Kris Delmhorst (reputedly born in 1970 in Brooklyn) is an American folk sin… Read Full Bio ↴Kris Delmhorst (reputedly born in 1970 in Brooklyn) is an American folk singer based in Boston. In 1998, after several years of experience of performing live, Delmhorst finally finished recording her debut album, Appetite. In the same year she was involved in producing the Respond compilation, a fundraiser for domestic violence groups, which included her song "Weatherman".

In 1999, Delmhorst released a live album with The Vinal Avenue String Band, consisting of herself, Sean Staples, and Ry Cavanaugh.

Delmhorst is married to Jeffrey Foucault. In 2003, Delmhorst, Foucault, and Peter Mulvey released an album entitled Redbird.

Delmhorst's more recent albums include Strange Conversation (2006), Shotgun Singer (2008), and Cars (2011).

Damn Love Song
Kris Delmhorst Lyrics

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How can I carve your name in the trunk of a tree
That'll be here long after we're gone?
I can't even write it in the steam on the mirror
And with nobody listening, not even myself
It's as much as I can do
To whisper those words in your ear

After all of these years, look at me here

With a love song stuck in my throat
Got the weight of the world on my shoulders
I won't let it go

How can I dive right down in the deep blue sea
And still hope to find my way home?
When I stumble on my way to the shore
And when all of the airplanes, all of the cars
And all the miles in the world
Are sometimes not enough to quite reach your door

After all of these years, will you look at me here
With this love song stuck in my throat?
Got the weight of the world
And there's not too much else I can hold

And what if my chances run out someday
What if life's not my batting machine?
What if it stops throwing pitches before I hit one clean?

How can I lie beside you, night after night
And pick at the lock on your heart when I never once opened my own?
'Cause the last time it got free
It just cut and run like a stray out in the street
And it took just about all I had just to make it come home

After all these years, is the time drawing near
When a love song flies from my throat?
Can I lay down the weight of the world by the side of the road

Lay down the weight of the world and call myself home
Lay down the weight of the world?

Overall Meaning

The song "Damn Love Song" by Kris Delmhorst is a poignant reflection on the challenges of expressing love and coping with its complexities. The lyrics speak to the struggle of trying to immortalize love through symbols such as carving a name in the trunk of a tree, writing in steam on the mirror or diving into the deep blue sea, but ultimately realizing that the weight of the world and the lock on one's own heart can hold one back.

Throughout the song, there is a tension between the desire to connect deeply with another person and the fear of vulnerability and rejection. The lines "And what if my chances run out someday/What if life's not my batting machine?" highlights the sense of risk involved in expressing love and how life can sometimes feel like a game where one's efforts may not bring the desired outcomes. The honesty of the lyrics is striking, as the singer admits that they have not always opened their own heart, and struggled to express their feelings.

The closing lines "Can I lay down the weight of the world by the side of the road/Lay down the weight of the world and call myself home/Lay down the weight of the world?" speak to the possibility of letting go of the burdens and obstacles that have held the singer back from fully embracing love. The song offers a glimpse of hope that it is still possible to find connection and release the weight of the world.

Line by Line Meaning

How can I carve your name in the trunk of a tree That'll be here long after we're gone?
I want to leave a mark of our love that will last beyond our time, but I don't know how to do that.

I can't even write it in the steam on the mirror And with nobody listening, not even myself It's as much as I can do To whisper those words in your ear
I struggle to articulate my love for you even when I'm alone, but I can share it with you softly when we're together.

After all of these years, look at me here With a love song stuck in my throat Got the weight of the world on my shoulders I won't let it go
Despite the passage of time, I still feel burdened with the overwhelming emotions of my unspoken love, but I refuse to let it go.

How can I dive right down in the deep blue sea And still hope to find my way home? When I stumble on my way to the shore And when all of the airplanes, all of the cars And all the miles in the world Are sometimes not enough to quite reach your door
Sometimes, even when I throw myself entirely into searching for love, I still fall short, and even physical distance can't keep me from feeling far from you.

After all of these years, will you look at me here With this love song stuck in my throat? Got the weight of the world And there's not too much else I can hold
Even as time passes, I'm still trapped in the inexpressible feelings of love, and it weighs heavily on me.

And what if my chances run out someday What if life's not my batting machine? What if it stops throwing pitches before I hit one clean?
What if my opportunities for love dwindle, or what if life doesn't feel like a game that I can win easily?

How can I lie beside you, night after night And pick at the lock on your heart when I never once opened my own? 'Cause the last time it got free It just cut and run like a stray out in the street And it took just about all I had just to make it come home
I try to open up to you, but I'm always worried about getting hurt again, and even when I finally let my guard down in the past, it backfired and took everything out of me to get back on track.

After all these years, is the time drawing near When a love song flies from my throat? Can I lay down the weight of the world by the side of the road Lay down the weight of the world and call myself home Lay down the weight of the world?
As time goes by, can I finally express my love to you freely and without fear? Can I finally let go of the heavy burden of my emotions and find peace in being myself?

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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