You may… Read Full Bio ↴Kris Orlowski is an American singer-songwriter from Seattle.
You may not know Kris Orlowski — yet — but that’s ok. Sometimes things take time to q, and he’s already turning some influential heads.
You see, Orlowski has an uncanny knack for ending up in the right place at the right time — not to mention an uncanny flair for crafting emotionally rich songs that will have you tapping your toes even as your heartstrings are being tugged. He recently wowed a marquee-level peer over a campfire. It’s easy to see why — unless you’ve had your heart surgically removed, these are songs that will move you.
Conjuring the spirit of Everyman may not be glamorous, but it’s also not easy. Orlowski writes from a real, unguarded place and that accessibility is tangible. There are no walls here — only a palpable honesty and really, really good songwriting.
Ever had your heart broken? Ever felt like love was the only sensible means of escape? Ever felt paralyzed in the wake of wild emotions? Then you’ll relate to “Happiness Is Waiting.”
The Sufi poet Hafiz has this to say:
Greatness
Is always built upon this foundation:
The ability
To appear, speak and act
As the most
Common
Man
Orlowski and his bandmates get that. “Happiness Is Waiting” is a testament to our shared emotion and confusion. It’s also a damn fine album, filled with radio-friendly tunes and bare, unrestrained insight and emotion.
Orlowski’s songs are strong enough to have resonance in the most stripped down of settings, but drummer Tim Rummerfield and bassist Matt Deason provide a colorful backdrop for Orlowski’s songwriting to truly blossom in arrangement and depth.
So curl up and settle in. Pour yourself a cup of tea or a big glass of vino. Let this record soak into your subconscious. As Orlowksi so eloquently puts it,” When hope is in your heart, then you’ll be great.”
Sometimes greatness is subtle. As Orlowski seems to intuitively grasp, sometimes it reveals itself most brilliantly through its simplicity.
CAROLINA
Kris Orlowski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strong force, hoping she will recourse, minefield takes the lead horse, impatience in this place.
and I know you will fight it, when you can't see the truth.
and I know you will find it, when you can't see the proof.
She's gone, goin' to carolina, goin' until she finds it, leanin' all the way.
oh, she goin' to carolina, goin' until she finds it, leanin' all the way, leanin' all the way.
Passing rows of swinging carbs and tenders green gold straws of pasture, feels like any dozen friends.
How to know I'm right or if this is wrong, is it too soon, loo long, to give it all away.
and I know you will find it, 'till you can see the proof.
She's gone, goin' to carolina, goin' until she finds it, leanin' all the way.
oh, she gone to carolina, gone until she finds it, leanin' all the way, leanin' all the way.
oooh oooh ooooh ooooh
and I know you will fight it, when you can't see the truth.
and I know you will find it, when you can't see the proof.
Gone, goin' to carolina, goin' until she finds it, leanin' all the way.
oh, I'm goin' to carolina, goin' until I find it, leanin' all the way, leanin' all the way.
ooooh ooooh oooooh oooooh
oooooh ooooh ooooooh ooh
The lyrics to Kris Orlowski's song Carolina describe a woman who is trying to escape something or someone that is causing her pain. She is numbing herself with alcohol and is in a state of impatience, feeling like she is walking through a minefield with the lead horse taking the reins. The singer acknowledges that she is fighting to see the truth and proof of her situation, but the only solution she sees is to leave and go to this elusive Carolina. Even though she is uncertain about the future, the woman sets out on her journey, passing by familiar sights and feeling the comfort of the familiar around her. The singer then admits that he too is going to Carolina and is willing to lean into the journey until he finds what he is looking for.
The song's lyrics use vivid imagery to convey the woman's emotional state, combined with haunting guitar riffs that add to the mood of the song. The repetition of the chorus, "She's gone, goin' to Carolina, oh, she gone to Carolina," adds to the longing and desperation of the situation, emphasizing the feeling that something is missing and the only solution is to leave and start anew.
Line by Line Meaning
Last call numbing her, (he's in broke?), hanging while the leaves fall, looking to escape.
The singer is feeling numb and drained as they reach their breaking point, and they are desperately seeking an escape from their current situation as the world around them changes.
Strong force, hoping she will recourse, minefield takes the lead horse, impatience in this place.
Despite the obstacles in her way, the singer is determined to keep moving forward and hopes to find a new path for herself, but her impatience makes it difficult to navigate through the challenges.
She's gone, goin' to carolina, goin' until she finds it, leanin' all the way.
The singer has decided to leave her current situation behind and is heading towards the unknown, with the determination to keep going until she finds what she is searching for.
Passing rows of swinging carbs and tenders green gold straws of pasture, feels like any dozen friends.
As she makes her way towards Carolina, the artist can't help but feel a sense of familiarity as she passes by landscapes that resemble those of her past, and finds comfort in the feeling of being surrounded by something familiar.
How to know I'm right or if this is wrong, is it too soon, loo long, to give it all away.
As the artist continues on her journey, she questions whether or not she is making the right decision and wonders if it is too early or too late to make such a life-changing decision.
and I know you will fight it, when you can't see the truth.
The singer acknowledges that it is human nature to resist change and fight against what we don't understand or can't see.
and I know you will find it, when you can't see the proof.
The singer believes that even when we can't see evidence of something, we can still find the truth within ourselves if we keep looking.
Gone, goin' to carolina, goin' until she finds it, leanin' all the way.
The artist is determined to keep pushing forward on her journey to find what she is searching for, with the knowledge that it may not be an easy path, but she's willing to lean into the challenges and keep going.
oh, I'm goin' to carolina, goin' until I find it, leanin' all the way, leanin' all the way.
The artist repeats her determination to keep going and lean into the challenges ahead, with the ultimate goal of finding what she is searching for.
Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.