Kris Orlowski is an American singer-songwriter from Seattle.

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.

Your Move
Kris Orlowski Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I almost left at noon
Winters hard, the boulevard won't bloom til June
And honestly there's nothing left for me
As it all stays the same, and it won't ever change

I've packed up my guitar,
Thinking of the life of being a rock star
Its not for me, but I could see, oh lord,

Th wealth of traveling far as I started up my car

Open fields, tempting fate, Its wild emotion
Looking back to the past
Its here with you
Not letting fear control the pain, the wild emotion
All the change you write the chapter, its your move

Oh was it far way,
When memories of lakeway drives in boundary plain
Do eat in fields and throw frisbee one more time in the comfort of your air
Oh from Baker to the bay

As I walked out the door,
I realized what my heart realized long before
The harder you kick, the longer you stick, the worse it will get
Only to wait for, only to wait for

Open fields, tempting fate, Its wild emotion
Looking back to the past
Its here with you
Not letting fear control the pain, the wild emotion
All the change you write the chapter, its your move

And the long way home,
Oh, its stirring in my bones
The thought of being alone for always,
I do this on my own, I'm doin' this alone

Open fields, tempting fate, Its wild emotion
Looking back to the past
Its here with you
Not letting fear control the pain, the wild emotion
All the change you write the chapter, its your move

Open fields, tempting fate, Its wild emotion
Looking back to the past
Its here with you

Not letting fear you're unprepared, this wild emotion
All the change you write the chapter, its your move

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kris Orlowski's song Your Move are a reflection of the uncertainty that comes with making big life decisions. The singer is contemplating leaving his current situation because he feels stuck and unfulfilled. He describes the harsh winter and barren landscape, juxtaposing it with the idea of a life on the road as a rockstar. However, he ultimately decides not to leave, realizing that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. He recognizes that he has the power to make changes and take control of his own life, hence the refrain "all the change, you write the chapter, it's your move."

The theme of wild emotion runs throughout the song. The singer references the "wild emotion" of the open fields that tempt fate, as well as the pain and fear that can come with making big life decisions. However, he also recognizes the power inherent in these wild emotions, acknowledging that they can be a driving force for change.

Overall, Your Move is a song about taking control of your own life and recognizing the power you have to make meaningful changes. It encourages the listener to embrace their wild emotions and use them as a catalyst for growth and positive change.

Line by Line Meaning

I almost left at noon
I almost left earlier in the day.

Winters hard, the boulevard won't bloom til June
It's still winter and the plants on the street won't grow until June.

And honestly there's nothing left for me
There's nothing left for me here, in this place.

As it all stays the same, and it won't ever change
Things will stay the same here and they will never change.

I've packed up my guitar,
I've put my guitar in a bag, ready to go.

Thinking of the life of being a rock star
I'm imagining what it's like to be a famous musician.

Its not for me, but I could see, oh lord,
I don't think that's the life for me, but I can picture it, even so.

Th wealth of traveling far as I started up my car
I could see the value of travelling far, as I began to drive away.

Open fields, tempting fate, Its wild emotion
I feel like I'm taking a risk by leaving, and it's stirring up my emotions.

Looking back to the past
I'm looking back at what has already happened.

Its here with you
I'm with you, right now.

Not letting fear control the pain, the wild emotion
I'm trying not to let fear make me feel overwhelmed or out of control.

All the change you write the chapter, its your move
You have the power to make changes and decide what happens next.

Oh was it far way,
Was it a long way from here?

When memories of lakeway drives in boundary plain
I remember driving on the road near the boundary line, in Lakeway.

Do eat in fields and throw frisbee one more time in the comfort of your air
I remember having a picnic and playing frisbee in a field, and it was comfortable.

Oh from Baker to the bay
I think about the journey from Baker (city) to the bay (ocean).

As I walked out the door,
When I left the place I was in,

I realized what my heart realized long before
I understood what I had felt for a while, in my heart.

The harder you kick, the longer you stick, the worse it will get
If you try too hard and stay in a bad situation, it only makes it worse.

Only to wait for, only to wait for
Just waiting, waiting for something to happen.

And the long way home,
I have a long journey ahead of me.

Oh, its stirring in my bones
I feel it in my very core, in my bones.

The thought of being alone for always,
I'm thinking about being alone forever.

I do this on my own, I'm doin' this alone
I'm doing this by myself, without anyone's help.

Not letting fear you're unprepared, this wild emotion
I'm trying not to let fear make me feel unprepared for what's ahead.

Contributed by Zoe D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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