As a songwriter, she draws inspiration from old-time a cappella singing styles for songs like “Crayola Doesn’t Make a Color for Your Eyes” & “Easy in the Early” (John Lennon Song Contest 2007 Grand Prize for children’s music & Finalist for gospel). Also included on her independent solo release Kiss Me Hello are a collection of colorfully orchestrated acoustic pop tunes – with a dash of musical theater thrown in for smiles.
Kristin’s mentors include heroes of the acoustic scene (Nickel Creek bassist Mark Schatz produced her solo album), as well as the rock & pop world (Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones produced the current Uncle Earl release). She’s equally at home at Clifftop (a West Virginia fiddlers convention with one tiny stage & a lot of camping tents) and at Bonnaroo (the country’s largest rock festival, where she played in ’07 & ’08 with Uncle Earl & then with Sometymes Why).
Heat
Kristin Andreassen Lyrics
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The salt's all gone stuck together
The envelopes are sealing by themselves
I dropped a spoon in my still-full soup bowl
Soup's the only thing 'round here going cold
Even the doors are too swollen for their frames
In this heat
All I want, in this heat
All I want on my tongue is your name
I toss and turn, kick off the sheets
No way that I'm getting to sleep
The fan is on high and moving slow
Black sky turning slowly grey
Leftover sunshine from yesterday
Crickets whisper, too lazy to talk
In this heat
All I want, I can't sleep
All I want, in this heat
All I want in my dreams is your name
Kristin Andreassen's "Heat" describes the feeling of being stuck in the midst of an intense summer. The heat is so stifling that the singer can't even shake off the feeling of it, as if they are glued to their current position. The salt is gone, sticking together, and the envelopes are sealing by themselves, as if the environment is in control, not the people. The heat is affecting everything around them, from the soup bowl to the swollen doors. It's as if the heat is an overwhelming force that's consuming everything in its path.
Andreassen's lyrics become more personal as she describes the way that the heat is affecting her. She can't eat and all she wants is the taste of the one she loves on her tongue. The heat has made it impossible for her to sleep, and even the fan is no help. The black sky is slowly turning grey, but the sun from yesterday seems to have left over remnants, making the night even more uncomfortable. The crickets whisper, as if they are just as exhausted by the heat as she is. Ultimately, Andreassen sings that all she wants is the one she loves in her dreams, as if the heat is causing her to cling to the person who brings her comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't shake it in this weather
I cannot overcome the unpleasant effects of this hot weather.
The salt's all gone stuck together
Due to moisture in the air, the salt has clumped together and is unusable.
The envelopes are sealing by themselves
The adhesive on the envelopes is becoming sticky due to the temperature and is sealing them by itself.
I dropped a spoon in my still-full soup bowl
The food is not cooling down despite being left out, making it difficult to eat.
Soup's the only thing 'round here going cold
Despite its warmth to begin with, the soup is the only thing that is starting to cool down in this heat.
Even the doors are too swollen for their frames
The doors in the house are swollen due to the humidity from the heat, making it difficult to open and close them.
All I want, I can't eat
No food seems appealing due to the high temperature.
All I want on my tongue is your name
The artist is so overwhelmed with the heat that they desire the physical sensation of saying their loved one's name to bring them comfort.
I toss and turn, kick off the sheets
The artist is restless and unable to get comfortable in bed due to the heat.
No way that I'm getting to sleep
Despite being tired, the heat is preventing the artist from falling asleep.
The fan is on high and moving slow
Even though the fan is on its highest setting, it is moving slowly and not providing relief from the heat.
Black sky turning slowly grey
The night sky is slowly transitioning into the early morning light.
Leftover sunshine from yesterday
The residual heat from the previous day is still present and adding to the oppressive temperature.
Crickets whisper, too lazy to talk
The insects are sluggish and not providing their usual noisy ambiance due to the heat.
All I want, I can't sleep
The singer is still unable to find rest in this heat.
All I want in my dreams is your name
The only solace the artist can find is in imagining their loved one's name as they sleep.
Contributed by Camden L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.