Never Love an Anchor by The Crane Wives- Lyrics | A Comprehensive

• Song Name: “Never Love an Anchor”
• Writer(s): Emilee Jade Petersmark-Lyrics
• Song Duration 3:48
• Album Name: Coyote Stories
• Released on: 2015-08-29
• Artist: The Crane Wives

Complete Lyrics of “Never Love an Anchor”

“Ooh-ooh-ooh-oh

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, oh, whoa-oh, whoa-oh

Ooh-ooh-ooh-oh

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, oh, whoa-oh, whoa-oh

On some level, I think I always understood

That these hands of mine were clumsy, not clever

And I tried to do the best that I could

But try as I might, I couldn’t bring myself to hold you

It’s a secret I keep tucked inside my chest

With this heart of mine that’s guilty, not remorseful

There is love that doesn’t have a place to rest

But it would have buried you if it had settled on your shoulders

Ooh-ooh-ooh-oh

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, oh, whoa-oh, whoa-oh

Ooh-ooh-ooh-oh

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, oh, whoa-oh, whoa-oh

On some level, I think I always understood

That a ship could never really love an anchor

So, I did the only thing that I could

And severed the rope to set you sailing from my harbor

There are times when I still wonder about you

You are someone I have loved, but never known

And you’ll never see the reasons I had

For keeping my claws away when they were close enough to hurt you

I am selfish, I am broken, I am cruel

I am all the things they might have said to you

Do you ever think of me and my two hands?

And wonder why they never soothed your fevers?

And wonder why they never tied your shoes?

And wonder why they never held you gently?

And wonder why they never had the chance to lose you?

Ooh-ooh-ooh-oh

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, oh, whoa-oh, whoa-oh

Ooh-ooh-ooh-oh

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, oh, whoa-oh, whoa-oh”

Line-by-Line Meaning of the Song:

Line-by-Line Meaning of the Song:

On some level, I think I always understood.

At times, I believe I’ve always known.

That these hands of mine were clumsy, not clever.

That my hands aren’t skillful, they make mistakes.

And I tried to do the best that I could.

I tried my hardest.

But try as I might, I couldn’t bring myself to hold you.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to hold you.

It’s a secret I keep tucked inside my chest.

I have a secret hidden inside me.

With this heart of mine that’s guilty, not remorseful.

My heart feels guilty but not sorry.

There is love that doesn’t have a place to rest.

There’s love that doesn’t find a home.

But it would have buried you if it had settled on your shoulders.

But if it had landed on you, it would have overwhelmed you.

On some level, I think I always understood.

Deep down, I believe I always knew.

 That a ship could never really love an anchor.

A ship can’t truly love an anchor.

So, I did the only thing that I could.

So, I did the only thing possible.

 And severed the rope to set you sailing from my harbor.

I cut the rope to let you sail away from my harbor.

There are times when I still wonder about you.

Sometimes, I still think about you.

You are someone I have loved, but never known.

You’re someone I loved, but never truly understood.

And you’ll never see the reasons I had.

And you’ll never understand why I acted the way I did.

For keeping my claws away when they were close enough to hurt you.

For holding back when I could have hurt you.

I am selfish, I am broken, I am cruel.

I can be selfish, I’m damaged, I can be mean.

I am all the things they might have said to you.

I’m everything they might have told you about me.

Do you ever think of me and my two hands?

Do you ever think about me and my hands?

And wonder why they never soothed your fevers?

And wonder why they never comforted you when you were sick?

And wonder why they never tied your shoes?

And wonder why they never helped you with simple tasks like tying your shoes?

And wonder why they never held you gently?

And wonder why they never held you softly?

And wonder why they never had the chance to lose you?

And wonder why they never had the opportunity to let you go?

The overall Meaning of the song

The song “Never Love an Anchor” by The Crane Wives, written by Emilee Jade Petersmark, dives deep into the emotions of letting go and self-reflection. The lyrics reveal a person who acknowledges their own flaws and limitations, understanding that their nature might be more harmful than helpful to someone they love. They compare themselves to a clumsy set of hands or a burdensome anchor, suggesting they feel they might hold back or weigh down the person they care about.

The heart of the song lies in the difficult decision to release someone they love, likening it to cutting a rope that ties a ship to an anchor. This act is portrayed as a sacrifice, made out of love, to allow the other person to move freely and not be hindered by the singer’s struggles. The recurring theme is one of love that is self-aware, recognizing that sometimes true affection means letting go, even if it’s painful.

The singer expresses regret and wonders if the person they let go ever thinks of them, questioning the impact of their decision. They admit their faults openly, showcasing brutal honesty with themselves and the listener. The song is a poignant expression of love, loss, and the complexity of human relationships, emphasizing that sometimes love means stepping back for the other’s wellbeing.

More about the band (The Crane Wives)

The Crane Wives are an American indie folk band from Grand Rapids, Michigan. The band was formed in 2010 by the original members, Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury. Later on, Dan Rickabus and Ben Zito joined the group to complete the quartet. Over the years, The Crane Wives have established themselves as a prominent name in both the Michigan music scene and the indie folk genre.

Members of the band:

• Emilee Petersmark – lead vocals, guitar
• Kate Pillsbury -vocals, guitar
• Dan Rickabus – drums, percussion
• Ben Zito – bass

All four members of The Crane Wives have unique musical backgrounds and influences that contribute to their distinct sound. Emilee Petersmark has a classical vocal training while Kate Pillsbury draws inspiration from traditional Irish music. Dan Rickabus has a background in jazz drumming and Ben Zito brings his experience as a self-taught musician to the band’s sound.

Some Popular Albums: 

• Safe Ship, Harbored – Released in May 2011
• The Fool in Her Wedding Gown – Released on September 22, 2012
• A Very Crane Wives Christmas – Released in 2014
• Coyote Stories – Released on August 29, 2015
• A Very, Very Crane Wives Christmas – Released in 2015
• Foxlore – Released on April 2, 2016
• The Well – Released in 2023