Graham featured in the True Believers with Alejandro Escovedo before going solo and releasing a number of highly-acclaimed albums in the late 1990s and 2000s. His more recent studio albums include Full and The Great Battle and they highlight Graham's personal and heartfelt writing style, distinctive and gruff (well lived in) vocals and punch guitar style.
To date, Graham has released eight solo albums: Escape from Monster Island (1997, Freedom Records); Summerland (1999, New West Records); Hooray for the Moon (2002, New West Records); The Great Battle (2004, New West Records); Full (2006, Freedom Records); Swept Away (Film Soundtrack) (2008, Freedom Records) It's Not As Bad As It Looks (2010, Freedom Records), and Garage Sale (2012, Freedom Records).
Swept Away
Jon Dee Graham Lyrics
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at a low water crossing
With the door wide open
and the keys still inside
Don't say 'so long'
Don't say 'goodbye'
I was swept away
Let them say I was swept away
Sat on the back porch
smoked a cigarette
Sat on the back porch
I smoked seven cigarettes
Sat on the back porch
I was looking at my hands
I was swept away
swept away
Let them say I was swept away
I'll walk the switches
all the way to Crystal
I'll be uncomfortable for a little while
Crossed at the Piadras
where no one looks back
I was swept away
swept away
Let them say I was swept away
Cross the wild Senora
to the land of the duroes (?)
I'll be a stranger for a little while
Among the stones, mesquites, and madrones
I'll be swept away
swept away
Let them say he was swept away
Well if you find my car
at a low water crossing
With the doors wide open
and the keys still inside
The lyrics of Jon Dee Graham's song "Swept Away" tells a story of someone who has been swept away, possibly by a flood or a river, leaving behind only their car with the doors wide open and the keys still inside. The lyrics plead that those who find the car not to say goodbye, indicating that the person may not have survived. The recurring line "I was swept away, swept away, Let them say I was swept away" emphasizes the sense of helplessness and loss of control in the situation.
In the second verse, the singer is sitting on a back porch, smoking cigarettes and looking at their hands, reflecting on their life before they were swept away. This verse creates a sense of calm before the chaos, as if the singer is reminiscing before they head on an uncertain journey. In the following verses, the singer describes their journey crossing rivers and wild terrains, not knowing where they will end up or who they will meet.
The song's lyrics appear to be written from the perspective of someone who knows they are about to face a dangerous situation, making peace with their fate in a peaceful manner. The song's lyrics are ambiguous and mysterious, creating a sense of uncertainty and awareness of the unknowns in life.
Line by Line Meaning
If you find my car
In the event that you come across my car
at a low water crossing
located where water collects in a stream or brook
With the door wide open
the door of my car likely unlocked or ajar
and the keys still inside
the keys sitting there in plain sight
Don't say 'so long'
Please don't go away
Don't say 'goodbye'
Don't bid me farewell
I was swept away
I was overcome by something powerful
swept away
overpowered, engulfed
Let them say I was swept away
Let them say what they will about my situation
Sat on the back porch
I was on my back porch
smoked a cigarette
smoking a cigarette while thinking
I smoked seven cigarettes
seven smokes puffed
I was looking at my hands
I was staring at my hands and thinking
I'll walk the switches
I'll take the direction I choose
all the way to Crystal
far as Crystal, not gonna stop
I'll be uncomfortable for a little while
I will be uneasy temporarily
Crossed at the Piadras
I passed through Piadras town
where no one looks back
no interest in what happens behind them
Cross the wild Senora
passing through the rugged Senora landscape
to the land of the duroes (?)
destination for the brave and adventurous
I'll be a stranger for a little while
I won't know anybody when I get there
Among the stones, mesquites, and madrones
surrounded by different types of trees and rocks
I'll be swept away
I will be overpowered by the experience
swept away
overwhelmed and engulfed
Let them say he was swept away
People will talk about how I felt during this ordeal
Well if you find my car
If you happen upon my vehicle at the place
at a low water crossing
where water gathers along the streambed
With the doors wide open
the car may have been abandoned, and the doors are open
and the keys still inside
you will see the keys left in the ignition
Writer(s): Jon Dee Graham
Contributed by Gabriella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.