Born of the 2010's folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock an… Read Full Bio ↴Born of the 2010's folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock and roll era, The Crane Wives epitomize the evolving sound of the indie genre. Having performed hundreds of shows on stages across the country, they gravitate toward high-energy melodies, featuring the kinetic percussion of Dan Rickabus, the silky, driving bass lines of Ben Zito and playful guitar leads from front women Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury. Counterbalancing their lively stage presence, their lyrics extol the shadow side of the human condition, delving into mythology and themes of darkness and inner conflict. The band softens the blows of their emotional candor with soulful three-part vocal harmonies, like a 21st century Cerberus, the hound of Hades reimagined as an emotional support animal. To date, they have released five full length albums, including their 2020 live album, "Here I Am".

Nothing At All
The Crane Wives Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Happy is the man
Who wants for nothing
Happy is the liar
Happiness is itself desire
So long as the fire
Getting weak, contained

Do you ever want nothing at all

Do you ever want nothing at all
I do, I do, I do
I do, I do, I do

Heart broken men long to feel nothing
To free themselves from strife
Handle pain
It doesn't define the man
It sure lends a hand
Getting measured in the sweeter parts of life

Do you ever feel nothing at all
Do you ever feel nothing at all
I do, I do, I do
I do, I do, I do
I do, I do, I do
I would not wish that on you

Do you ever feel nothing at all (Do you ever feel)
Do you ever want nothing at all
Do you ever feel nothing at all (Do you ever feel)
Do you ever want nothing at all
Do you ever feel nothing at all (Do you ever feel)

Do you ever want nothing at all
Do you ever feel nothing at all

Overall Meaning

The opening lines "Happy is the man who wants for nothing" in The Crane Wives's song "Nothing at All" may seem like a positive statement, but as the song progresses, it offers a different perspective. The hedonistic pursuit of happiness, which is based on materialistic wants, is the path to becoming a liar because true happiness is not found in material things. The song suggests that happiness is the desire itself, and it is what needs to be curbed to find true joy.

The second half of the song speaks to the longing to feel nothing, a sense of emptiness, heartbreak, and pain that some people may seek. The song notes that while the pain may not define a person, it does lend a hand in measuring the sweeter parts of life. The refrain repeats the question, "Do you ever want nothing at all?" and it's a potent reminder of the way some people feel during periods of suffering.

Overall, the lyrics of "Nothing at All" explore the ideas of pain, emptiness, and the pursuit of happiness. The song suggests that true happiness may only be found by embracing the pain and struggles in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Happy is the man
Being happy is an ideal condition for an individual

Who wants for nothing
True happiness comes from not wanting anything in life

Happy is the liar
People who deceive themselves that they are happy may also experience happiness

Happiness is itself desire
True happiness is a state of mind where there is no desire for more happiness

So long as the fire
As long as the passion still exists

Getting weak, contained
The passion of life can dwindle and become under control

Do you ever want nothing at all
Have you ever desired to have no desires?

Do you ever feel nothing at all
Have you ever experienced emptiness or numbness in life?

Heart broken men long to feel nothing
Men who have suffered heartbreaks desire to feel numbness to avoid further pain

To free themselves from strife
They seek to escape the troubles of emotional distress

Handle pain
They try to tolerate the agony they feel