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".
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All I Can
Sharon Van Etten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm at your window
Beyond all sleep and I can't speak
In all Tokyo, translate memories
That I cannot free,
But what will it take?
We all make mistakes.
We all try to free
The sighs of the past
We don't want to last.
Need love erase to let out my mind?
Wanting to love as new as I can,
Wanting to show I want my scars to help and heal.
How much you wanted
So much you found
Try not to beg too much to be
Calling my heart and know you are real
But my memory steals every moment I can feel
What will it take?
We all make mistakes.
Even though I try to 'stand
Even though it's slowly
I do all I can
But who is my man?
The memory or you?
The love or the due?
To carry a face (I cannot retrace)?
I do all I can.
We all make mistakes.
In this hauntingly beautiful song, Sharon Van Etten contemplates the power of memory and the struggle to move past mistakes and heartbreak. The opening lines set a melancholic tone, as she sings of the sun being at stake and herself being unable to speak. The use of Tokyo as a metaphor for memories she cannot free adds a further layer to the lyrics, as it represents a distant and unattainable place. The chorus repeats the phrase "We all make mistakes," suggesting a sense of both acceptance and burden.
The following stanza highlights the desire for love as a source of healing, even if it means showing one's scars. The lyrics "How much you wanted, so much you found" suggest that despite the hardships, there is still a glimmer of hope and satisfaction. However, the bridge explores the struggle to move on, with the singer acknowledging the difficulty of separating memory from reality. The final refrain "But who is my man? The memory or you? The love or the due?" captures the confusion and uncertainty of the singer's emotions. Despite the complications, she resolves to do all she can to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is at stake
There is a sense of urgency and importance to this moment in time.
And I'm at your window
The singer is in a vulnerable position, putting themselves out there for the listener.
Beyond all sleep and I can't speak
The singer is feeling restless and unable to fully express themselves.
In all Tokyo, translate memories
The artist is searching for a way to make sense of their past experiences.
That I cannot free,
The artist is feeling trapped by their memories and emotions.
But what will it take?
There is a sense of desperation and hopelessness in the singer's search for answers.
We all make mistakes.
The singer is acknowledging the human tendency to make errors and acknowledging their own shortcomings.
We all try to free
Despite our mistakes, we attempt to move forward and let go of our past.
The sighs of the past
The artist is still haunted by their past experiences.
We don't want to last.
We don't want our old pain to endure and dictate our future.
Need love erase to let out my mind?
The singer is contemplating the idea of finding new love in order to move on from past pain.
Wanting to love as new as I can,
The artist is hopeful for a fresh start and a chance to love again.
Wanting to show I want my scars to help and heal.
The singer wants to use their past heartache to help others and make a positive impact.
How much you wanted
The singer is reflecting on past relationships and wondering how much their partner truly desired them.
So much you found
Despite those doubts, the singer acknowledges that their past partner did in fact have strong feelings for them.
Try not to beg too much to be
The artist is trying to maintain their dignity and not appear too desperate to win back their former partner's affection.
Calling my heart and know you are real
The artist is longing for their ex to reciprocate their feelings, while also acknowledging the possibility of being hurt again.
But my memory steals every moment I can feel
The singer's memories of their past relationship are hindering their ability to fully experience and enjoy the present moment.
Even though I try to 'stand
Despite the singer's best efforts, they are still struggling with the aftermath of their past relationship.
Even though it's slowly
Progress is being made, but it's taking time.
I do all I can
The artist is doing their best to move forward and heal from their past.
But who is my man?
The artist is questioning who they are truly meant to be with in life.
The memory or you?
Is the singer's attachment to their past relationship holding them back from finding new love?
The love or the due?
Is the artist staying with a partner out of love, or simply out of obligation?
To carry a face (I cannot retrace)?
The singer is struggling to come to terms with the decisions they have made and the path they have taken.
I do all I can.
Despite all of the uncertainty and confusion, the singer is still doing their best to navigate their way forward.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AARON BROOKING DESSNER, SHARON KATHARINE VAN ETTEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anika says "hi"
on A Crime
Sharon, if you ever read this ... thank you.