In the beginning, Columbia Records signed Carlile in late 2004 on the strength of songs she'd been recording periodically at home. Released in 2005, Brandi Carlile showcased those early songs along with several newly recorded tracks. Shortly after the release of Brandi Carlile, she left her home in Seattle and set out with the Hanseroth brothers, with whom she'd worked on her earliest recordings and independent regional tours. The tightly knit trio, which forms the core of her band today, spent the better part of two years on the road honing the songs that would later become part of her album "The Story".
In 2005, she was featured on Rolling Stone's "10 Artists to Watch in 2005" list. By the end of 2006, Carlile had embarked on several headlining tours and supported a variety of artists including Ray LaMontagne, The Fray, Chris Isaak, Tori Amos, and Shawn Colvin.
Her second album, The Story, was released in April 2007. It was produced by T Bone Burnett and includes a collaboration with the Indigo Girls on "Cannonball." The album was recorded in an eleven-day-long session with Carlile , the twins (Tim and Phil Hanseroth) and drummer Matt Chamberlain to capture the raw intensity of Carlile's live performances. The crack in Carlile's vocals during the title track, "The Story", came out by accident and was a direct result of the way the album was recorded. Carlile herself describes the vocals as "technically wrong but emotionally right."
Carlile was exposed to a wider audience when ABC's Grey's Anatomy showcased three of her songs: "Tragedy," "What Can I Say," and "Throw It All Away". In April 2007, Grey's Anatomy debuted a version of the video for the single The Story interspersed with footage from the show. On May 3, 2007, a special two-hour episode of "Grey's Anatomy" featured Carlile's song "Turpentine" during footage of the "Grey's Anatomy" spin-off, "Private Practice".
Forever Young
Brandi Carlile Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
Are you going to drop the bomb or not?
Let us die young or let us live forever
We don't have the power but we never say never
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music's for the sad men
Can you imagine when this race is won
Praising our leaders we're getting in tune
The music's played by the madman
Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever, forever forever
Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever
Forever young
Some are like water, some are like the heat
Some are a melody and some are the beat
Sooner or later they all will be gone
Why don't they stay young
It's so hard to get old without a cause
I don't want to perish like a fading horse
Youth is like diamonds in the sun
And diamonds are forever
So many adventures couldn't happen today
So many songs we forgot to play
So many dreams are swinging out of the blue
We let them come true
Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever, forever forever
Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever forever forever
Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever, forever forever
Forever young, I want to be forever
The lyrics to Brandi Carlile's song Forever Young reflect on the fleeting nature of life and the desire to hold onto youth and vitality. The opening lines suggest a sense of helplessness as the singer watches the skies, aware of the possibility of impending doom. The lyrics throughout the song reflect the idea of living life to the fullest and cherishing the present moment. The idea of living forever is questioned, as the singer recognizes that youth is a precious commodity that cannot be reclaimed once it's gone.
The imagery in the song is powerful, with references to sandpits, golden faces, and diamonds in the sun. The music is seen as a comfort for the sad and played by the madman, suggesting that it's a refuge for those who are struggling to cope. The song acknowledges that everyone is different, with some people likened to water, others to heat, and still others to different types of music. The song ultimately encourages us to hold onto our dreams and make them come true, even in the face of adversity.
The song Forever Young has become something of an anthem over the years, and it's been covered by numerous artists. The song was originally written and recorded by Bob Dylan in 1973, and it has since been covered by artists like Rod Stewart, Alphaville, and Jay-Z. The song has been used in numerous films and TV shows, including the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies
We're not in a hurry to go to heaven, we just enjoy admiring the beauty of the sky.
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
We're optimistic, but we're also prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Are you going to drop the bomb or not?
Are you going to create chaos and destruction or will you choose peace?
Let us die young or let us live forever
We want to make the most of our time and live our lives to the fullest, whether it's a short or long life.
We don't have the power but we never say never
We may not have control of the situation, but we won't give up hope or stop trying.
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
Life is a brief journey and it's important to enjoy it, even if it's uneventful or tedious at times.
The music's for the sad men
Music is a source of comfort for those who are going through a hard time or experiencing pain.
Can you imagine when this race is won
Can you picture what the world will be like when all the battles and conflicts are over?
Turn our golden faces into the sun
Let's bask in the glory of the sun and all its warmth and beauty.
Praising our leaders we're getting in tune
We're trying to connect and resonate with our leaders by acknowledging their good deeds and praising them.
The music's played by the madman
Music is often created by the crazy or eccentric people who are still able to express themselves creatively.
Some are like water, some are like the heat
People come in different shapes and forms with varying strengths and weaknesses.
Some are a melody and some are the beat
People have different personalities, some are melodious and others are straightforward and uncomplicated.
Sooner or later they all will be gone
Everything and everyone is temporary and will come to an end eventually.
Why don't they stay young
We wish things or people would stay young forever, but that's not possible.
It's so hard to get old without a cause
Aging can be tough when you don't have a driving purpose, something to live for and pursue.
I don't want to perish like a fading horse
I don't want to lose my steam and give up before reaching my goal or living life to the fullest.
Youth is like diamonds in the sun
Youth is precious and rare, just like diamonds glistening in the sun.
And diamonds are forever
Like diamonds, youth is timeless and valuable beyond measure.
So many adventures couldn't happen today
Many opportunities and adventures have passed, and we can't make them happen again.
So many songs we forgot to play
Life is short, and we forget to enjoy some of the little things along the way, like singing and dancing to music.
So many dreams are swinging out of the blue
There are so many dreams we have that are unlikely to happen, but we still cherish them and keep them alive.
We let them come true
We keep hope alive and try to make our dreams a reality, even if it's just one at a time.
Forever young, I want to be forever young
We want to live life with the same energy and vitality we had when we were young.
Do you really want to live forever, forever forever
Is it possible or desirable to live forever? We question the notion of immortality.
Forever young, I want to be forever young
We want to experience the youthfulness and joy of life forever.
Do you really want to live forever forever forever
We question whether it's possible or even desirable to live life perpetually.
Forever young, I want to be forever young
We want to stay young in spirit and enjoy life fully.
Contributed by Adam Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.