Fitzsimmons was raised in the outskirts of the steel city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the youngest child of two blind parents. Due to the family's inability to communicate through normal visual means, Fitzsimmons' childhood home was filled with a myriad of sounds to replace what eyes could not see. The house was suffused with pianos, guitars, trombones, talking birds, classical records, family sing-a-longs, bedtime stories, and the bellowing of a pipe organ, which his father built into the house with his own hands.
When his father's orchestral records were not resonating through the walls, his mother would educate him on the folk stylings of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Simon & Garfunkel. By the completion of his youth and schooling, Fitzsimmons had become well-versed at a variety of instruments, at the minor expense of social standing, interactional skills, and a knowledge of proper shaving technique.
Fitzsimmons' path into music was likewise unusual, forsaking the hobby for many years to work with the mentally ill and pursue an education in the field of mental health. It was during his last semester of graduate school that William pooled money from past birthdays, holidays, and snow shoveling outings, and bought cheap home recording equipment to begin creating songs again (the first collection of which eventually became his debut album).
After finally achieving his goal of becoming a practicing therapist, William left, and returned again to his love of crafting and playing songs. He felt that is where he most belonged. Somewhere between a singing therapist, and a counselor who writes songs, is where Fitzsimmons endeavors to be. Using songs to address matters that he believes need to be addressed.
William draws from those early folks stylings of his mother's music, and the embellished instrumentation of his father's. He is often compared to contemporaries Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine, and the late Elliott Smith, not only for his unique style and skill in writing and proclivity to deal with substantive and evocative subject matter, but also for his use of organic and colorful melodies and arrangements.
His first two records were completely self-produced, Until When We Are Ghosts and Goodnight. Fitzsimmons' friend Ingrid Michaelson joined him with vocals on Goodnight.
The Sparrow And The Crow, was his first studio recorded work, released in September 2008. The album debuted extremely well at #56 on the iTunes Top Albums Chart, and #1 on the iTunes Folk Chart.
While his lyricism deals often with darker undertones (The Sparrow and The Crow album was written following his divorce), a measure of hopefulness is always carefully blended in.
William candidly expresses the process of making The Sparrow And The Crow as follows: “I wrote it first and foremost as a confession and apology to my former wife. It was a way to say things that I needed her to hear that I didn't know how else to say. Second, as a way to exercise the pain from what I'd easily call the worst year of my life. And third, as a way to let others in pain have a way to express and deal with their trouble, and perhaps find some hope at the end of it. It's not a divorce record, or even a “break up" record in the traditional sense, although certainly it contains elements of both. Instead, it's a record about messing up everything, and trying to find a way back home." - AllAboutJazz.com 9/2008His latest album, Derivatives, a novel remix of The Sparrow and The Crow, was released in May 2010 through Mercer Street Records to strong reviews. Pink Ganter's remix of the song So This Is Goodbye is a critic favorite. Also of note, Fitzsimmons covers Kate Perry's I Kissed A Girl, called "a brave move, but a move that completely pays off." by TheFourOhFive.com's Leah Henson. More from Henson's review:
Before a second of music is played, Derivatives is already a fascinating album. The very idea of the delicate, heartfelt and evocative melodies of the previous album from William Fitzsimmons, The Sparrow and the Crow, being re-imagined and remixed to give them a positive spin is an idea that could possibly have terrible repercussions. Fortunately, the remixes are tastefully done and don’t squeeze every bit of essence from the original songs. Instead of unrecognisable songs being created, as so often is the way with remixes, Derivatives is an assembly of songs developed beautifully, creating a continuation from the songs on The Sparrow and the Crow. Electro blips, synths and heavy basslines now accompany Fitzsimmons’ mournful voice, adding to the songs rather than removing key elements from them. ... The intriguing thing about this album is the fact that the songs can be enjoyed on various levels. For a William Fitzsimmons fan who has listened to The Sparrow and the Crow and knows every little nuance of each song, Derivatives is a continuation, welcomed with open arms. - TheFourOhFive.com 5/2010With his expanding tenure as a songwriter, William has received mentions in noted publications such as Billboard, Paste Magazine, Pitchfork, Performing Songwriter Magazine, AllAboutJazz.com, among others. Fitzsimmons' music has been featured on several television programs such as Grey's Anatomy and Army Wives.
Fitzsimmons' music is available on iTunes and from his web store and myspace page.
Body for My Bed
William Fitzsimmons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
before they turn out every single light
and figure out that this is not my home
my mother warned me of people that would take advantage of my money and my grace
but she forgot to tell me i'm the same
and i'm the one to blame
and i was born to lay it on your back
but you won't let me back into your heart
oh god my bed is empty
oh god my bed is empty
and jesus told me that you would be okay if i began to go out on some dates
and find myself a body for my bed
and all your stories filled with cavious caveats
about the past you told me you forgot
but hold on tightly when no one is around
i'm terrified for the time you were gone
and how we both(?) intend to linger on
to keep me company at least just for a while
oh god my bed is empty
oh god my bed is empty
oh god my bed is empty
The song "Body for My Bed" by William Fitzsimmons touches on themes of regret, loneliness, and the search for intimacy. The lyrics suggest a sense of desperation and a desire for redemption before it's too late. The opening lines, "This is my last chance to ever make it right before they turn out every single light and figure out that this is not my home," convey a sense of urgency and a fear of being left alone.
The singer reflects on the warnings his mother gave him about people who would take advantage of him, but realizes that he himself is guilty of trying to take advantage of someone else: "But she forgot to tell me I'm the same, and I'm the one to blame." This shows a sense of self-awareness but also a sense of despair.
The chorus, "Oh god my bed is empty," is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's loneliness and longing for companionship. He mentions finding "a body for my bed," which suggests a physical desire for intimacy, but this only further emphasizes the emptiness he feels.
The reference to Jesus telling him that it's okay to go out on dates adds a layer of complexity to the lyrics. It suggests a religious aspect to the singer's struggle, perhaps feeling conflicted between his desires and his beliefs. The lines, "But hold on tightly when no one is around, I'm terrified for the time you were gone and how we both intend to linger on to keep me company at least just for a while," also suggest that the singer may be struggling with a loss or a breakup, and is looking for temporary companionship as a means of coping.
Overall, "Body for My Bed" is a poignant and emotionally raw song about the search for connection and the consequences of our actions. It highlights the importance of self-reflection and the need for human connection in order to truly feel at home in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
This is my last chance to ever make it right
I know that I've made some mistakes, and if I don't do something soon, it will be too late to fix them.
before they turn out every single light
I need to act fast, because time is running out.
and figure out that this is not my home
I know that I don't belong here, but I'm not sure where I do belong.
my mother warned me of people that would take advantage of my money and my grace
My mother warned me about people who might try to manipulate or exploit me, especially because of my good nature.
but she forgot to tell me i'm the same
However, what my mother didn't realize is that I can sometimes be my own worst enemy.
and i'm the one to blame
I have to accept responsibility for my own mistakes and shortcomings.
and i was born to lay it on your back
I have a tendency to rely on others to carry my burdens.
cause i have chosen the sadness that you lack
I have a certain attraction to sadness or melancholy, even if it's not healthy.
but you won't let me back into your heart
I know that I've hurt someone close to me, and they're not willing to forgive me just yet.
oh god my bed is empty
I feel alone and adrift in the world.
and jesus told me that you would be okay if i began to go out on some dates
I'm trying to move on from my past mistakes, and a trusted source has told me that it's okay to do so.
and find myself a body for my bed
I'm looking for someone to fill a physical and emotional void, even though that might not truly help in the long run.
and all your stories filled with cavious caveats
Although my previous partner has moved on and left me behind, I still cling to their words and warnings.
about the past you told me you forgot
I know that I need to let go of the past and move on, but it's hard to forget what someone you care about has told you.
but hold on tightly when no one is around
Even though I know that it's time to let go, I still cling to whatever scraps of affection or connection are left behind.
i'm terrified for the time you were gone
I'm scared about what might happen now that I'm on my own and no longer have someone to rely on.
and how we both(?) intend to linger on
I'm not sure what the future holds, but I know that I'm not ready to let go just yet.
to keep me company at least just for a while
Even if it's not healthy or sustainable, I'm looking for someone to fill the void and keep me company for a little while.
Contributed by Hannah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Denise Walker
Such a sweet , beautiful voice.
khunter
Beautiful Song. I absolutely love it.
AbatabIndieTabs
William's official guitar tabs are available exclusively at our new indie sheet music store - Abatab! We heart indie artists like Wiliiam - and their fans, too.
AbatabIndieTabs
@streetfootballer100 We mean to say "independent" more than a musical style. And thanks for subscribing, we enjoyed the song on your page. Well done!
AbatabIndieTabs
@streetfootballer100 Thanks, that's good to hear. We subscribed to your page 'cause we're looking forward to hearing more songs :)