The 10 Best Damien Rice Songs of All Time

Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter who has come a long way to be the established musician he is today. He began with being in a band but left to pursue a solo career. He had faith in his chosen profession, so Rice borrowed money to record his demo. Luckily, there was another musician in the family, his cousin, who offered Rice money to buy a mobile studio. Since then, Rice has not looked back and continues to amaze fans with his music. Here are ten of Damien Rice’s songs you are bound to love.

10. It Takes a Lot to Know a Man

Rice revealed to Unmask Us that the song may have started as being inspired by his relationship with a particular person. However, it gravitated towards different relationships human beings have with each other. In the end, he tells the story of how we are all crazy in our way and it is hard to understand a person.

9. Coconut Skins

Rice appears to be talking about different emotions that plague humankind. For instance, in the first verse, the protagonist is seeking to be understood by the woman he loves. So Rice says how he can try to be an open book and reveal his weaknesses. In the second verse, the protagonist is afraid of people’s opinions. So Rice sings that he can ask for their permission or brave his decision. He adds that no one needs to know whatever you are up to, but even if they should ask, have a vague answer ready to throw them off the course you are taking.

8. I Remember

They talk about love at first sight and the lyrics in the song tell how it feels. Everything stood still when the narrator first saw the object of affection; the head stopped working and time stood still. The person remembers every detail of that moment – the wet hair and standing on the stairs. Now everything revolves around the love interest and he wonders if she feels the same when he asks her if she can live without him.

7. Color Me In

If you are in denial, then this song reflects your feelings. Rice talks about repressing his feelings and even trying to erase them. However, some things are beyond our control, and the more he tries to hide them, the more they burst open. So he has no choice but to accept the emotions and repeats, “Come let me love you,” to show he has finally accepted his fate.

6. Delicate

The song seems to come from a place of a young love that is starting to blossom, but the lovers are afraid it might end too soon. When he says that they kiss when they are alone and make out when nobody is watching, he clarifies that it is not that they are scared of the public. It is just that the love is delicate; maybe third parties might put pressure on them and destroy it. In the refrain, Rice also seems to wonder if the love he is receiving is genuine, seeing that the lover is feeding words she has borrowed elsewhere. He adds that even when she sings, she does not mean the words.

5. I Don’t Want to Change You

Rice believes that love has to have an element of fun, at least going by the lyrics in this song. He says that if there is no fun in love, the relationship is doomed. Still, he reiterates how much he does not want to change his partner. He is willing to wait for her to be ready should she decide she needs more time. Rice also says that he will not try to change her mind, convincing her of something for which she is not ready.

4. Volcano

The lyrics tell the story of incompatible lovers. They do not love each other in the same way. For instance, in the first verse, Rice sings that all he needs is to kiss her back and mouth. However, it seems the girl is offering more of herself, and he tells her that she will hurt her knees in that position. He adds that she should not throw herself to him like that. Besides, Rice insists that while he is interested in the sea, the girl is offering miles of mountains.

3. Cannonball

The song seems to come from a place of doubt about which direction to take regarding a romantic relationship. The two have kissed, going by how he reminisces about the taste of the woman in his mouth. The protagonist is afraid of allowing the woman to be too close to him because she gets him confused. He says that once she steps too close, he cannot see what is going on and it makes him wary. Still, he is interested in pursuing the relationship despite the fears but wants to take it slow. So, he is praying for a bit of shyness to hamper the courage.

2. 9 Crimes

There are different interpretations of most of Rice’s songs depending on one’s understanding. According to Eskimo Friends, this song is about Rice thinking of cheating on his girlfriend. Allegedly, Rice had a girlfriend in Paris before going away to college. While in school, he was in the company of two girls, and he almost had a threesome but remembered about his girlfriend in Paris. Therefore, the gun in this song is a metaphor, and he is not willing to give it away when it is loaded.

1. The Blower’s Daughter

There are different explanations for this song. Some believe that Rice was referring to the daughter of his clarinet teacher when he talked about “the blower’s daughter.” This interpretation is further cemented by the mention of “the pupil in denial,” referring to Rice himself. However, upon further examination of the lyrics, the song could be about lovers who had separated, believing it was the best. They even said they hated each other and wanted to leave it all behind, but then they kept thinking about each other.

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