If there is one thing that Sarah Jaffe will never have to contend with it is the idea that she is a female singer for females. There once was a time that being a female singer meant you would undoubtedly be put into an all too snug box. Is she an angry singer? An activist singer? A singer for the victimor the singer your mom bonds with you over? To be honest, when Sarah’s new CD Suburban Nature was released on May 18th she inserted herself into and destroyed all those boxes simultaneously, because Sarah is a truth singer...and no matter who or what we are we all need and want our singers to be truth singers. Jaffe’s words and voice seem like they are speaking to you, only to you, yet they contain a universal appeal evidenced by the fact that she has recently toured with Midlake and Norah Jones -- two completely different audiences who Jaffe, equally endearing and confident, easily won over.
Growing up in Red Oak, Texas, might not be ideal circumstances for breeding the kind of talent that is encompassed in Sarah’s songs, but it does beg the question of nature verses nurture. What we have in us before we are even us, and what we interpret because of life circumstances. Writing since her early teens, many of the songs featured on Suburban Nature were written long before she could even enter the clubs where they are now performed.
Interestingly enough the first single “Vulnerable,” was written when Sarah was only 17, long before even the material on her first EP, the acclaimed Even Born Again, was produced. Even so, it comprises everything that matters about her voice. If there is one thread that flows through all of Sarah’s work, it is grappling with the self-serving cycles that are in all of us, and the aftermath that those needs deal out. “I’m a fan of life’s wicked ironies. These things that reveal the truth from an aerial view nowhere near your perspective of the situation, and through these realizations you find redemption.” And so it is with Suburban Nature.
From opening track “Before You Go,” everything sounds as wide and deep as the Grand Canyon, the sonic spread covering every degree of the mix. It’s thick enough to feel when you breathe, but spatial enough to allow for the one thing that truly matters with singer/songwriters: their voice. When talking to the album's producer and engineer John Congleton (St Vincent, Polyphonic Spree, Explosions in the Sky, Clinic) about the spacious feel of the album, he had this to say on the matter: “I think it was intentional. Both Sarah’s and my feelings on this was that the vocal should be the focal point have as much space as possible, while the music provided an emotional backdrop.”
Skilled players such as Kris Youmans - cello (Bill Callahan, The Paper Chase, Micah P Hinson) Becki Howard – violin (The Crash That Took Me) Jeff Ryan – percussion (The Baptist Generals, St Vincent, Pleasant Grove) and Robert Gomez - guitar (as himself) provide this essential emotional backdrop. Just take a listen to “Pretender” for an example of the power and talent contained in this group of players. Layers of moveable music float in, out, under and over lines such as “So here we stand, like flowers in the cold, wilt and wither/Here's your chance/Tell me what you want/I'm a forgiver.” In other situations the group provide the perfect backbeat so Sarah is free to spin yarn that might not always be fact, but like we said, is certainly truth.
On “Clementine,” she sings, “We were young, we were young, we were young, we didn't care.” Although only 24 you actually believe her. You believe her because you believe that no matter what her actual age, she lived through the war of a relationship or fifty that aged her to her core, and now her soul speaks to yours in the places where you have aged, and set down roots that flow as grid in a suburb becoming part of your nature. This is why we need singers like Sarah Jaffe and albums like Suburban Nature: We need a truth singer to be a soothsayer, and help heal us in the broken places of our time.
Since the release of Suburban Nature, Sarah has toured constantly, hitting both Europe and the US with Midlake, as well as supporting such varied artists as Norah Jones, Lou Barlow, Centro-matic and Old 97s. “Clementine” Sarah’s debut single reached the #1 spot at various radio stations including Austin’s influential KGSR and Sirus’ Spectrum. Sarah and Suburban Nature landed in many 2010 “Best of Lists” including: Paste Magazine’s 10 Best New Solo Artists, 50 Best Albums, and 50 Best Songs; Amazon.com’s Best Albums and Song’s; USA Today’s Pop Candy 100 People of 2010.
Sarah released The Way Sound Leaves a Room, a CD/DVD combo in Fall 2011. In early 2012, Sarah released the follow up to Suburban Nature, The Body Wins.
The Body Wins
Sarah Jaffe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Took my ignorant luck and divided it up
Put my phony plans in your phony hands
No corrections be made
Not a thing I would change
It's just the way that it is
I gave you my guts, you gave me your limbs
It's just the way that it is
Not epic but colossal
It's not what it says it is
And like a fool it follows
The body always wins
What's the reason, hell if I know
It's what it says it is
Not epic but colossal
The body always wins
The lyrics of Sarah Jaffe's song "The Body Wins" can be interpreted as a reflection on the inevitability of the physical body over the mind and emotions. The first verse describes how the body has control over our lives, taking away our luck and plans and leaving us with no way to change it. The line "I gave you my guts, you gave me your limbs" suggests a transaction between the body and the mind, where the body gets our most vulnerable parts in exchange for its physical capabilities. The chorus reinforces this idea, stating that the body always comes out on top and that it is not something that can be fought against.
The second verse expands on this theme, with the lines "Not epic but colossal, it's not what it says it is", implying that the body is more powerful than we understand, even if it doesn't seem that way on the surface. The repetition of "it's what it says it is" indicates a resignation to the power of the body, even if we don't fully understand it. The final chorus echoes the previous ones, emphasizing the idea that the body will always be in control, and that trying to fight it is futile.
Overall, "The Body Wins" is a song that speaks to the power dynamics between our physical and mental selves. While we may want to believe that our thoughts and emotions are in charge, the reality is that our bodies have a hold on us that cannot be ignored.
Line by Line Meaning
The body always wins
The body will always come out on top, no matter what.
Took my ignorant luck and divided it up
I had good fortune but you divided it, making it weaker and less effective.
Put my phony plans in your phony hands
I gave you fake plans, and you received them with your own insincere intentions.
No corrections be made
There can be no changes or improvements made to this situation.
Not a thing I would change
I accept this reality, and wouldn't change anything even if I could.
It's just the way that it is
This is the circumstance we find ourselves in, and it cannot be altered.
I gave you my guts, you gave me your limbs
I gave my all to this situation, but only received a fraction of what was promised in return.
Not epic but colossal
This situation may not be impressive in the traditional sense, but it is still incredibly significant and impactful.
It's not what it says it is
The situation may not be as it was advertised or promised.
And like a fool it follows
Despite knowing that the situation may not be ideal, I still foolishly follow it through.
Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Adlaan Suliman
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