In 1976, Chapman played with a rock and pop group called "Harmony" in Montgomery, Alabama, effectively replacing Tommy Shaw who had just left to join Styx. She played acoustic guitar and piano as well as providing vocals for the group in a locally-popular bowling alley bar called Kegler's Kove and has returned to play in the area on an infrequent basis ever since.
Chapman has had several popular songs on the Adult-Contemporary charts in the 1990's, such as "I Keep Coming Back To You", "Walk My Way", "The Moment You Were Mine" and "All I Have". In 1993, she sang a popular duet with Paul Carrack, "In The Time It Takes". In early 2010 Chapman's "Back To Love" album was #1 on the UK itunes country charts.
Co-songwriter of Faith Hill's hit song, "This Kiss", many other singers have interpreted her songs: Trisha Yearwood ("Down On My Knees"), Martina McBride ("Happy Girl"), Willie Nelson (“Nothing I Can Do About it Now”), Tanya Tucker (“Strong Enough to Bend”), Lorrie Morgan (“Five Minutes”), Mary Chapin Carpenter (“Almost Home”), Bette Midler ("The Color of Roses") and others.
Bonnie Raitt has sung background vocals on several songs, including "Shake My Soul".
Chapman's husband Ernest Chapman died of cancer in 1994. In 2000, Beth experienced her own battle with breast cancer. The song "Sand And Water" was written after Ernest's death; Elton John performed this song during his 1997 World Tour.
Discography
* Hearing It First (1980)
* Beth Nielsen Chapman (1990)
* You Hold the Key (1993)
* Sand and Water (1997)
* Greatest Hits (1999)
* Deeper Still (2002)
* Hymns (2004)
* Look (2005)
* Prism (2007)
I Don't Know
Beth Nielsen Chapman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Innocent and young
With a thirst for love
A search for fun
I grew up fast
This mirror in my soul
Reflecting back
What I'd been told
Jaded from the outside in
I don't know
All I've got is feelings
I came tumbling through my mother
To this world of different meanings
I don't know
It comes down to believing
And I'm looking for someone
Who has a picture of the answer
I started out
Guilty of no crime
So much to learn
So little time
A speck of life
A tiny grain of sand
A blink in time
Is that all I am
Spending my existence
Trying to make it all make sense
I don't know
All I've got is feelings
I came tumbling through my mother
To this world of different meanings
I don't know
It comes down to believing
And I'm looking for someone
Who has a picture of the answer
I don't know
All I got is feelings
I came tumbling through my mother
To this world of different meanings
I don't know
It comes down to believing
And I'm looking for someone
Who has a picture of the answer
In "I Don't Know," Beth Nielsen Chapman reflects on her journey of growing up and trying to make sense of the world around her. She begins by acknowledging her innocent and young beginnings, wanting to feel loved and have fun. But as she grew up, she gained a deeper understanding of the world, and with it, a recognition of the harsh realities of life. She sees herself as a mere speck of life in the blink of time and wonders if that is all she is. She questions if there is more to life than what meets the eye, expressing her uncertainties and confusion about the world.
The singer describes feeling jaded from the outside in, suggesting that she was influenced by the environment around her, shaping her feelings and beliefs. She recognizes that she only has feelings, and despite coming to this world of different meanings tumbling through her mother, she does not know much. She seeks answers about life and the world, but it all comes down to believing. She looks for someone who has a picture of the answer.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of uncertainty and searching for meaning in life. The singer recognizes her limitations in knowledge and seeks someone who could provide her with answers. The lyrics speak to the human condition of grappling with existential questions.
Line by Line Meaning
I started out
I began my life with a clean slate, no prior knowledge or experience
Innocent and young
I was naive and inexperienced, having not yet faced any challenges in life
With a thirst for love
I had a deep desire for companionship and emotional connection with others
A search for fun
I wanted to experience the joy and excitement that life had to offer
I grew up fast
I matured quickly due to my experiences and challenges in life
This mirror in my soul
The reflections of my experiences and emotions that shaped who I became
Reflecting back
The contemplation of past experiences and how they have impacted me
What I'd been told
The information and beliefs that have been passed down to me from others
Like every other child I've been
I am not alone in my experiences, as everyone has faced their own challenges in life
Jaded from the outside in
My experiences have caused me to become cynical and distrustful of the world around me
All I've got is feelings
My instincts and emotions are the only things guiding me through life
I came tumbling through my mother
My birth into this world was a sudden, uncontrollable event that I had no say in
To this world of different meanings
The world is full of diverse perspectives and interpretations of what is important and valuable in life
It comes down to believing
Ultimately, my choices and actions are guided by my personal beliefs and values
And I'm looking for someone
I hope to find someone who shares my beliefs and can validate my experiences
Who has a picture of the answer
Someone who has a clear and concise understanding of life's purpose and meaning
Guilty of no crime
I had not yet done anything wrong or made any serious mistakes in my life
So much to learn
There is an overwhelming amount of knowledge and experiences for me to gain and understand
So little time
Life is fleeting and temporary, with not enough time to fully comprehend its complexities
A speck of life
Compared to the vast universe, I am insignificant and small
A tiny grain of sand
My individual existence is just one small part of the greater world
A blink in time
My lifespan in comparison to the history of the world is just a brief moment
Spending my existence
Devoting my time and effort to understanding and making sense of the world
Trying to make it all make sense
Struggling to comprehend and find meaning in the complexities of life
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind