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".
Rise Again
Brandi Carlile Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
When I find the sweet hereafter
Put a blanket on my soul
Cast a shadow on my heart
Slide the chain across my door
Ever fading are the days
And if there ever was a reason
I just haven't found a way
To fall like rain
Fall like rain
Fall like rain
Fall like rain
Only to rise again
I was longing for the wind
When the trees began to sway
But I never grow my wings
No, I'll never fly away
For the anchor of my love
To which my heart is bound
Is the iron for the cage
That keeps me on the ground
To fall like rain
Fall like rain
Fall like rain
Fall like rain
Only to rise again
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
I'm dreaming to myself
With a tear behind my eye
For a shelter is my mind
In the quiet of the night
Ever turning all the seasons
Ever fading are the days
And if there ever was a reason
I just haven't found a way
To fall like rain
Fall like rain
Fall like rain
Fall like rain
Oh, only to rise again
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
In Brandi Carlile's song "Rise Again," the lyrics express a longing for peace and release from the struggles of life, but also a recognition of the necessity of enduring those struggles. The opening line, "When I find the sweet hereafter," suggests a desire for the afterlife, for a place where one can finally rest and find comfort. However, the singer acknowledges that they have not yet found a way to reach that place, and so they ask for a symbol of comfort, a "blanket on my soul." The next line, "Cast a shadow on my heart," could be interpreted as a request for protection from pain and heartache.
The following lines describe the passage of time and the singer's continued search for meaning in life. The refrain, "Fall like rain, only to rise again," suggests that the singer recognizes the cyclical nature of life, with its ups and downs, and that they have hope for eventual renewal. The metaphorical language of the song creates a tone of melancholy but also of quiet determination, as the singer resolves to keep searching for answers.
The final lines of the song reinforce this determination, as the singer identifies their mind as a safe haven where they can dream and find solace. The overall effect of the lyrics is one of wistfulness, but also of hope that the struggles of life can be endured with resilience and a steadfast spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
When I find the sweet hereafter
When I die and enter the afterlife
Put a blanket on my soul
Comfort me in death
Cast a shadow on my heart
Make me feel loved even in death
Slide the chain across my door
Close the door to my mortal life
Ever turning all the seasons
Life keeps moving forward
Ever fading all the days
Time passes quickly
And if there ever was a reason
If there is a purpose to life
I just haven't found a way
I haven't figured it out yet
To fall like rain
To let go and surrender
Only to rise again
To come back stronger
I was longing for the wind
I was yearning for change
When the trees began to sway
When the signs of change appeared
But I never grow my wings
I don't have the courage to change
No, I'll never fly away
I'll stay grounded in my comfort zone
For the anchor of my love
The love that holds me down
To which my heart is bound
That I am attached to
Is the iron for the cage
Is what keeps me trapped
That keeps me on the ground
That prevents me from taking risks
I'm dreaming to myself
I am lost in my thoughts
With a tear behind my eye
Feeling emotional
For a shelter is my mind
My mind is my safe place
In the quiet of the night
When everything is still
To fall like rain
To let go and surrender
Only to rise again
To come back stronger
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brandi M. Carlile, Phillip John Hanseroth, Timothy Jay Hanseroth
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind