Veirs was raised in Colorado, studied geology and Mandarin Chinese at Carleton College, worked as a translator for a geological expedition in China, and now lives in Portland, Oregon. Veirs has said that she didn't seriously listen to music until she was in her 20s; instead, she just heard what was in her environment. She listened to folk / country / classical / pop, around the house & on the radio, during her youth.
Attending Carleton College in rural Minnesota, Veirs latched onto feminist punk rock from the Pacific Northwest, eventually starting an all-female punk band called "Rair Kx!". Veirs studied geology and Mandarin Chinese. After college, she embraced older country and folk music. Her first foray into songwriting started with a geological expedition in China, where she served as translator. She was miserable and immersed herself into writing lyrics as a way of coping.
She put out her own self-titled album Laura Veirs, recorded live and featuring just her and guitar, in 1999. She has since made five highly acclaimed records with producer Tucker Martine. 2003 saw the release of Troubled by the Fire, a full-band effort that found the artist sharing the studio with such luminaries as Bill Frisell and violist Eyvind Kang. She signed to Nonesuch Records the following year with the atmospheric follow-up Carbon Glacier. Year of Meteors followed in August of 2005. She collaborated with The Decemberists on "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)", from their 2006 album The Crane Wife. Her sixth record, Saltbreakers, was released worldwide on Nonesuch Records in April 2007. Her seventh album July Flame was released in January 2010.
In November 2011, Veirs released the album Tumble Bee: Laura Veirs Sings Folk Songs For Children. The album presents mostly traditional songs, and features an array of guest musicians, including Colin Meloy, Jim James, and Bela Fleck. The album won a Parents' Choice Award in 2012.
In September 2012 her first feature film soundtrack was released: Hello I Must Be Going.
Veirs tours frequently in Europe, the US and Australia both solo and with her backing band Saltbreakers, consisting of Karl Blau on bass, guitar, and backing vocals, keyboardist Steve Moore, and Tucker Martine on drums.
Drink Deep
Laura Veirs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the mammals fled
I smell in the charred darkness
A little green, a little red
When you sing your song
Your voice washed over the sea
Glacial land of
Came o'er me
Drink deep, my love
For the water is gasping for your mouth
Gasping for your mouth
Drink deep, my love
For the water is gasping for your mouth
I remember in the burning
A secret magic expense
A flame universe of bright gold and white
I treasured the whole fest
But it was too hard to touch
I flew out with the cinders in a mighty black rush
Drink deep, my love
For the water is gasping for your mouth
Gasping for your mouth
Drink deep, my love
For the water is gasping for your mouth
And the fire closed his eyes
Tipped his flame hat and slipped through the dire rye
We wandered romantic
We scattered dark branches
With the singing green stars as our guide
With the singing green stars as our guide
Drink deep, my love
For the water is gasping for your mouth
Gasping for your mouth
Drink deep, my love
For the water is gasping for your mouth (x2)
The lyrics of Laura Veirs's song Drink Deep is a portrayal of how nature is undergoing through its various cycles. The first verse describes the end of the forest fires and the mammals fleeing from their natural habitats. The aftermath gives a sense of new life being born as the singer smells a little green and red in the charred darkness. The chorus of the song is an encouragement to drink deep from the water, which is gasping for the mouth, depicting the scarcity of one of the essential elements of nature. The next verse describes the magic and beauty that the fire brought along with it. It created a universe of bright gold and white - a moment cherished, but too hard to touch. The song then goes on to describe the charming scene as they wandered romantically among the dark branches with the singing green stars as their guide.
The song is full of symbolism and imagery that reflects the natural world's beauty and vibrancy. The lyrics encourage us to be one with nature and understand its cycles, including its destruction, rebirth, and beauty. The reference to the water gasping for a mouth could also be a way to highlight the importance of being mindful of our resources and not taking them for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Now the raging of the forest fires end
The forest fires have finally ceased.
And all the mammals fled
The animals ran away from the raging forest fires.
I smell in the charred darkness
Amidst the burnt rubble, I sense something.
A little green, a little red
I perceive hints of green and red amidst the darkness.
When you sing your song
As you sing your melody.
Your voice washed over the sea
Your voice travels over the calm sea.
Glacial land of
An icy terrain of
Beautiful blue light came o'er me
A stunning blue light envelops me.
Came o'er me
Enveloped me completely.
Drink deep, my love
Take a long drink, my dear.
For the water is gasping for your mouth
The water is eagerly waiting for you to drink it.
I remember in the burning
I recall during the burnout.
A secret magic expense
An amazing, otherworldly experience.
A flame universe of bright gold and white
A dazzling dimension of bright gold and white flames.
I treasured the whole fest
I cherished the entire event.
But it was too hard to touch
It was impossible to reach that level of greatness.
I flew out with the cinders in a mighty black rush
I departed along with the ashes in a powerful black flow.
And the fire closed his eyes
The flames extinguished, shut his eyes.
Tipped his flame hat and slipped through the dire rye
He tipped his fiery hat and vanished into the surrounding plains.
We wandered romantic
We roamed around romantically.
We scattered dark branches
We dispersed the somber tree limbs.
With the singing green stars as our guide
Guided by the melodic green stars.
Drink deep, my love
Take a long drink, my dear.
For the water is gasping for your mouth
The water is eagerly waiting for you to drink it.
Drink deep, my love
Take a long drink, my dear.
For the water is gasping for your mouth
The water is eagerly waiting for you to drink it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAURA VEIRS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@totodepatas
Love it. This songs surprises you top to bottom. Her voice is so fresh and natural, so organic. 10/10
@dupunka
So, this is actually my favorite song ever (that I've heard of)........ IT'S DA BEST!!!
@dagazxc6233
magic !
@sciroppoperlatosse
loove this song
@duantorruellas716
I find some of the most beautiful songs in the soundtrack s of movies, and once again, im a scary judge of talent, pacino, end
quote.
@stevie436
Makes you feel happy.
@adamgore1
the guitar sounds reminds me of Band Of Horses-No One's Gona Love You I like it
@alreadyinmyblood
thank you! i couldn't think of the song it reminded me of. you're my savior.
@dinosaurbeaH
Can someone please tell me what's the meaning of this song? English isn't my first language and I kind of find it hard to understand it. Thank you! :)
@dbsk06
i thoguht this was perfect in hello i must be going :)