Down My Spine
Rachael Sage · Smashing the Serene [1998]
All she ever wanted in this whole world
Was two dance her bones away
All she ever wanted in this whole wide world
Was to scream what she could not say
Why is it cold and mean all time
Why do I always feel like a straight line
Is crawling in and out and up and down my spine
Even when I'm sleeping
All she ever wanted in this whole wide world
Was to dance her bones away
Only house she haunted in this whole wide world
She wished she could waste away
Why is it cold and mean all time
Why do I always feel like a straight line
Is crawling in and out and up and down my spine
Even when I'm sleeping
Somebody open up her hands, somebody her hands up
So she can listen through her fingers and finally touch
Somebody open up her voice
Somebody open her voice wide like a river
So time can deliver all its sweetness
Woman lies awake dreaming like Alice
In some sequined wonderland
Still hallucinating that her dark prince
Is gonna come and take her hand,
Lift it from the ground it's been buried so long
Turn it all around until there's nothing wrong
Even when I'm sleeping
,All time
Why do I always feel like a straight line
Is crawling in and out and up and down my spine
Even when I'm sleeping
Was two dance her bones away
All she ever wanted in this whole wide world
Was to scream what she could not say
Why is it cold and mean all time
Why do I always feel like a straight line
Is crawling in and out and up and down my spine
Even when I'm sleeping
All she ever wanted in this whole wide world
Was to dance her bones away
Only house she haunted in this whole wide world
She wished she could waste away
Why is it cold and mean all time
Why do I always feel like a straight line
Is crawling in and out and up and down my spine
Even when I'm sleeping
Somebody open up her hands, somebody her hands up
So she can listen through her fingers and finally touch
Somebody open up her voice
Somebody open her voice wide like a river
So time can deliver all its sweetness
Woman lies awake dreaming like Alice
In some sequined wonderland
Still hallucinating that her dark prince
Is gonna come and take her hand,
Lift it from the ground it's been buried so long
Turn it all around until there's nothing wrong
Even when I'm sleeping
,All time
Why do I always feel like a straight line
Is crawling in and out and up and down my spine
Even when I'm sleeping
Down My Spine
Rachael Sage's "Down My Spine" serves as a standout track on her 1998 debut album, *Smashing the Serene*. Released during the height of the indie-folk revival, the recording captures Sage's signature blend of acoustic guitar and emotive vocals that defined her early career. The song reflects the introspective and narrative-driven style characteristic of her work from that era, offering a glimpse into the personal storytelling that became a hallmark of her discography. As part of her foundational catalog, the track remains a key example of her ability to craft atmospheric, guitar-driven ballads that resonated with audiences seeking authentic, unpolished musical expression in the late 1990s.