Sweet and Low

I believe that this song is dedicated to both his wife (or woman he is having a child with) and his soon to be born daughter. He is singing a majority of the verses and the chorus to his daughter because he is giving her advice that he has learned through experiencing the hardships life brings. He knows that "your eyes can be your enemy" because the eyes are the window to the soul. (i.e. one's true feelings.)

But when he says "I ain't givin' up quite yet, I've got too much to lose" He is directing that at himself, because he may have considered not being there for her as a father. However, he has realized that he needs her as much as she needs him.

In the chorus:

"Hold me down, sweet and low little girl Hold me down, sweet and low and I will carry you home, Hold me down, sweet and low little girl Hold me down, and i'll carry you home,"

When he says "hold me down" he is reinforcing the idea that she is his stabalizer. Then, the act of carrying her is both physically symbolic of a loving father carrying his new born home, and metaphorically symbolic of him repaying her gift of stability by bringing her to a safe place: his arms and heart.

The second verse is directed at both his expecting wife/girlfriend and future daughter. When he says: “The rain is gonna fall, the sun is gonna shine The wind is gonna blow, the waters gonna rise”

He is singing to his naive and innocent daughter. He is further establishing that life may be what you want it to be at one second, but at the next moment it may be a “storm,” or completely chaotic and terrible.

The second half of that verse: “She said, when that day comes look into my eyes But no ones giving up quite yet, we've got too much to lose”

Is directed towards his expecting wife/girlfriend. It sounds like she is asking him to tell her that he will stay with her through this soon-to-happen pregnancy, and be there for her and the baby. And he is answering: “No one in their right mind would give this up because it is far too much too lose.”

The bridge is also directed to both the daughter and wife/girlfriend:

“And i'll carry you all the way When you say you're fine But you're still young and out of line”

He is claiming that he will be there to be a helping hand and protector to his daughter, and a disciplinarian because he knows what she will need to learn to be successful in life.

Finally, when he says:

“When all I need's to turn around To make it last, to make it count, I ain't gonna make the same mistakes That put my mama in her grave I don't wanna be alone”

He is promising himself and his significant other that he will change for her and this child, because he wants the happiness and fulfillment he is experiencing "to last." He has seen what a broken home can do to a person, like his mother, and does not want to end up being lost and alone (or even dead) like she is.

Awesome song.