Starting in 2003, Nalick released her first studio produced album, entitled: “Wreck of the Day” in 2005. It featured the hit single “Breathe (2AM)” under the SonyMusic label. The song propelled to the top of the charts and sent Anna on a nearly four year tour around the world. Featuring her third hit single “Shine,” Nalick and SonyMusic released “The Shine EP.” Both “Wreck of the Day” and “The Shine EP” can still be heard widely on radio and television today, with “Breathe” being featured twice on the hit television drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Wanting to pursue a musical style free of label influence, Nalick decided to part ways with SonyMusic in 2010 and in 2011, released her first independently produced album: “Broken Doll & Odds & Ends”. Nalick describes the album as: “mostly acoustic with haunting and unusual instrumentation. I wanted to release the songs I wrote while I was with Sony before I move on to all new material. I liked the songs too much to just leave them all behind. Now I’m ready to explore new territory.”
Utilizing the unique sounds of toy piano, sitar, glockenspiel, oud, mandocello and sweeping string arrangements, “Broken Doll & Odds & Ends” features a wide range of instruments, performed by a very talented collection of musicians. Nalick’s unique storytelling ability and timeless sense of melody has gained even more notoriety with fans, selling over 30,000 copies during the album’s first month.
Presently, Nalick is dedicating the majority of her time to writing for her next project. Unlike the acoustic feel of “Broken Doll & Odds & Ends,” Nalick’s next album is planned to be an electric collection of songs, featuring a full band and a bigger sound than previously produced.
Shine
Anna Nalick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it holds you cold in its arms
You're the one to whom nobody verses I love you
Unless you say it first
So you lie there holding your breath
And it's strange how soon you forget
That you're like stars
They only show up when it's dark
And I think you need
To stop following misery's lead
Shine away, shine away, shine away
Isn't it time you got over
How fragile you are
We're all wait-
Waiting on your supernova
Cause that's who you are
And you've only begun to shine
There are times when
The poets and porn stars align and
You won't know who to believe in
Well that's a good time to be leavin'
And the past, it knocks on your door
And throws stones at your window at 4 in the morning
Well maybe he thinks it's romantic
He's crazy but you knew that before
And I think you need
To stop following misery's lead
Shine away, shine away, shine away
Isn't it time you got over
How fragile you are
We're all wait-
Waiting on your supernova
Cause that's who you are
And you've only begun to shine
Yea you've only begun to shine
Won't you shine, shine, shine
Shine over shadow, oh oh
Shine, shine, shine
Shine over shadow, oh oh
Shine, shine, shine, shine over
And I think you need
To stop following misery's lead
Shine away, shine away, shine away
Isn't it time you got over
How fragile you are
We're all wait-
Waiting on your supernova
Cause that's who you are
And you've only begun to shine
Yeah you've only begun to shine
Yeah you've only begun to shine
"Shine" is a song by Anna Nalick about self-worth and coming to terms with one's own importance. The first two lines of the song describe how the night makes one feel like a star, but also how it can be cold and lonely. The singer addresses someone who is waiting for others to declare their love, instead of realizing their own worth and expressing their own feelings. By holding back and not shining, they forget that they are like stars, only visible in the darkness, but valuable nonetheless. The chorus urges them to stop following misery's lead and start shining away. The second verse reminds the listener that there will always be people to bring you down, and to leave such negativity behind. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the need to stop holding back and embrace one's own self-worth.
Overall, this song is about learning to love oneself and to not let others bring you down. It encourages the listener to stop waiting for validation from others and to start shining on their own, even if it may feel vulnerable at first.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the night makes you a star
The darkness hides your flaws and makes you feel important.
And it holds you cold in its arms
The same darkness that makes you feel special can also be cold and harsh.
You're the one to whom nobody verses I love you
People don't tell you they love you unless you say it first.
Unless you say it first
You have to be the one to express your feelings first or they won't be reciprocated.
So you lie there holding your breath
You're afraid to express your feelings and are holding back.
And it's strange how soon you forget
It's easy to forget your own worth and value.
That you're like stars
Just like stars only appear at night, you only show your true worth in certain circumstances.
They only show up when it's dark
Stars only become visible when there is darkness around them.
Cause they don't know their worth
Stars don't realize how important they are to the world around them.
And I think you need
The artist believes that the listener needs something to happen.
To stop following misery's lead
You need to stop letting sadness and despair guide your life.
Shine away, shine away, shine away
The artist is encouraging the listener to let their true self shine through.
Isn't it time you got over
Isn't it time to move past your insecurities and doubts?
How fragile you are
You feel vulnerable and easily hurt.
We're all wait-
Everyone around you is waiting for something to happen.
Waiting on your supernova
Everyone is waiting for you to shine as bright as you can.
Cause that's who you are
Your true self is special and unique.
And you've only begun to shine
You have much more potential to show the world who you really are.
Yea you've only begun to shine
You haven't even scratched the surface of your true potential yet.
Won't you shine, shine, shine
A repeated plea for the listener to let their true self shine through.
Shine over shadow, oh oh
Overcome the darkness in your life and shine as brightly as you can.
Shine, shine, shine
A repeated plea for the listener to let their true self shine through.
Shine over shadow, oh oh
Overcome the darkness in your life and shine as brightly as you can.
Shine, shine, shine, shine over
A repeated plea for the listener to let their true self shine through over and over again.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CECIL MACK, FORD DABNEY, LEW BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
soozeeq72
I absolutely LOVE Anna's voice!!
Bryan Tubbs-Herring
Awesome song as always, one of my all time favorite artists ever, there is very little that compares to her, very, very little that can sing and write as amazing songs as she has. I bought all her songs and videos off iTunes!
dana stone
I can easily relate to this song. And... It's so beautiful. I love it. It's my new favorite song!
Kelly Miller
November 2019, and I still listen to Anna daily...
nogoodreason54321
Fabulous song! Over 23,000 views. I think I've listened to it a thousand times lol. Anna Nalick's voice is wonderful and the lyrics are spot on. Just the kind of song that makes your spirit soar.
Aerboi98
I can't believe this song wasn't a hit! I swear this & Breathe (2 am) got me through some seriously rough times...I hope Anna plans on making a comeback one of these days
Christina Aguilera Brasil
almost 1M players 13 years before! <3
MagicalZayz
These lyrics are just beautiful. Insightful, creative, and deceptively simple in phrasing. And coupled with Anna's amazing voice, it's a real gem of a song. Love it so much - very inspiring. Thanks, Anna! ♥
Butterflies3Flowers
Such a beautiful song! Thank you, Anna Nalick!
Accidental Relevance
Just saw her in Tulsa. It's hard to describe the rich texture of her voice and how effortlessly it flows out of her. When she's singing It just feels like Christmas morning.