to us.

And passed us by
The time continued to move forward and we were left behind.

All night we lay awake
We stayed up all night.