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.
Little Deschutes
Laura Veirs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the room when you've got
one foot on the floor
and one foot outside the door.
i want nothing more
than to dance with you.
the deep green river with you and a song
is something like the peace i hope
to make with you my whole life long.
i want nothing more
than to float with you.
paddling through the hail storm,
clothes ravaged, the leaves all torn,
a part of me was born.
why care about yesterday's haze
when the stars above are all ablaze?
why care about the coming dawn
when the moon pours now, its searchlight strong?
i want nothing more
than to dance with you.
i want nothing more
than to float with you.
The lyrics of Laura Veirs's song Little Deschutes express a desire for a deep and stable connection with another person, symbolized as the act of dancing and floating together. The opening lines describe the difficulty of fully committing to a relationship when there is still doubt or hesitation, represented by having "one foot on the floor and one foot outside the door." Despite this uncertainty, the singer longs to dance with the other person, suggesting a desire for intimacy and connection.
The second verse describes a peaceful moment shared with the other person, floating down a river and singing a song. This experience represents the kind of lasting peace and happiness that the singer hopes to achieve with this person, expressing a desire for a long-term and stable relationship. The third verse references a difficult moment, paddling through a hailstorm and emerging changed on the other side. This experience suggests that even though relationships may have challenges and storms, they can lead to personal growth and transformation.
The final verse seems to question the importance of dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about the future, urging a focus on enjoying the present moment with the other person. Through repeating the desire to dance and float with this person, the singer expresses a longing for a deep and meaningful connection that brings joy to the present and hope for the future.
Line by Line Meaning
it sure is hard to dance across
the room when you've got
one foot on the floor
and one foot outside the door.
It's difficult to fully engage in a relationship when you're hesitant and unsure about committing.
i want nothing more
than to dance with you.
My deepest desire is to fully commit to a relationship and dance through life with you.
the peace i've known, floating along,
the deep green river with you and a song
is something like the peace i hope
to make with you my whole life long.
The contentment I feel when we're together and enjoying the natural world is what I hope we can create and maintain in our life together.
i want nothing more
than to float with you.
Being together and experiencing the beauty of nature with you is my ultimate goal in life.
paddling through the hail storm,
clothes ravaged, the leaves all torn,
a part of me was born.
Going through difficult times has helped me grow and mature as a person.
why care about yesterday's haze
when the stars above are all ablaze?
why care about the coming dawn
when the moon pours now, its searchlight strong?
Why let past regrets or future worries hold us back from enjoying and appreciating the beauty of the present moment?
i want nothing more
than to dance with you.
i want nothing more
than to float with you.
My love and commitment to you are unwavering and my greatest desire is to share every moment with you.
Contributed by Sarah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
rhiannon sieg
I will always think of Damon and Elena when I listen to this, since I feel it's one of the best songs that sums up their relationship.
Évelin Raquel
@Josephine Carpenter yeeees! Delena’s keyword is dance! 💖
Salli Hedegaard
Same
julia
Same ❤️ delena forever 💓
Sprout
This song is so incredibly underrated
Arielle Campbell
I'm dancing to this at my wedding lmao
Father Chrissy
After I heard it on TVD I knew I had to dance to this at my wedding, definitely a plus that my boy reminds me of Damon 😂
Christiana Mcfarland
@Morgan Mierswa do what makes you happy!!!! Congrats to yall <3
Morgan Mierswa
I want this to my first dance too but I'm afraid people will think this is a sad song!😭
Christiana Mcfarland
My wedding is in 5 months!!!! This gona be my first dance <3