Waxahatchee, named after Waxahatchee Creek in Alabama where Crutchfield grew up, began in 2010 during the breakup of P.S. Eliot. Crutchfield released her first music as Waxahatchee as a split cassette with Chris Clavin on Plan-It-X Records. Her bedroom-recorded debut album, American Weekend, was released on Don Giovanni Records in 2012.
On June 11, 2012 "Be Good" was the song of the day on NPR as well as one of the best 50 songs of 2012. Her debut album, "American Weekend," was named a top album of 2012 by Dusted magazine.
Subsequent albums include Cerulean Salt (2013), Ivy Tripp (2015), Out in the Storm (2017), Saint Cloud (2020), and the upcoming Tigers Blood (out March 22, 2024)
Fire
Waxahatchee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not as if we cry a river, call it rain
West Memphis is on fire in the light of day
Give me something, it ain't enough
It ain't enough
I take it for granted
If I could love you unconditionally
For some of us it ain't enough
It ain't enough
And I take off driving
Past places been tainted
I put on a good show for you
And when I turn back around
Will you drain me back out
Will you let me believe that I broke through?
Tomorrow could feel like a hundred years later
I'm wiser and slow and attuned
And I am down on my knees
I'm a bird in the trees
I can learn to see with a partial view
I can learn to be easy as I move in close to you
And that's what I wanted
It's not as if we cry a river, call it rain
West Memphis is on fire in the light of day
Give me something, it ain't enough
It ain't enough
I take it for granted
If I could love you unconditionally
I could iron out the edges of the darkest sky
For some of us it ain't enough
It ain't enough
The lyrics of Waxahatchee's Fire explore the theme of longing and inadequacy in relationships. The singer is searching for a sense of completeness that seems just out of reach. The opening lines of the song, "That's what I wanted, It's not as if we cry a river, call it rain," suggest a sense of disappointment with the current state of the relationship. The use of the phrase "cry a river, call it rain" implies a sense of false emotions or insincere communication. The metaphorical fire in West Memphis represents an inner turmoil that the singer is faced with.
The second stanza demonstrates the singer's awareness of their own shortcomings in the relationship. The lyric "If I could love you unconditionally, I could iron out the edges of the darkest sky" suggests that the singer is aware of their own emotional limitations and recognizes that only unconditional love can truly extinguish the fiery turmoil within. However, the singer realizes that for some, the inability to love unconditionally is a hindrance in relationships.
In the final stanza, the author finds themselves driving away from negative experiences and toward the love and understanding they crave. However, there is still uncertainty as to whether they will be accepted and understood as they hope. The singer admits to feeling incomplete and seeking validation and assurance from the other person.
Overall, the lyrics of Fire suggest a sense of longing and emotional turmoil that come from the complexities of relationships. The song is poetic, expressing deep-seated emotions with metaphors and imagery.
Line by Line Meaning
That's what I wanted
The singer desired something specific
It's not as if we cry a river, call it rain
We can't mistake one thing for another, especially when it comes to emotions
West Memphis is on fire in the light of day
A metaphor for a dire situation that cannot be hidden
Give me something, it ain't enough
The singer needs more than what they've been given
It ain't enough
Reiterating the point that what's been given is insufficient
I take it for granted
The singer hasn't fully appreciated what they have
If I could love you unconditionally
An if-then statement imagining a different reality
I could iron out the edges of the darkest sky
The singer believes love could make everything better
For some of us it ain't enough
Love isn't always enough to fix things
And I take off driving
The singer is literally or metaphorically leaving something behind
Past places been tainted
The singer is leaving behind bad memories
I put on a good show for you
The singer is pretending to be okay for someone else's sake
And when I turn back around
The singer may eventually return to whatever they left behind
Will you drain me back out
The singer is afraid of being hurt again
Will you let me believe that I broke through?
The singer hopes that things will be different when they return
Tomorrow could feel like a hundred years later
Time feels distorted when you're going through something difficult
I'm wiser and slow and attuned
The singer feels like they're learning from their experiences
And I am down on my knees
A sign of vulnerability or humility
I'm a bird in the trees
A metaphor for feeling free or hopeful
I can learn to see with a partial view
The singer is willing to accept that they won't have all the answers
I can learn to be easy as I move in close to you
The singer wants to approach a relationship with less fear or anxiety
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Kathryn Crutchfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ballzinferno
That's what I wanted
It's not as if we cry a river, call it rain
West Memphis is on fire in the light of day
Give me something, it ain't enough
It ain't enough
I take it for granted
If I could love you unconditionally
I could iron out the edges of the darkest sky
For some of us it ain't enough
It ain't enough
And I take off driving
Past places been tainted
I put on a good show for you
And when I turn back around
Will you drain me back out
Will you let me believe that I broke through?
Tomorrow could feel like a hundred years later
I'm wiser and slow and attuned
And I am down on my knees
I'm a bird in the trees
I can learn to see with a partial view
I can learn to be easy as I move in close to you
And that's what I wanted
It's not as if we cry a river, call it rain
West Memphis is on fire in the light of day
Give me something, it ain't enough
It ain't enough
I take it for granted
If I could love you unconditionally
I could iron out the edges of the darkest sky
For some of us it ain't enough
It ain't enough
BumpaGHS
I was stunned by the beauty of this song's voice... if I play.. it I play it more than once just because it is so emotionally gorgeous.. I am 71 tears old and love discovering gorgeous new music. Katie certainly does have some unconditional love packed up inside. Thanks Kati
K K
I love you friend, unconditionally 🩶
Sean McAuliffe
This song is an absolute gem.
Joshua Tree
watching her grow up from writing lo-fi fuzzy guitar melodies to becoming a full band leader to someone capable of penning this has been one of the greatest little secrets of growing in this decades history of music. Thanks Katie! Thanks Merge for the platform! See you at Union Transfer
Paul Barrientos
Totally agree, Joshua! Katie has been one of my favorite artists for the past 6-7 years and to see her become the artist she is today has been a great to see.
William Brayman
This is honestly one of those songs that you can listen to for hours when you’re sad :)
Sarah Dowell
Did it.
Pepper-em
@Madame Dellaporte 🤣🤣
mike green
I do
caterpillar
It’s not a sad song though.