Born in California to a musical family, when she was one year old her family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado In college in the summer of 1997, Herzig formed the band Newcomers Home with Tim and Laurie Thornton and Andrew Jed. Two years later, Herzig released Weightless. She produced the album herself, recorded it at home using Pro Tools, and played most of the instruments: electric and acoustic guitar, banjo, keyboards, and percussion, in addition to her singing and songwriting. The song "Jack and Jill" appeared on the TV shows One Tree Hill and Pretty Little Liars, while several others appeared on Grey's Anatomy.
Her next album, Apple Tree (2008), was more pop-oriented. Her 2011 album was entitled The Waking Sleep. She then released Walk Through Walls (2014) and Moment of Bliss (2018).
Herzig has spent years playing festivals such as Bonnaroo and Summerfest and touring as a headliner and as support for Brandi Carlile, Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, The Fray, and as a member of 10 out of Tenn. She has had her music licensed for innumerable film, TV and commercial uses. Including over 10 songs on Grey’s Anatomy and most recently her song “Lost and Found” was featured in the trailer for Disney's Saving Mr. Banks and in a commercial for Carnival Cruises. Herzig can be heard on RAC's EP with their song collaboration "We Belong," featured on KCRW. Herzig also co-produced songs on Ingrid Michaelson's 2014 Lights Out album, including her first single “Girls Chase Boys.”
Sumatra
Katie Herzig Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone needs someone to hold
So why’s it so damn hard to love when we’re alone
I’ve lived a lifetime telling stories
About the way we live and die
When love was born it was a mystery
I’m yet to find
And when I wake up in the morning
There is a twinkle in my eye
That maybe someday you will meet me
In the light
I’ll let you whisper
I’ll let you hold me
Do what you came to
You are the only
I will not cry out
I will not fight you
I’ll let you have me
All that you want to
I’ll give you sunsets
I’ll give you kisses
I’ll give you songs that
That no one else hears
It’s not enough love
Until you know me
Until you touch me
Until you hold me
The lyrics to Katie Herzig's 'Sumatra' explore the universal human need for connection and love. It is a poignant song that speaks to the struggles of being alone and the desire for intimacy. Herzig sings about the difficulty of finding love and how it often feels like a mystery. She realizes that everyone needs someone to touch them and hold them, yet being alone makes it hard to love.
In the chorus, Herzig sings about her willingness to let someone into her life and give them all the love that they want. Despite the fear and uncertainty of love, she is willing to take the risk because it is the only way to feel truly alive. Herzig sings about giving her lover sunsets, kisses, and songs that no one else hears. She is willing to be vulnerable and let her lover see her for who she is.
The song is a beautiful reminder that love is something that we all need and crave, and that we must be willing to be vulnerable in order to find it. 'Sumatra' is a song that speaks to the human experience and is a reminder that we are not alone in our yearning for connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone needs someone to touch them
Human beings crave physical contact and intimacy with others
Everyone needs someone to hold
People desire an emotional connection with another person to feel secure and loved
So why’s it so damn hard to love when we’re alone
Despite the need for human connection and intimacy, it can be difficult to find and maintain love on one’s own
I’ve lived a lifetime telling stories
The artist has spent a lot of time sharing various experiences narratives
About the way we live and die
The artist has explored themes of life and death through their storytelling
When love was born it was a mystery
The true nature and origins of love are inexplicable and unknown to the singer
I’m yet to find
The singer has not yet discovered the true meaning of love
And when I wake up in the morning
Upon waking, the artist feels a sense of hope and possibility
There is a twinkle in my eye
The artist feels a sense of excitement and anticipation
That maybe someday you will meet me
The artist desires to meet someone who can fulfill their longing for love and intimacy
In the light
The singer hopes to meet someone honestly and openly
I’ll let you whisper
The artist is willing to let their partner speak softly and intimately with them
I’ll let you hold me
The singer is willing to allow their partner to embrace them with affection
Do what you came to
The singer is willing to let their partner express their love and fulfill their desires
You are the only
The singer is committed exclusively to their partner
I will not cry out
The artist will not make a fuss or express discontent
I will not fight you
The artist will not argue with or resist their partner
I’ll let you have me
The singer is willing to be submissive and offer themselves wholly to their partner
All that you want to
The singer is offering themselves completely to their partner's desires and needs
I’ll give you sunsets
The artist promises to share the beauty and wonder of the world with their partner
I’ll give you kisses
The artist promises to offer tender and loving displays of affection
I’ll give you songs that
The artist promises to write and perform music for their partner
That no one else hears
The singer promises to create music that is only shared between themselves and their partner
It’s not enough love
Despite the affection and commitment offered, the artist feels that it is not sufficient for their partner
Until you know me
The singer feels that their partner does not truly understand or know them
Until you touch me
The singer needs a physical connection with their partner to feel truly loved
Until you hold me
The singer needs an emotional connection with their partner to feel truly loved
Contributed by Liliana F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Heidi Fryzell
I'm kind of amazed there are no comments on this, well maybe everyone is left speechless. Phenomenal.
Marcus Beynum
I just discovered this song I like it a lot I'm a new fan
Dohna Joy
Everyone needs someone to touch them
Everyone needs someone to hold
So why’s it so damn hard to love when we’re alone
I’ve lived a lifetime telling stories
About the way we live and die
When love was born it was a mystery
I’m yet to find
And when I wake up in the morning
There is a twinkle in my eye
That maybe someday you will meet me
In the light
I’ll let you whisper
I’ll let you hold me
Do what you came to
You are the only
I will not cry out
I will not fight you
I’ll let you have me
All that you want to
I’ll give you sunsets
I’ll give you kisses
I’ll give you songs that
That no one else hears
It’s not enough love
Until you know me
Until you touch me
Until you hold me
Reka Maharani
What's the meaning of this song? Is it about Sumatra Island in Indonesia or anything else? But overall I love this song.
Zaroff's Trophy Room
Extra flamey!