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).
Summer Breeze
Kris Delmhorst Lyrics
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Start looking round for anyplace that you can hide
Once you've been naked you get a thick, thick skin
Build it up layer by layer and you climb on in
Then you're wrapped up oh, so tightly, I don't think you feel a thing
No sting of snowflakes, no kiss of angel's wings
And maybe you don't need that skin anymore
Maybe air would just flow in and out of you as it pleased, as it pleased
Look at all the heaviness, the weight in this world
Put and old lady backbone in a little baby girl
Left no room for no lover, left no trust in no friend
Just a little voice saying never, never, never again
But if there's no such thing as safety, if there ain't no guarantee
Maybe the coast is just as clear as it is ever gonna be
Maybe you don't need that skin anymore
Maybe if you took it off you would not have to breathe
Maybe air would just flow in and out of you as it pleased, as it pleased
Like a summer breeze, don't you want to feel the breeze?
Don't you want to feel it now, sweet summer breeze?
Kris Delmhorst's "Summer Breeze" is a song about the aftermath of heartbreak and the challenge of moving on. In the first verse, Delmhorst describes the guardedness that can result from being hurt, explaining that those who have been bitten "get a little bit shy" and start "looking round for anyplace that [they] can hide." Furthermore, those who have been vulnerable enough to be "naked" and exposed have to build up a "thick, thick skin" so they can retreat and "climb on in" to protect themselves from future pain. The second verse elaborates on this idea of protection, claiming that sometimes we become so set in our ways that we don't leave space for love or trust in our lives. The lyrics grapple with the idea of safety versus openness; as much as we might build walls and create a supposedly secure environment, there are no guarantees that we won't get hurt again.
The chorus, which repeats several times throughout, poses the question of whether we really need to be so guarded, or whether the world might be a little more inviting if we let our defenses down. The image of a "sweet summer breeze" suggests something gentle and refreshing that could wash over us if we allowed it to, but we have to be willing to feel it first. Ultimately, Delmhorst is poking at the idea of vulnerability, suggesting that it might be worth it to take off our protective coating and allow ourselves to feel the full range of emotions that life has to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Once you've been bitten you get a little bit shy
After facing the pain of betrayal, you become a little hesitant in trusting others.
Start looking round for anyplace that you can hide
Wary of getting hurt again, you start seeking safe havens.
Once you've been naked you get a thick, thick skin
Once you have exposed your vulnerable side and been hurt, you start building a strong emotional shield around yourself.
Build it up layer by layer and you climb on in
Gradually, layer by layer, you isolate yourself and cease to show your true emotions to people around you.
Then you're wrapped up oh, so tightly, I don't think you feel a thing
So tightly have you wrapped yourself in your emotional cocoon that it is difficult for you to feel any emotions.
No sting of snowflakes, no kiss of angel's wings
The emotional shield is so strong that even the most pleasant of things cannot penetrate it and affect you emotionally.
And maybe you don't need that skin anymore
Maybe you do not need to isolate yourself from the world and protect yourself from emotions anymore.
Maybe if you took it off you would not have to breathe
Maybe letting go of your emotional shield will make you feel free and unencumbered.
Maybe air would just flow in and out of you as it pleased, as it pleased
Maybe you would be able to breathe and live your life more effortlessly, without the burden of emotional baggage.
Look at all the heaviness, the weight in this world
The world is full of sorrow and pain.
Put and old lady backbone in a little baby girl
People, even children, have to bear the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Left no room for no lover, left no trust in no friend
The burden of past emotions makes it difficult for you to open yourself up to love and trust.
Just a little voice saying never, never, never again
The emotional scars make you wary of love and trust, and you hesitate to take the risk.
But if there's no such thing as safety, if there ain't no guarantee
Nothing is certain in this world, and there is no guarantee of safety.
Maybe the coast is just as clear as it is ever gonna be
Maybe there is no better time than the present to let go of your emotional baggage and start afresh.
Like a summer breeze, don't you want to feel the breeze?
Like the refreshing summer breeze, don't you want to feel free and unencumbered?
Don't you want to feel it now, sweet summer breeze?
Don't you want to let go of your emotional baggage and feel free and refreshed like a summer breeze, even right now?
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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