Born to two neuroscientists, Ritter bought his first guitar from the local K-MART after hearing the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash classic Girl From The North Country. He started at Oberlin College with the intent to follow in his parents' scientist footsteps, but instead discovered songwriting, and the music of artists like Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen. He graduated and then moved east, favoring its close proximity to historic folk clubs such as "Club Passim" in Boston. On a shoestring budget he recorded his critically acclaimed breakthrough album Golden Age of Radio in 2002 at various tiny, one-room studios on the East Coast. He has continued to grow from there, further developing his sound on subsequent albums.
Josh has recorded several records and E.P.s. In chronological order, they are:
Josh Ritter (Self Titled) (2000)
Golden Age of Radio (2001)
Come and Find Me EP (2003)
Hello Starling (2003)
4 Songs Live E.P. (2005)
The Animal Years (2006)
Girl In The War E.P. (2006)
Good Man E.P. (2006)
In The Dark: Live At Vicar Street (2006)
The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter (2007)
Live at the Record Exchange EP (2008)
So Runs the World Away (2010)
To the Yet Unknowing World (2011)
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Live at The Iveagh Gardens (April 2011)
The Beast In Its Tracks (2013)
Acoustic Live, Vol.1 (2015)
Sermon on the Rocks (2015)
In Your Arms Awhile
Josh Ritter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hold me in your arms awhile
And I will hold you in my arms awhile
I will hold you in my arms just a little bit longer
Hold me in your mind awhile
Hold me in your mind awhile
And I will hold you in my mind awhile
Hey hey hey
You got my heart in your pocket
When you're lost and you're falling down
When you're lost and you're falling down
I will hold you in my arms awhile
I will hold you in my arms and you won't fall farther
When you're gone and you're far away
When you're gone and you're far away
I will hold you in my mind awhile
I will hold you in my mind and you won't go farther
Hey hey hey
You got my heart in your pocket
Hey hey hey
You got my heart in your pocket
The lyrics of Josh Ritter's song "In Your Arms Awhile" express a desire for intimacy and a fear of distance in a relationship. The repetition of the phrases "Hold me in your arms awhile" and "Hold me in your mind awhile" convey a sense of longing for physical and emotional connection. The singer promises to hold their partner in their arms and mind, to keep them close and prevent them from falling farther away.
The chorus, "Hey hey hey, you got my heart in your pocket," reinforces this idea of vulnerability and trust. The singer has given their heart to their partner, entrusting them with their deepest feelings and emotions. The fear of losing this connection when their partner is "lost" or "gone and far away" adds a sense of urgency and desperation to the song.
Overall, "In Your Arms Awhile" is a love song that expresses both the beauty and fragility of relationships. It captures the essence of the desire for intimacy and the fear of losing it, highlighting the need for trust, communication, and a willingness to hold on tight.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold me in your arms awhile
Request to be held physically by the person for some time
Hold me in your arms awhile
Reiterating the request to be held physically by the person for some time
And I will hold you in my arms awhile
Promising to hold the person physically
I will hold you in my arms just a little bit longer
Promising to hold the person physically a bit longer than requested
Hold me in your mind awhile
Request to be remembered by the person for some time
Hold me in your mind awhile
Reiterating the request to be remembered by the person for some time
And I will hold you in my mind awhile
Promising to remember the person in thoughts for some time
I will hold you in my mind just a little bit longer
Promising to remember the person in thoughts a bit longer than requested
You got my heart in your pocket
Metaphor to say the person has the singer's heart, i.e., they are in love
When you're lost and you're falling down
Singer offering support when the person is feeling lost or helpless
When you're lost and you're falling down
Reiterating the offer to support when the person is feeling lost or helpless
I will hold you in my arms awhile
Promising physical support to prevent the person from falling farther down
I will hold you in my arms and you won't fall farther
Emphasis on singer's support to keep the person from getting worse
When you're gone and you're far away
Singer acknowledging the possibility of the person being distant either physically or emotionally
When you're gone and you're far away
Reiterating the possibility of the person being distant either physically or emotionally
I will hold you in my mind awhile
Promising to remember the person in thoughts when they are not around
I will hold you in my mind and you won't go farther
Emphasis on remembering the person to prevent their emotional detachment
You got my heart in your pocket
Metaphor to say the person has the singer's heart, i.e., they are in love
You got my heart in your pocket
Reiterating the fact that the person holds a special place in the singer's heart
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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