In 2006, The Weepies big label debut Say I Am You came out on Nettwerk Records. After an initial hard-scrabble tour in their compact car as a duo, Deb Talan & Steve Tannen’s music appeared in more than a dozen TV shows, as well as several major motion pictures.
Their iTunes sales topped the folk charts in eight countries. Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol nominated them for a Short List Music Prize, and Mandy Moore asked them to write with her and sing on her album. They were invited to open for the Indigo Girls and invited onto the Hotel Café Tour; they played the Oxegen Festival in Ireland, the Hurricane Festival in Germany, and T in the Park in Scotland. Their MySpace player hit 2 million plays. JCPenney and Old Navy used their tunes as the theme songs for their major holiday TV campaigns.
When The Weepies returned home in 2007, they were exhausted.
“2006 was amazing. Coming off the road in 2007 should have been this blissed-out time with so much to celebrate, but it was totally depressing. Our rented shack in the California hills was cold, it had a leaky roof and there were mice living in it. Our electric guitar had been destroyed on the last plane flight of the year. We hadn’t seen most of our close friends in months.”
“We were empty,” says Talan. “We both felt dark after being in the bright lights for a year. We were looking to reconnect with what moved us about music in the first place. We needed to hide out and write.”
Hideaway was the result of their year-long struggle to get tapped in again, released in 2008. Another homemade gem, Hideaway is a darker companion to their first album, with 14 new tunes ranging from the upbeat title track to the jangly rock of Not Dead Yet to gorgeously arranged meditations like How You Survived the War and Little Bird.
As with most of The Weepies’ music, there is a happy ending to all the struggle: Deb and Steve were married in 2007, and they had a baby boy, Theo, in October.
The Weepies sound on Hideaway remains rooted in their unique writing and unusual harmonies. Their distinctive production was filled out again by bass player and guitarist Whynot Jansveld, guitarist Meghan Toohey and drummer Frank Lenz. Additional musicians on this album include string player Oliver Kraus, keyboardist John Deley, guitarist Steve Walsh, and horn player/keyboardist Brad Gordon.
The Weepies' fourth full-length album, Be My Thrill, was released in August 2010.
Somebody Loved
The Weepies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wind turns the trees into bone
Stars turning high up above
You turn me into somebody loved
Nights when the heat had gone out
We danced together alone
Cold turned our breath into clouds
But you turned me into somebody loved
Someday when we're old and worn
Like two softened shoes
I will wonder on how I was born
The night I first ran away from you
Now my feet turn the corner back home
Sun turns the evening to rose
Stars turning high up above
You turn me into
You turn me into
You turn me into somebody loved
Somebody loved, ooh
Somebody loved
sky gold
Summer turns to long cold nights
You turn me into somebody loved
In these lyrics, The Weepies use metaphors to describe different forms of transformation. Rain turns sand into mud, wind turns trees into bone, and stars turn high up above. All of these representations of change are rough and harsh. However, amidst all of this harshness, the singer finds comfort in the fact that this person makes them feel loved. Through all of the storms and changing weather, this person has remained a constant for them.
The lyrics also describe the evolution of the singer’s relationship with this person. They recount a night when they danced together alone, and the cold turned their breath into clouds. They never spoke about their dreams, but through these moments together, this person turned them into somebody loved. This love transformed the singer into a softer, more vulnerable version of themselves.
Finally, the lyrics look towards the future, imagining a time when they will be old and worn. They wonder how they were even born, thinking back to the moment they first ran away from this person. They reflect on how their relationship has changed over time. Yet, despite all of this, they know that this person will always turn them into somebody loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Rain turns the sand into mud
The natural elements can change the physical state of an object.
Wind turns the trees into bone
The power of the wind can cause the trees to sway and creak as though they were alive yet brittle.
Stars turning high up above
The stars are in a constant state of motion, like all things in the universe. Their infinite sparkle and shine remind us of the beauty and magic of possibility.
You turn me into somebody loved
The act of loving and being loved can transform a person's life and give it purpose. It can make everything worthwhile despite the challenges along the way.
Nights when the heat had gone out
Times of misunderstanding and disconnection can leave us feeling empty and lost.
We danced together alone
Despite feeling disconnected, when we find someone who brings us joy, it can be a beautiful experience that becomes a defining moment in our lives.
Cold turned our breath into clouds
The cold can have a physical effect on our bodies, but it also has a deeper emotional effect. Our breath turns into clouds like the emotions that arise during challenging times.
We never said what we were dreaming of
Sometimes it can be hard to share our deepest desires with others. It can make us feel vulnerable, but the right person will listen without judgment.
But you turned me into somebody loved
This person has had a significant impact on the artist's life and has made them feel loved and valued in a way they had never experienced before.
Someday when we're old and worn
Looking back on a life lived, we realize that the things we thought mattered most may not be so important after all. Time changes our perspective on things.
Like two softened shoes
The singer compares two old souls to two softened shoes that have been worn in by life's journey.
I will wonder on how I was born
Reflecting on one's life can help us see the significance of even the small moments, and how every experience shapes who we are as individuals.
The night I first ran away from you
The singer remembers a pivotal moment in their relationship when they needed space to think and reflect.
Now my feet turn the corner back home
The journey through life takes us down many paths, but ultimately, we find our way back to where we belong.
Sun turns the evening to rose
The sunset is a beautiful reminder of the cyclical nature of life, and how every ending brings with it the promise of a new beginning.
You turn me into somebody loved
Despite all of life's twists and turns, the love shared between two individuals can remain a constant source of joy and comfort. It is the power of love that truly transforms us into somebody loved.
Lyrics © STEVE TANNEN MUSIC, DEB TALAN MUSIC
Written by: Deb Talan, Steve Tannen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robscallon
I love this song
@BURNANNATOR
Yoo
@MKB1L
Wow....
Such a beautiful song
Heard this first on Dawson’s Creek
@deadshot22
This song makes me think of my best friend. It's been 9 years....we are blessed to have each other. We're getting married on Nov 22 this year. Michelle, you turn me into somebody loved.
@iowacaptive162
It's true what they say- There is a Weepies song for everything.
@alexleitch37
Some people were born to sing the songs that live silent in everyone's beating hearts.
@marysimpson8889
What a beautiful description!! I agree❤❤❤
@alexleitch37
@@marysimpson8889 Thanks mate! I also love the idea that the silent songs in all our hearts cals out to the singer as well. Without the silent longing we all experience there would be no need for a song to soothe it. Such is the economy of divine grace. All hurting is a calling for healing.
@MKB1L
Very wise and well put 🙂
@lynndeatherage1014
Such sweet lyrics! My daughter and her husband danced to this as their 1st dance at their wedding. Good memories.