Escovedo's family tree includes former Santana percussionist Pete Escovedo and Pete's daughter, Sheila E (also Prince's former drummer and later a pop star). He began his music career with the Nuns, a mid-'70s punk band based in San Francisco. He co-founded the pioneering cowpunk band Rank and File in 1979, which moved to Austin, Texas, in 1981 after a stint in New York City. The band released Sundown on Slash Records in 1982, but shortly after, Escovedo left to form the True Believers with brother Javier. The band recorded two albums for EMI and toured the country, often as an opening act for Los Lobos. However, EMI opted not to release the second album, which eventually led to the group's break-up. (It eventually surfaced as a bonus item when Rykodisc reissued the first set on CD in 1994.)
Escovedo released a solo album in 1992 on Watermelon Records, Gravity, uniting his wide variety of styles; the album was produced by Stephen Bruton of Bonnie Raitt's band. Escovedo also began gigging periodically with the band Buick MacKane, who fused old-school punk with 70's glam rock; after Rykodisc released Escovedo's With These Hands in 1996, they followed it up with Buick MacKane's long-awaited album. After Escovedo parted ways with Rykodisc, he signed with the Chicago-based alt-country label Bloodshot in 1998, who released the live album More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996 and the acclaimed studio set A Man Under The Influence.
In April of 2003, Escovedo collapsed following a show in Phoenix, AZ, and he was subsequently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. An outpouring of support from musicians led to a series of successful benefit concerts to help pay Escovedo's medical expenses and keep his music before the public, followed by a tribute album, Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, which was released in 2004.
In June 2010, Escovedo released Street Songs of Love.
Silver Cloud
Alejandro Escovedo Lyrics
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In and out up and down
If your love is a ship
I pull your anchor and I Christen it
I'm in love with love
(I'm in love)
And it broke me in two
I'm in love with love
Look out baby, it's gonna break you too
I'd pull your ship across the ocean wide
Hold my breath
And dive dive dive
If they held me at the bottom
Then asked me why
I'd open my mouth and I'd tell em why 'cause
I'm in love with love
(I'm in love)
And it broke me in two
(In two)
I'm in love with love
So look out baby, it's gonna break you too
We're huddled up on benches
We're saying our prayers
Two lovers in the mist
With the salt in their hair
I'm in love I'm in love
And it broke me in two
I'm in love I'm in love
It's gonna break you too
Yes it will
The waves are breaking in a foreign tongue
Understand but I'm feeling numb.
If your love was a ship
I'd pull your anchor and hang on to it
I'm in love with love
(I'm in love)
And it broke me in two
(In two)
I'm in love with love
So look out baby
It's gonna break you too
I'm in love with love
(I'm in love)
And it broke me in two
(In two)
I'm in love with love
So look out baby
It's gonna break you too
Oh I'm feelin' love
I'm feeling the love babe
Yeah, I'm feeling love
The lyrics of Alejandro Escovedo's “Anchor” delve into the devastating nature of love, portraying the singer's adoration of love and his willingness to risk everything for it. The opening lines, “I’ve always loved your love, in and out, up and down,” highlight the immensity of the love the singer has for his lover's affection. He goes further by acknowledging his love for love itself and how it has broken him into two.
The singer explains that he is willing to do anything for love, including pulling his lover's ship across the ocean and diving, holding his breath, and going to the bottom of the ocean. He asserts that love is a force that must be reckoned with, and anyone who falls into its path will be forever changed. In the latter part of the song, the waves remind him of the beauty and pain of love, and he realizes that he can hang on to his lover's love like he would hold on to a ship's anchor.
“Anchor” is a powerful song that defies a linear interpretation of the lyrics. It is open to various perspectives, ranging from the supernatural to the mundanity of human existence. Nevertheless, it captures the beauty of love and the pain it can cause when it is over.
Line by Line Meaning
I've always loved your love
The singer has always been enamored with the love of the person they're addressing.
In and out Up and down
The love between them has been dynamic and has gone through highs and lows.
If your love is a ship
I pull your anchor and I Christen it
The singer is committed to the person's love, and will help it navigate through the ups and downs.
I'm in love with love
(I'm in love)
And it broke me in two
(in two)
I'm in love with love
Look out baby, It's gonna break you too
The artist is warning the person they're addressing that love can be both amazing and devastating, and they're currently going through the latter.
I'd pull your ship across the ocean wide
Hold my breath
And dive dive dive
If they held me at the bottom
Then asked me why
I'd open my mouth and I'd tell em why 'cause
The artist would go to great lengths to keep the person they're addressing's love afloat, and would still love it even if it killed them.
We're huddled up on benches
We're saying our prayers
Two lovers in the mist
With the salt in their hair
The singer and the person they're addressing are close and affectionate, and are praying together in some kind of seaside setting.
The waves are breaking in a foreign tongue
Understand but I'm feeling numb.
If your love was a ship
I'd pull your anchor and hang on to it
The singer is overwhelmed by their emotions and the environment around them, but they still want to be connected to the person's love.
Oh I'm feelin' love
I'm feeling the love babe
Yeah, I'm feeling love
The artist is currently experiencing a strong feeling of love.
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind