During this time he also appeared in regular stints at the Wetlands Preserve. Although still relatively unknown, Devine gained some popularity with his 2003 album, Make the Clocks Move. Newer songs reflect Devine's political views and the recent death of his father to a stroke. He has recorded records for Immigrant Sun Records and Triple Crown Records and has worked with Brooklyn based producer Mike Skinner, who is also credited as the drummer on his solo records as well as the drummer for Miracle of 86. He signed with Capitol Records, who released his fourth album, Put Your Ghost to Rest, on October 17, 2006. Only four months after his major label debut, Devine was dropped from Capitol Records due to EMI merging Virgin and Capitol Records.
Devine was able to gather a strong fan base as a result of his exposure through touring with Brand New. First appearing as their opening act in their 2004 spring tour, Devine made a small splash among their fan base. However, opening for them again in April 2006, and joining their 2007 Spring tour with Manchester Orchestra, Kevin's following was multiplying by the day. (Kevin also opened for Brand New as a surprise act at the Triple Crown Records 10th Anniversary Concert.)
Devine's late 2007 touring schedule included a tour with close friend Jesse Lacey (of Brand New) and Grace Read at the end of July through early August, followed by a short trip to London, a spot on the Austin City Limits Festival, and a tour with Chin Up Chin Up throughout Germany. In October 2007 he toured with Andy Hull from Manchester Orchestra and Owen.
Kevin posted numerous demos via his MySpace profile in late 2007/early 2008 and after negotiations with Capitol records, "Put Your Ghost To Rest" was re-released on April 20, 2008 by Procrastinate! Music Traitors.
Kevin toured Europe with Jenny Owen Youngs and Tournaments in May and other tours followed throughout 2008 with Jesse Lacey, Rachael Yamagata and Matt Pryor in August and September 2008.[1]
In late 2008, Kevin announced his new album Brother's Blood would be released in early 2009 on Favorite Gentlemen records, as well as a tour with Manchester Orchestra and the I Could Be With Anyone EP in support of both.
Like Cursing Kids
Kevin Devine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of a stranger today
And my heart leapt, my heart leapt
I saw the sickle of your dimple
Slice the side of her face
And my heart leapt, my heart leapt
But then she faced me while we wrestled
For our place on the train
Kabuki makeup, a labret ring
I kept out of her way
You're not that actress playing dress-up
On the subway today
So my heart keeps leapin' on
I tried to catch you in a couplet
On my 4-track today
But my tongue tied, my tongue tied
I couldn't figure how to fit you
On the spin and the tape
See, my tongue tied, my tongue tied
The words are small and insignificant,
Confused and cliche
I saw my promise and potential
Through my guilt and my shame
I couldn't catch that in a couplet
On my best goddamn day
My tied tongue tumbles on
[Chorus:]
Shake and shiver
And laugh like cursing kids
And all our fitful failures
Fit everytime we kiss
So cross your fingers, place your bets
And hold that glow in your face
Let my big mouth ramble on
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Kevin Devine's Like Cursing Kids depict a sense of longing for a lost love, as the singer notices someone with freckles similar to those of his past love, and experiences a surge of emotions which he cannot express. The lyrics mention the physical attributes of the person which the singer remembers, such as the sickle of her dimple and her freckles on her shoulder. He then tries to write a song about her on his 4-track, but his tongue becomes tied as he realizes that he cannot capture the depth of his emotions in a mere couplet - the words are small and insignificant, and his guilt and shame keep him from fully expressing himself. The chorus, which repeats twice in the song, urges the listener to "shake and shiver and laugh like cursing kids" and to embrace their failures, as they occur every time they kiss, and to let their "big mouth ramble on."
The lyrics capture the feeling of the almost-lost, half-remembered moments of nostalgia for an old love, whose memory is still vivid and haunting. The lyrics convey a sense of fragmented memories and emotions, as if the singer is trying to piece together his thoughts about the past love from the few physical attributes he can remember. The theme of longing for a lost love is universal and relatable, and the lyrics encapsulate this emotion in a beautiful and moving way.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw your freckles on the shoulders
I noticed someone with freckles on their shoulders and they reminded me of you
Of a stranger today
This person was a stranger to me, not someone I knew
And my heart leapt, my heart leapt
I felt a rush of emotion when I saw this person that reminded me of you
I saw the sickle of your dimple
I noticed someone who had a similar dimple to you
Slice the side of her face
The person's dimple made a small indentation or line on the side of their face
And my heart leapt, my heart leapt
I felt another rush of emotion when I saw this
But then she faced me while we wrestled
When we both competed to get a spot on the train, I ended up facing this person
For our place on the train
We were both trying to get onto the train and only one of us could be first in line
Kabuki makeup, a labret ring
This person had standout features like dramatic makeup and a piercing
I kept out of her way
I avoided this person during our commute
You're not that actress playing dress-up
I know you're not an actress pretending to be someone else
On the subway today
I saw this person while riding the subway
So my heart keeps leapin' on
My emotions are still intense and ongoing
I tried to catch you in a couplet
I attempted to capture your essence or likeness in a poem or song
On my 4-track today
I used a four-track recorder to make my music
But my tongue tied, my tongue tied
I struggled to express what I wanted to say
I couldn't figure how to fit you
I couldn't find the right words to convey your importance to me
On the spin and the tape
I couldn't properly get my ideas onto the recording
See, my tongue tied, my tongue tied
I was still unable to articulate my thoughts
The words are small and insignificant,
My lyrics feel unimportant and not up to the task of expressing my feelings for you
Confused and cliche
My words feel unoriginal and trite
I saw my promise and potential
I recognized what I could be capable of, especially when creating music for you
Through my guilt and my shame
Despite feeling bad about not being able to express myself well
I couldn't catch that in a couplet
Unfortunately, I still couldn't channel my feelings into lyrics
On my best goddamn day
Even on my most productive and creative days, I still couldn't find the right words
My tied tongue tumbles on
I'm still struggling to speak or write effectively
Shake and shiver
I feel a range of emotions that are overwhelming me right now
And laugh like cursing kids
I'm finding humor in my situation and expressing it through laughter
And all our fitful failures
Despite our many mistakes and setbacks
Fit everytime we kiss
They somehow all come together or make sense when we're together
So cross your fingers, place your bets
I'm hoping you'll support me through my creative struggles
And hold that glow in your face
Keep being a positive light in my life and inspiring me to create
Let my big mouth ramble on
Despite my previous difficulties with expressing myself, I want to keep trying and talking about my feelings
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEVIN PATRICK DEVINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
john Janzzenz
be happy