Currently based in Brooklyn, NY, USA, van Etten débuted with single Much More Than That (2007, Abaton Book Company). Her album Are We There was released on 14 May 2014 on Jagjaguwar).
van Etten moved to Tennessee to attend Middle Tennessee State University, where she discovered a variety of influential music. After moving back home to New Jersey, she was encouraged by Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio to pursue a career in music.
van Etten undertook her first UK tour with Meg Baird in Jan 2008. She toured with Great Lake Swimmers on their European tour in May 2009, kicking it off with a show in London with Beirut and Shearwater. She again toured with them in September/October 2009.
On May 26th, 2009, she released her "Because I Was in Love" single on 12" vinyl, CD and MP3 on Language of Stone.
She was the first artist to record in 2010 for the Weathervane Music's Shaking Through video series.
On September 21, 2010, her sophomore album, "Epic" was released on Ba Da Bing. The powerful 7-track album featured much more instrumentation than her first, primarily-acoustic affair. The evolution of her sound proved that she is much more than a traditional folk singer-songwriter.
The release of Epic coincided with a difficult break-up of a relationship. She busied herself with touring for the record, but when the singer completed her schedule a year later, she found herself homeless in New York. After a period of sleeping on friends' couches, recovering from her heavy touring schedule, she hooked up the National's guitarist Aaron Dessner to record her third album, Tramp, which was released on February 7th, 2012.
May 2014 brought about the release of Van Etten's fourth record, Are We There, on Jagjaguwar. Van Etten self-produced the record with Stewart Lerman, with the guidance of bandmate and manager Zeke Hutchins. Most of the recording was done at Hobo Sound Studios in Weehawken, New Jersey, with piano tracks being recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. The record features musicians Zeke Hutchins, Doug Keith, Heather Woods Broderick, Dave Hartley, Adam Granduciel, Marisa Anderson, Stuart D. Bogie, Mickey Free, Mary Lattimore, Little Isidor, Jacob Morris, Torres' Mackenzie Scott, Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, Lower Dens' Jana Hunter, and Efterklang touring member Peter Broderick.
In 2015, the EP I Don't Want to Let You Down was released on Jagjaguwar. It is composed of the songs that did not make it onto Are We There.
On October 2, 2018, Van Etten released a new track entitled "Comeback Kid" and announced her next album Remind Me Tomorrow, which was released on January 18, 2019. On February 28, 2019, Van Etten appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to perform the single "Seventeen".
Sites: MySpace
Afraid of Nothing
Sharon Van Etten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you show me your face
We'd be in trouble for a long time
I can't wait till we're afraid of nothing
I can't wait till we hide from nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
I need you to be afraid of nothing
Turning my way
You show me your face
We've known each other for a long time
I can't wait till we're afraid of nothing
I can't wait till we hide from nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You're a little late
I need you to be afraid of nothing
I need you
To be afraid of nothing
Sharon Van Etten's song "Afraid of Nothing" is a soulful and haunting ballad, spinning the tale of a protagonist eagerly waiting for the day when someone will finally show their true self - a facade that they've been hiding behind for a long time. The lyrics "You told me the day, that you show me your face, we'd be in trouble for a long time" imply that the person's true self carries a certain vulnerability that could impact their relationship. Nevertheless, the singer expresses excitement about the prospect of living without fear and anxiety, saying "I can't wait till we're afraid of nothing, I can't wait till we hide from nothing".
The song goes on to explore the tension between fear and the desire for authenticity. The line "you throw me a lame 'wait shit out'" expresses the singer's frustration with the other person's reluctance to show their true self. The reference to being "a little late" implies that the singer has been waiting for some time, and their patience is running thin. The song ends with the plea "I need you to be afraid of nothing", which could be interpreted as a call for the person to let go of their fears and be true to themselves.
Overall, "Afraid of Nothing" is a poignant exploration of the struggle to balance vulnerability and authenticity with the fear of judgment and rejection. It's a universal theme that many people can relate to, and Sharon Van Etten's evocative lyrics and haunting melody make the song a powerful and emotional experience.
Line by Line Meaning
You told me the day
You told me on that specific day
That you show me your face
That you would reveal your true self to me
We'd be in trouble for a long time
We would face long-lasting consequences
I can't wait till we're afraid of nothing
I eagerly anticipate the moment when we are fearless
I can't wait till we hide from nothing
I can't wait until we face everything head-on
Nothing, and you decide
We will have no fear, and you will take charge
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You give me a weak excuse to wait and see
You're a little late
Your response is overdue
I need you to be afraid of nothing
I need you to be fearless and take action
Turning my way
You turn towards me
You show me your face
You reveal your true self to me
We've known each other for a long time
We have a deep history together
I need you
I need your support
To be afraid of nothing
To approach everything fearlessly
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Sharon Van Etten
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Powell Pressburger
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
You told me the day
That you show me your face
We'd be in trouble for a long time
[Chorus]
I can't wait 'til we're afraid of nothing
I can't wait 'til we hide from nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You're a little late
I need you to be afraid of nothing
[Verse 2]
Turning my way
You show me your face
We've known each other for a long time
[Chorus]
I can't wait
Till we're afraid
Of nothing
I can't wait 'til we hide
From nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You're a little late
I need you
To be afraid of nothing
I need you
To be afraid of nothing
rob
[Verse 1]
You told me the day
That you show me your face
We'd be in trouble for a long time
[Chorus]
I can't wait 'til we're afraid of nothing
I can't wait 'til we hide from nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You're a little late
I need you to be afraid of nothing
[Verse 2]
Turning my way
You show me your face
We've known each other for a long time
[Chorus]
I can't wait
Till we're afraid
Of nothing
I can't wait 'til we hide
From nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You're a little late
I need you
To be afraid of nothing
I need you
To be afraid of nothing
Everest_Bound
She perfectly encapsulates sorrow and longing in every album of hers.
Freedom Bird
that sumps up all what I felt
Stacey kriesel
Just got done watching mayans, came right to this song!! 💖
Samuel Sir
I was just looking for the Mayans comment!
Patrick White
This album is a masterpiece of beautiful heart-wrenching lyrics. Fantastic vocals...hypnotic. Repeat listens are rewarded...I'm probably up to 20 as I write this. It is all of a piece...heartbreak is the theme, but not overwrought...more poetic and elegiac. A real artist.
Enrique Argibay
This song touches something very deep inside of me. I am really moved and driven to tears any time I hear it.
Jeffrey Kinart
Me as well. Every time. Surely it has do with the one you had this with, that got away. I met Sharon after her show, she dedicated this song to me the next night. She got away...
Seraphina Lewin
You have felt what she felt when she wrote this <3 as we all have that come here, even 7 years later
arabella bullock
This is my favorite Sharon Van Etten song, this is such an amazing song and deserves way more love and praise <3 :)
Powell Pressburger
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
You told me the day
That you show me your face
We'd be in trouble for a long time
[Chorus]
I can't wait 'til we're afraid of nothing
I can't wait 'til we hide from nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You're a little late
I need you to be afraid of nothing
[Verse 2]
Turning my way
You show me your face
We've known each other for a long time
[Chorus]
I can't wait
Till we're afraid
Of nothing
I can't wait 'til we hide
From nothing
Nothing, and you decide
You throw me a lame "wait shit out"
You're a little late
I need you
To be afraid of nothing
I need you
To be afraid of nothing