When Nathan and Rebecca Bliss began work on their first full-length album, Wake the Hero, they hoped it would be the kind of record that would reach its listeners in a direct and honest way...that it would speak to the heart, not the head. The music of Barnaby Bright is meant for pondering, meant for stillness...meant for listening.
Their story is an unlikely one, and has been compared to the likes of fairy tales and trite romance novels that everyone knows can't happen in real life...usually.
He was a Berklee College of Music graduate, with a degree in Jazz Composition and Saxophone Performance. She was a classically trained Opera singer, 13 years his junior, living thousands of miles away. But when fate placed them both amid the green planes of Kansas in 2004, their connection, both emotionally and musically, was immediately evident. It seemed impossible that two people with such different musical backgrounds could meet in the middle, but as they began to play music together and fall in love, they discovered that they shared a common yearning to dig deeper into the musical spectrum. They were attracted by simple folk melodies and progressions, beautiful string arrangements and meaningful, heartfelt lyrics that connected its listeners to the world and the universe in ways they had forgotten were possible.
In a strange twist however, complications arose which prevented them from being together. Rebecca fled to New York and pursued a musical journey of her own, completing an EP entitled "Yellow Moon" in which the entire journey of her love and music expressed itself through original song. Nathan produced an EP of his own, and upon a promotional trip to New York City exactly one year later, Nathan and Rebecca crossed paths once again. The emotional reunion which followed resulted in marriage just 10 short months later and their first full-length studio album just one year after that.
Combining beautiful acoustic guitars, lush harmonies, rich string arrangements, quirky instruments and subtle electronic tweaks, the music of Barnaby Bright has been featured on television shows such as ER, Days of Our Lives, and PBS Roadtrip Nation. Their song, "If I Came Back as a Song" took 3rd place in last year's International Song-Writing Competition and they are currently planning their first European tour.
There is a transcendent thread in their lyrics, melodies and progressions that has an intangible but visceral timelessness and truth. The world has called and Barnaby Bright has answered. Their unique brand of "lush, chamber indie-folk" is a warm and welcome wind of change.
Go into your room and shut the door. Make sure no one else is around, and then have a seat. Put your headphones on...maybe even dim the lights a little. Now you are ready to listen to Barnaby Bright.
Gravity
Barnaby Bright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Anything to let you go
But I just keep on sinking
I lied when I said I was alright
I'm anything but alright
I am anything but winning
Take your world off my shoulders
Weight is breaking me
One alone is only half the heat
Take my brain from your fingers
And throw it at the sea
Then drop it from a high place
drop it from a high place
It's only gravity, gravity
Something strong is pulling me, gravity
We cried, … as I fell into the moon
You cried for me I cried for you
We said everything would stay as
You've tried, you tried everything
Anything to save my soul
I'm not sure that it's worth saving
Take your world off my shoulders
Weight is breaking me
Into pieces it's colder
One alone is only half the heat
Take my brain from your fingers
And throw it at the sea
Then drop it from a high place
drop it from a high place
Let it fall
It's only gravity, gravity
Something strong is pulling me, gravity
Gravity, … gravity.
The song Gravity by Barnaby Bright is a poignant representation of the emotions one experiences while trying to let go of someone they love. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation, as the singer acknowledges that they have tried everything to move on, but continue to feel trapped and unable to let go. They feel like they are sinking and are anything but alright. They begin to see their world as a burden that is breaking them into pieces, and the weight of it is too much to bear. They long to be free from the hold that their loved one has over them, and they want their brain and their thoughts to be removed from this situation. The singer finally realizes that they are being pulled by a force stronger than themselves - gravity, which represents the unbreakable bond that they have with their loved one.
The song paints a vivid picture of the pain and turmoil that one experiences when they are trying to come to terms with the end of a relationship. Despite trying everything, they are unable to move on and feel like they are being weighed down. The repetition of the phrase "It's only gravity" conveys a sense of resignation, as if the singer has finally accepted that they are powerless in the face of this force.
Overall, the song is a beautiful portrayal of the complexities of a relationship and how some bonds cannot be broken, no matter how hard we try.
Line by Line Meaning
I've tried I've tried everything I know
I have exhausted all of my resources and attempts.
Anything to let you go
I will do anything to move forward and let go of this situation or person.
But I just keep on sinking
Despite my efforts, I continue to feel heavy and weighed down by this situation or person.
I lied when I said I was alright
I was not truthful about my emotional state and it is clear that I am not doing well.
I'm anything but alright
My current state is the opposite of being alright; I am struggling significantly.
I am anything but winning
I am not succeeding in overcoming this obstacle or situation.
Take your world off my shoulders
Remove the burden and weight of this situation or person from me.
Weight is breaking me
The heaviness of this situation or person is causing me to feel overwhelmed and broken.
Into pieces it's colder
Breaking apart is painful and leaves me feeling isolated and cold.
One alone is only half the heat
Being alone is not enough to provide warmth and comfort in a difficult situation.
Take my brain from your fingers
Stop controlling or manipulating me with your words and actions.
And throw it at the sea
Get rid of my thoughts that are tied to this situation or person and let them go.
Then drop it from a high place
Completely release my thoughts and let them go so that they can fall away from me.
It's only gravity, gravity
The pull or force that keeps me attached to this situation is merely gravity, something that can be overcome.
Something strong is pulling me, gravity
Despite my efforts to move on, the force of this situation or person is still very strong and continues to draw me towards it.
We cried, … as I fell into the moon
We were emotional and cried as I became more entangled and stuck in this situation or person.
You cried for me I cried for you
We both shared our emotions and cried together because of the difficulty of this situation.
We said everything would stay as
We hoped that everything would remain the same or improve, but instead things have become more difficult.
You've tried, you tried everything
You have also worked hard to try to make things better or let go of this situation or person.
Anything to save my soul
You have done everything possible to try to help me or to make a difficult situation better.
I'm not sure that it's worth saving
Despite your efforts, I am not certain that this situation or person is worth continuing to work towards or save.
Let it fall
Allow the situation or person to fall away and let it be done.
Gravity, … gravity.
The force that pulls me towards this situation or person is strong and persistent, and continues to have a major impact on me.
Contributed by Parker Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Judd Bagley
First.
Qiana Barriner
Your still first