It is said that the Weather Station was born in a closet. One day, Tamara Lindeman sat down to make music she had never heard. Using her banjo, her voice, a borrowed microphone, and a selection of percussive household items, Tamara taught herself to write, then to record. Slowly she cut together her musical exploration of loss and everything that comes along with it.
The urgings of friends led to the assembly of a five piece band. With banjo, mandolin, violin, and other wooden wonders, they re-interpreted her music, both broadening it and strengthening it as they brought it out into the world of live performance.
This is music about landscapes, both broad and cramped; the running away and the running to; high winds and crushing distance; bracken and tundra and bush. This is music for the east coast, for urban confusion and rural absolutes. It began as music about sadness, but it has always been propelled by fierce determination.
This is music that Tamara Lindeman can no longer contain.
Traveller
The Weather Station Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every building so familiar but it's like I never seen em.
There's the same rows of houses, row on row.
I felt just like a stranger as I set my key in the door, and lingered.
Standing there on the porch.
Little flecks on the brick, where the paint did not stick, I never could paint in the lines.
I felt just like a tourist, seeing it all for the first time.
Like a guest.
I set down my boots where he would hang up his suits and I brushed the snow from my coat, to the skin I was soaked.
I felt just like a traveller, my eyes open wide.
Like a stranger, uncertain and shy.
Everybody's so well meaning, everybody's been so kind.
Called to see if I been eating, wondered when to come by.
You should have called somebody before it ever came to this.
You should have called somebody.
I wish… I wish you'd called me.
The Weather Station's song Traveller captures the feeling of returning home after a long absence and realizing that everything, though familiar, has changed. The opening lines suggest the paradoxical feeling of being both a traveler and a local as the singer walks up their street. The writing is poetic, and the imagery of buildings that appear new despite being familiar conveys the theme of change in the passage of time. The words “I felt just like a stranger” evoke a sense of loss and disorientation. The contrast between the singer, who has changed, and the unchanged world around them is heightened by the details of the porch, the boots, and the snow. The lyrics capture the essence of the emotion of feeling out of place despite being home.
In the second stanza, the singer feels like a tourist, seeing everything for the first time, and feeling like a guest. The singer is unsure of what they might find as they settle into the old routine of hanging their boots, brushing the snow from their coat, and soaking up the sights with eyes open wide. The sentiment is poignant as the singer reflects upon the well-meaning people who have checked up on them and wonders why they weren't called sooner. The nostalgic lyrics take on the tone of regret as the line "You should have called somebody before it ever came to this. You should have called somebody. I wish...I wish you'd called me" repeats towards the end of the song, highlighting the sense of loss and missed opportunities.
Line by Line Meaning
I felt just like a traveler as I went walking up my street.
Although this is my street, it feels different as if I'm just passing through.
Every building so familiar but it's like I never seen em.
Even though I recognize the buildings, they appear new to me.
There's the same rows of houses, row on row.
The houses appear to be in the same order as before, one after another.
I felt just like a stranger as I set my key in the door, and lingered.
It's as if I don't quite belong here even though I have a key.
Standing there on the porch.
I stood on the porch for a while, feeling unsure.
Little flecks on the brick, where the paint did not stick, I never could paint in the lines.
On the brick wall were small areas where the paint didn't adhere, reminding me of my inability to paint perfectly.
I felt just like a tourist, seeing it all for the first time.
Things look so different as if I am truly new here.
Like a guest.
I felt like a visitor or someone invited to stay, but not permanently.
Unsure of what I might find.
I was uncertain about what was to come or what I would discover.
I set down my boots where he would hang up his suits and I brushed the snow from my coat, to the skin I was soaked.
I put my boots where he usually hung his suits, then brushed the snow off my coat, still feeling wet to the bone.
I felt just like a traveller, my eyes open wide.
I had the feeling of a traveler who was seeing new things with eyes wide open.
Like a stranger, uncertain and shy.
I felt like a stranger, as I didn't fully understand the situation or people involved.
Everybody's so well meaning, everybody's been so kind.
Everyone was friendly and helpful, but I still felt like an outsider.
Called to see if I been eating, wondered when to come by.
Others have been checking up on me and felt uncertain about when to visit.
You should have called somebody before it ever came to this.
If someone had been called earlier, it might not have reached this point.
You should have called somebody.
It would have been better if someone had been called sooner.
I wish… I wish you'd called me.
It would have been better if someone had reached out to me earlier.
Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.