1) Abby Dobson (Austr… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists with this name.
1) Abby Dobson (Australian folk singer)
2) Abby Dobson (American R&B singer)
1) Abby Dobson is an independent Australian, singer-songwriter; originally from Leonardo's Bride - a four piece band from Sydney, Australia. They released two albums, (the gold selling) Angel Blood in 1997 and Open Sesame in 2000.
Abby and Leonardo's Bride are best known for their hit single, Even When I'm Sleeping which was voted APRA Song Of The Year in 1998 and was also later voted one of APRA's 'Top 20 Australian Songs of all Time'.
Abby will release her highly anticipated solo album Rise Up on October 6, 2007 through Inertia. Shining Star the first powerful single from the album is available exclusively through iTunes now.
2) Abby Dobson is a singer, songwriter, and performer based in New York City. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Abby migrated to Brooklyn, New York at a young age.
Abby's music is described as soulful and organic. Although her music can technically be categorized as alternative R&B, soul or neo-soul, her range of influences come from folk-tinged music such as reggae, country, blues, gospel as well as pop, soft rock, jazz and a touch of hip hop. She has also been classically trained as a vocalist since Junior High School. Abby has a great passion for words and books. Much of her lyrics are inspired by books, essays and newspaper articles as much as life and observation. Specifically, she has been deeply influenced by Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, J. California Cooper, Paulo Cuelo, Emily Dickinson, James Baldwin and Patricia Williams. Abby has established herself primarily as a solo artist, but also performs with Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber[1], a New York–based twenty-plus member ensemble led by Greg Tate (Village Voice) known for improvisatory orchestral performances that mash up all manner of vocal, instrumental and electronic music.
Rise Up
Abby Dobson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well mostly I’ve been walking
Having conversations with God
Where I do all the talking
Just to find the will to live
Is a search that takes me far and wide
Sometimes the suburbs of paradise
Will I rise, will I rise up?
Will I rise, will I rise, up?
As I crawl around my house
I think I could just disappear
I keep looking in the mirror
Just to see if I’m still here
Maybe we could overthrow
The political campaign
With all this blood on our hands
We’ve only got ourselves to blame
Will we rise, will we rise up?
Will we rise, will we rise up?
Will we rise... up?
Will we rise... up?
The road ahead is all the shiver
But is the past through with me yet?
All the sins of the father
That I’m trying to forget
Why’s it take a world of love
To let just a little in
There’s a murmur in my heart
But it might be only spring
Will it rise, will it rise up?
Will it rise, will it rise up?
Will we rise... up?
Will we rise, will we rise up?
Will we rise... up...?
In Abby Dobson's song "Rise Up," the lyrics explore the journey towards finding the will to live and the struggles and conversations that come with it. The first few lines convey a sense of trouble and exhaustion that the singer has been running into, but it seems like the journey towards overcoming it isn't quite a sprint, as the singer notes they've mostly been walking. The subsequent lines reveal that the main conversations held are with God, where the singer is doing all the talking. This could potentially represent an attempt to find some kind of guidance or solace, where the singer is the one who needs to vocalize their feelings in order to find some form of release or clarity.
The chorus seems to focus on the central question of whether or not the singer will rise up, and is repeated several times throughout the song. This repetition could serve as a reflection of the struggle and ambiguity of the journey itself, where it is unclear if or when the singer will be able to overcome their obstacles. It is also possible that the emphasis on rising up has some kind of connections to social movements and seeking change, as the singer notes the possibility of overthrowing a political campaign.
The latter half of the lyrics delve deeper into the personal journey of the singer, where they reflect on the sins of the father and attempting to forget them. There's a sense of vulnerability in the lines "Why's it take a world of love/To let just a little in," where the singer seems to be struggling to find some kind of love or comfort. The last line, where it's noted that there might be a murmur in the heart, hints at the potential for hope and renewal, even if it's just a gradual process.
Line by Line Meaning
I’ve been running into trouble
I've been facing difficulties and struggles.
Well mostly I’ve been walking
I've mostly been taking things slowly.
Having conversations with God
I've been trying to connect with a higher power through prayer.
Where I do all the talking
But I find myself doing all the speaking.
Just to find the will to live
It's been a challenge just to keep going.
Is a search that takes me far and wide
And I've been searching everywhere to find it.
Sometimes the suburbs of paradise
Even when things are good, they're not always perfect.
Leave a lot to be desired
And there's still much that needs improvement.
Will I rise, will I rise up?
Will I be able to overcome my struggles and succeed?
As I crawl around my house
I feel like I'm barely getting by at times.
I think I could just disappear
I sometimes feel like I'm invisible or insignificant.
I keep looking in the mirror
I check to make sure I still exist, physically and emotionally.
Just to see if I’m still here
To make sure I'm not losing myself entirely.
Maybe we could overthrow
Perhaps there's a chance to change the world for the better.
The political campaign
Start by fixing issues within our own government and society.
With all this blood on our hands
We need to take responsibility for our actions, both past and present.
We’ve only got ourselves to blame
As much as we might want to point fingers, we are responsible for our own actions and inactions.
The road ahead is all the shiver
The future is uncertain and full of potential challenges.
But is the past through with me yet?
I can't help but wonder if my past mistakes will continue to haunt me.
All the sins of the father
The mistakes and shortcomings of previous generations can have lasting effects.
That I’m trying to forget
But I'm actively working to move past them.
Why’s it take a world of love
It's strange that so much love is required.
To let just a little in
Just to allow a small amount of love to enter one's life.
There’s a murmur in my heart
I feel a glimmer of hope and positivity despite everything.
But it might be only spring
It's possible that this positivity is only temporary, like a season.
Will we rise, will we rise up?
Can we, as a society, overcome our problems and succeed?
Will we rise... up?
Can we make a change for the better?
Will we rise, will we rise up?
Can we find the strength to persevere and make progress?
Will we rise... up...?
Or will we continue to struggle and fall short?
Contributed by Alice B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.