Known for honest, self-reflective songs as well as captivating lyrical works of fiction and an intimate live show, Shauf is considered one of the most intriguing emerging songwriters around.
His release, The Bearer of Bad News, explores themes of uncertainty, curiosity and spirituality. “I think spirituality is a part of life whether you are religious or not, even if you’re just superstitious. You can’t really get away from the fact that we don’t know everything.” The unsettling stories told on The Bearer of Bad News came as Shauf wrote both at home and on the road. Musically, the record took shape in a modest home studio in his parents’ basement in Regina, Canada, where Shauf spent 4 years recording and producing each song himself. “Spending all this time allowed me a lot of freedom in the ways I arranged the songs. I could work on a drum part for a whole day, or play piano for 2 hours without figuring anything out and be okay with that.”
Bearer is 11 songs built from the sounds of a weathered piano, the warm tone of his guitar’s aged strings, and a clarinet. Shauf is one-of-a-kind voice and dark, literate storytelling.
Begin Again
Andy Shauf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This time you should take a bow at the very end
It's quite an act you put on
Wait 'til the cameras roll
You're the leading man
In a film where the end of the world
Is decided by you, whenever you choose
Oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
Begin again
And tell me all about the one that you love
And all about the other one
That you've got on the side
I don't give a damn
About you fooling around behind Sherry's back
It's just the one that you found
Is one that I need
Oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
Listen to this half-wit
Spilling his guts after a bottle of wine
Thought this would be a good time
Now I can't finish my drink
Let him laugh it off
Hey, it's a city the size of a dinner plate
It's hard not to overlap
What could you expect?
Oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
Now I'm kicking leaves
Cursing the one that I love and the one I don't
I wonder who you're thinking of
The song "Begin Again" tells a story of someone who has been hurt in a relationship and is now ready to move on. The song's title suggests a new beginning, a fresh start, and the lyrics paint a picture of someone who is tired of being hurt and is determined to find love once again. The lines "This time you should take a bow at the very end / It's quite an act you put on / Wait 'til the cameras roll" indicate that the person is now confident in their ability to find true love and is ready to showcase their happiness for all to see.
The chorus of the song references a burst of light which will dissolve everything, indicating an inevitable end. This line reminds listeners that life is short, but also that every ending is a new beginning.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics take on a more introspective tone. The singer curses the "one that I love and the one I don't" and wonders who their former lover is thinking of. These lines suggest that the singer is still grappling with the memories and emotions associated with their past relationship. Perhaps they are not yet ready for a fresh start, or they are still in the process of healing.
Overall, "Begin Again" is a poignant and insightful song about love, loss, and the journey towards a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
Begin again
Starting over, with a new beginning in life
This time you should take a bow at the very end
You should take credit for everything you accomplish, at the end of the journey
It's quite an act you put on
You are pretending to be something you are not, putting on a show
Wait 'til the cameras roll
You are waiting until the world is watching to show your true colors
You're the leading man
You are the main character, playing a starring role in your own life
In a film where the end of the world
Your life is like the end of the world, where everything is coming to an end, and you are in control of the ending
Is decided by you, whenever you choose
You have the power to decide when and how your life will end
Oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
Regardless of what you do or decide, everything will eventually come to an end
Begin again
Starting over, with a new beginning in life
And tell me all about the one that you love
Talk to me about the person you love the most
And all about the other one
And tell me about the other person you're involved with
That you've got on the side
That you are cheating on your partner with
I don't give a damn
I really don't care
About you fooling around behind Sherry's back
I don't care that you are cheating on Sherry
It's just the one that you found
The person you are cheating with
Is one that I need
That's the one I am interested in
Oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
Regardless of what you do or decide, everything will eventually come to an end
Listen to this half-wit
Listen to this foolish person
Spilling his guts after a bottle of wine
Talking too much after drinking too much wine
Thought this would be a good time
Thought that this was a good opportunity to talk
Now I can't finish my drink
Now I am unable to finish my drink
Let him laugh it off
Let him ignore his foolish behavior
Hey, it's a city the size of a dinner plate
The town is very small, it's easy for people to overlap
It's hard not to overlap
It's difficult for people not to mix or interact in such small communities
What could you expect?
There is nothing surprising about this situation
Oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
Regardless of what you do or decide, everything will eventually come to an end
Now I'm kicking leaves
I am frustrated and restless
Cursing the one that I love and the one I don't
Feeling angry at both the person I love, and the person I don't love
I wonder who you're thinking of
I wonder who you are thinking about, who you love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Andy Shauf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lauripan88
BEGIN AGAIN (lyrics)
begin again
this time you should take a bow at the very end
it’s quite an act you put on
wait ’til the cameras roll
you’re the leading man
in a film where the end of the world
is decided by you, whenever you choose
oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
begin again
and tell me all about the one that you love
and all about the other one
that you’ve got on the side
I don’t give a damn
about you fooling around behind Sherry’s back
it’s just the one that you found
is one that I need
oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
listen to this half-wit
spilling his guts after a bottle of wine
thought this would be a good time
now I can’t finish my drink
let him laugh it off
‘hey, it’s a city the size of a dinner plate
it’s hard not to overlap
what could you expect?’
oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
now I’m kicking leaves
cursing the one that I love and the one I don’t
I wonder who you’re thinking of
@Graham8276
Andy Shauf delivers his music at such a lovely decibel. We tend to put so much value on the loud voices and personalities of our generation in the same way we inadvertently overhear the loudest people at a party as they provoke, inspire, irritate, and amuse. On the other hand you have voices like Andy Shauf's that sit cross legged and away from the ruckus with an abundance of charming and vulnerable observations that only a handful of people take the time to hear.
@ronniebillhicks
thanks for you words, they match and explain a great voice, that doesn't overpower, yet should be aloud to be heard,.......dude's a genius'!!!!,........
@beckyglessner1907
I love this comment so much. It really describes the way his music affects me, thank you very very much for putting this into words
@ronniebillhicks
you got it Becky Glessner!!,......he moves me so much, some sadness is apparently amazing for you!!,....hahaha,...........
@caramaiatico9031
Graham Byers perfectly described. Thank you!
@madison7139
@@ronniebillhicks p
@joshuadietrich1965
I discovered this album/artist by mistake, and I am so glad that I did! He is.....wow, in every sense of the word!
@Biggles18
Thank you Spotify discover weekly for putting me on to this tune and great artist!
@MassAmorphous
Ahh! This is the first Andy Shauf song I ever heard. It came on in between sets before Lucy Rose was going to perform. This song is filled to the brim with emotion
@Stepbackbrick
I can confidently say that this is one of the best albums to vomer out of the 2010s. So beautifully quiet.