Gaffigan first began performing stand up comedy on January 27, 1991 in New York City. In 2000 he had a short-lived series on CBS called Welcome to New York, which co-starred Christine Baranski (Cybill) and Sara Gilbert (Roseanne). The following year, Gaffigan starred in Ellen DeGeneres' short-lived second sitcom, called The Ellen Show. In 2003/2004 he appeared in several episodes of the television show That '70s Show. Gaffigan has also appeared in the movie Super Troopers.
In 2006, Jim Gaffigan appeared on Comedy Central in a special entitled Beyond the Pale. It aired January 29, 2006, and became available for purchase on DVD that same day. "Beyond the Pale" is Gaffigan's first DVD. Jim Gaffigan also appeared on Comedy Central in his own episode of Comedy Central Presents.
In the United States, he has also appeared in Sierra Mist, Rolling Rock, and Saturn television commercials.
Gaffigan has appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien numerous times, often bringing episodes of Pale Force, a comedic short featuring a superhero duo (Gaffigan and O'Brien) and highlighting their mutual paleness.
On Novemeber 28th, 2006 Jim Gaffigan starred as Andy Franklin in the pilot episode of the TBS orginal series, "My Boys".
Almost Heaven
Jim Gaffigan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a West Virginia church door swinging open
And he's pointing to the exit sign
Said you'll never walk on water
If you wait until the river's frozen over
In the Shenandoah summer
Well it was almost heaven
S singing in robes of white
Lovers laying side by side but
When we reach forever?
Will there be a place where you and I may find home?
So I keep a candle burning
And I pray to see that saint I knew for certain
But it's just my own reflection now
And that silhouette in the window
Is the shape of someone I don't quite remember
Dancing in the fire
Well it was almost heaven
S singing in robes of white
Almost heaven
Lovers laying side by side but
When we reach forever?
Will there be a place where you and I may find home?
In heaven
I'll make room for you
If you stay, your eyes on me now
Lover you can lean on me
Love I can lift you higher
Saying that I'm making a room for you
Will you keep your eyes on me now?
Lover lean on me
Love I can lift you higher
Oh I can lift you higher, oh
And it was almost heaven
(Choirs singing in robes of white)
Oh it was almost heaven
(Lovers laying side by side)
Oh when we reach forever
Will there be a place where you and I may find home?
In heaven
May call home in heaven
The song Almost Heaven by Jim Gaffigan appears to be a reflection on the idea of heaven, both as a physical place and as an ideal state of being. The lyrics describe a scene in West Virginia where an angel is pointing to an exit sign, suggesting that one must take action in order to reach their desired destination. The reference to walking on water may be interpreted as a metaphor for the idea of achieving the seemingly impossible. The Shenandoah summer is described as "almost heaven," suggesting that the singer is longing for a perfect world, but recognizes that such a thing may never truly exist. The reference to singers in robes of white and lovers laying side by side conjures images of a utopian paradise, but the repeated question of whether there will be a place where one can find home suggests a deeper uncertainty.
The latter half of the song takes on a somewhat more personal tone, as the singer describes their own search for meaning. There is a mention of someone, perhaps a saint or loved one, who the singer hopes to reconnect with, but ultimately they realize that the shape in the window is simply a reflection of themselves. The repeated refrain of "I'll make room for you" can be interpreted in a few different ways - it could be a plea for comfort or a promise of acceptance, but regardless, it appears to be an attempt to connect with something greater. The ending lines, "In heaven/May call home in heaven," suggest that the singer still holds onto the idea of a perfect place or state of being, but it is ultimately an unreachable goal.
Line by Line Meaning
There's an angel in the window
There is a sign on the church door in West Virginia
On a West Virginia church door swinging open
The church door is open and the sign is swinging
And he's pointing to the exit sign
The sign is telling people to leave
Said you'll never walk on water
The sign is warning people not to take unnecessary risks
If you wait until the river's frozen over
The sign suggests people be cautious to avoid danger
In the Shenandoah summer
The setting of the song is during summer in the Shenandoah Valley
Well it was almost heaven
The Shenandoah Valley is a beautiful place
S singing in robes of white
The choir is dressed in white robes
Lovers laying side by side but
Couples are together enjoying the beautiful scenery
When we reach forever?
When we die, will we reach the afterlife?
Will there be a place where you and I may find home?
Is there an afterlife where we can be reunited with loved ones?
So I keep a candle burning
The singer is praying and keeping hope alive
And I pray to see that saint I knew for certain
The singer is praying to be reunited with someone they knew who has passed away
But it's just my own reflection now
The singer is looking in the mirror and only sees themselves
And that silhouette in the window
The shadow the singer sees is not recognizable to them
Is the shape of someone I don't quite remember
The person the singer sees in the shadow is not someone they remember
Dancing in the fire
The singer sees the shadow dancing in the flame
In heaven
The afterlife where we hope to go
I'll make room for you
The singer is willing to help loved ones who have passed on
If you stay, your eyes on me now
The singer is asking loved ones to stay close to them
Lover you can lean on me
The singer is willing to be a support for their loved ones
Love I can lift you higher
The singer's love can raise their loved ones up
May call home in heaven
A place we can call home in the afterlife
Writer(s): Jim Gaffigan
Contributed by Arianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.