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
Don't Do It
Sharon Van Etten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well you can if you want to
Want to take you outside, want to show you the sky
To remind you why you shouldn't.
Do your worst if you can, do your worst if you can do it.
You can if you want. You can take it -- yeah, you want to run.
Said you wanted to then kissed the gun.
You can if you want to do it.
If you want to do it, you are going to do it,
even if I don't want you to.
Say it outright that you don't want to see me tonight
and you won't if you don't want to
Hide it from me if you must hide it from me
if you don't trust anything I say right to you
And you want to do it, if you want to do it
You will if you want to
And you want to do it, if you want to do it,
You will if you want to.
And you want to do it, and you want to do it,
if you want to do it, you are going to do it,
even if I don't want you to.
I was inside painting your name on the window
I was somewhere in sight.
And I wanted to find out why you're hiding
I was tired of the fight.
Look me in the eyes say you can't do it,
look me in the eyes say you can't do it,
but you will if you want to.
Look me in the eyes say you can't do it,
look me in the eyes say you can't do it,
but you will if you want to.
And you want to do it, and you want to do it,
If you want to do it, you are going to do it,
even if I don't want you to.
Shake it down. So much better.
Tell me that you don't know what you do.
And you want to do it, if you want to do it
You will if you want to.
And you want to do it, if you want to do it
You will if you want to.
And you want to do it, if you want to do it
You will if you want to.
I wish I could make you right.
The lyrics to Sharon Van Etten's song "Don't Do It" touch on themes of self-destructive tendencies and pleading with a loved one not to give in to them. The opening lines suggest that the person is considering doing something harmful because they feel numb and disconnected ("Said you need to do it 'cause you can't feel it tonight"). The singer tries to dissuade them, pointing out that there is beauty in the world that's worth experiencing ("Want to take you outside, want to show you the sky to remind you why you shouldn't"). The repeated refrain of "you will if you want to" suggests that ultimately, the person will do what they've set their mind to even if it's not what others want for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Said you need to do it 'cause you can't feel it tonight
You mentioned that you need to do it because you can't feel anything tonight.
Well you can if you want to
However, you are capable of feeling something if you choose to.
Want to take you outside, want to show you the sky
I want to take you outside and show you the beauty of the sky.
To remind you why you shouldn't.
This is to remind you of why you should not do it.
Do your worst if you can, do your worst if you can do it.
Do your worst if you are able to; do your worst if you choose to do it.
You can if you want. You can take it -- yeah, you want to run.
You have the ability to do it if you desire. You can handle it - and you want to escape.
Said you wanted to then kissed the gun.
You mentioned you want to do it, but it's a dangerous choice.
And you want to do it, and you want to do it
You have the desire to do it.
If you want to do it, you are going to do it,
Ultimately, if you want to do it, you will do it.
even if I don't want you to.
Even if I don't approve or want it to happen.
Say it outright that you don't want to see me tonight
Just tell me honestly that you don't want to see me tonight.
and you won't if you don't want to
If you truly don't want to, then you won't see me tonight.
Hide it from me if you must hide it from me
If you must hide something from me, then go ahead and do it.
if you don't trust anything I say right to you
However, if you don't trust anything I say to you, then it's understandable.
I was inside painting your name on the window
While you were considering your choices, I was inside painting your name on the window.
I was somewhere in sight.
I was nearby the whole time watching and waiting for your decision.
And I wanted to find out why you're hiding
I wish to know why you're hiding from me and your true feelings.
I was tired of the fight.
I was tired of the continuous struggle and fighting over this issue.
Look me in the eyes say you can't do it,
Look me in the eyes and tell me you are unable to do it.
but you will if you want to.
But in the end, you will do it if you choose to do it.
Shake it down. So much better.
Let's calm down and take a deep breath; it will be better for everyone.
Tell me that you don't know what you do.
Confess that you may not have control over your actions or are confused about what to do.
I wish I could make you right.
I wish I could fix the situation and make it right for you and me.
Contributed by Gavin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ignacioantelo9125
Said you need to do it
Cause you can't feel it tonight
Well you can if you want to
Want to take you outside
Want to show you the sky
To remind you why you shouldn't
Do your worst if you can
Do your worst if you can do it
You can if you want
You can take me if you want to run
Said you wanted to then kissed the gun
You can if you want to
And you want to do it
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You are going to do it
Even if I don't want you to
Say you're alright
Cause you don't want to see me tonight
And you won't if you don't want to
Hide it from me if you must
Hide it from me if you don't trust
Anything I say right to you
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You will if you want to
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You will if you want to
And you want to do it
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You are going to do it
Even if I don't want you to
I was inside
Painting your name on the window
I was somewhere inside
And I wanted to find out why you hurt
And I was terrified
Look me in the eyes say you can't do it
Look me in the eyes say you can't do it
But you will if you want to
Look me in the eyes say you can't do it
Look me in the eyes say you can't do it
But you will if you want to
And you want to do it
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You are going to do it
Even if I don't want you to
Shake me down
Tell me its better
Tell me that you don't know what you do
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You will if you want to
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You will if you want to
And you want to do it
If you want to do it
You will if you want to
I wish I could make you right
@avagreens3337
I am glad I am alive, I am glad I am able to listen to this.
@mparis130
I'm glad I'm alive as well and I'm glad you are too 💖
@therealalexdumas
3-3 on this comment, life is good
@stevencraig8876
Glad you are alive as well!
@khaledn.9695
well said..
@mahonrimartins1767
This song saved my life from relapsing back to crack. I have been clean and sober for 2 years now. One day at the time. Ask for help you out there. Thanks Sharon.
@subhaanshaikh4923
"Beautiful things don't ask for attention". Her music is the epitome of beauty. I have been listening to her for the past 8 years. Her songs have gotten me through some really trying times. Watched her exponentially grow in her art and talent. She is so underrated. I want her to be as famous as one can be but also selfishly keep this slice of heaven to myself. Absolutely privileged to be alive at the same time as her and her Aurora Aksnes.
@TheSmalec1236
Just how her songs and she herself. Don't ask for attention. And that's why she and her music is so unique and beautiful.
@chelsearae6340
Perhaps she doesn’t want to be. That would be my guess. That’s a scary place to be.
@subhaanshaikh4923
@Chelsea Rae Scary and hauntingly liberating.