“For me, this is an album that’s focused on growth and maturity, but it’s not deadly serious,” says front man Barry Privett. “I wanted to examine my life and the lives of my family and friends and do it with a little bit of a wink. The last thing I wanted to do was get all dark and overwrought.”
Privett and his bandmates dodge that pitfall with aplomb on Nothing Rhymes With Woman, the much-anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed 2006 offering Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat. As ever, the quintet -- recently joined by drummer Jason Neal, a veteran of the southeast’s club circuit, and Seattle bassist Jon Markel -- challenge themselves and listeners by steadfastly refusing to retrace old steps, bringing in like-minded collaborators (like Toby Lightman, who brings a burnished tone to her vocal parts on the gritty “Meltdown”) and taking off in plenty of new directions of their own accord.
That sense of freshness, to hear Privett tell the tale, has a lot to do with the relaxed nature of the disc’s recording, which took place in their Richmond, Virginia backyard. “This time, we did something we hadn’t done in a long time, and that was to just throw away the timeline altogether,” says the singer. “We waited until everyone believed in every single song without any doubt or questions. It was a return to the days of doing music for the sheer joy of just doing it.”
The joy he’s talking about proves contagious throughout the 13-song disc, both in sonic touches like the soaring harmonies that buoy “Indecision” and the instantly relatable vibe of narratives like the nostalgic childhood flashback “X-Ray.” The tones are certainly varied -- things get more than a little misty on “Pink,” a poignant tale of a woman battling serious illness -- but they’re invariably free of artificiality. Every color here is one that one can find in nature.
“A lot of the songs are about getting back to your roots,” says Privett, who reckons the band gained a lot of traction by spending a considerable stretch of time close to home, as opposed to its usual relentless touring slate. “You know, holding onto the touchstones that keep you grounded in reality. They’re easy to lose sight of sometimes, and often you need reminding. Fortunately, we have friends and family that will do that in no uncertain terms.”
Nothing Rhymes With Woman finds the Virginia-based band firmly in touch with its roots -- the Celtic tinge that cloaks “Pink” is reminiscent of Carbon Leaf’s passel of self-released discs. Throughout the set, however, the quintet affirms a commitment to moving forward, kicking out the jams a bit more aggressively on the sinewy walking blues “Another Man’s Woman” and interpolating the rich organ playing of longtime Dave Matthews Band keyboardist Butch Taylor on several tracks, including the arresting opener “Indecision.”
“It’s always been really important to us to keep an organic feel to what we do,” says Privett. “For us, recording this album was like a renewal, kind of like the coming of spring. In a way, it’s very sensual, very sexual, gentle and mellow in spots, but also acknowledges a fair share of optimism and a re-awakening to new possibilities.
In 2004, Vanguard released Carbon Leaf’s breakthrough disc, Indian Summer, which earned rave reviews from sources like The Washington Post, which marveled at Privett’s ability to “capture the emotional ache of a twenty-something as he watches his friends scatter to the four corners of the world”. For the next year and a half, the quintet would set about winning over audiences while on tour -- a recipe that helped "Life Less Ordinary" and "What About Everything?” up the charts.
That winning streak continued with Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat, a darker collection, recorded in Nashville, that showcased other facets of the Carbon Leaf sound and rose to number-three on Billboard’s Top New Artists chart. “We definitely stretched ourselves on that album,” says Privett. “It was unsettling in a way, but definitely helped us find ourselves.”
Reunited with producer John Morand, who manned the board for Indian Summer, Carbon Leaf takes the proverbial next step on Nothing Rhymes With Woman. The multi-instrumental web woven by Carter Gravatt and Terry Clark provides a perfect backdrop for Privett’s tenor, which hovers ethereally on “Lake of Silver Bells” and cuts with the precision of a knife wielded by a master chef on the poignant “Miss Hollywood.”
“I think ’Miss Hollywood,’ like a lot of the album, has a kind of feminine energy, which helps explain the title,” says Privett. “It’s that balance of strength and fragility, of keeping dreams in check, but not forgetting where they came from. It’s a positive and nurturing energy, and that’s the feeling we’d like people to come away with when they listen to the album.”
Barry Privett: Vocals, guitar
Terry Clark: Guitar, vocals
Carter Gravatt: Guitar, vocals
Jason Neal: Drums, percussion
Jon Markel: Bass
This Is My Song!
Carbon Leaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I happened by when you were gone. Oh well
I apologize that I could not stay
But I hope good things swing your way
I know they will here's your horseshoe
So best of luck to you
From the stable running brave
This is my day, this is my song!
I am alive .. what can go wrong?
If we're on our way-oh, ok let me know
If we're on our way-oh, ok then, let's go
My name is Hope, Luck just ran out
He said he'd return, without a doubt
(Ah, but don't you believe him!)
Oh, I happen to have a message from Love
She told me she knows what you've been dreaming of
My name is Hope, this is my song. When things go wrong
From the stable running brave
From the cradle to the grave
This is my day, this is my song
I am alive, what can go wrong?
If we're on our way-oh, ok let me know
If we're on our way-oh, ok then, let's go
Through the windswept countryside
Across the great divide
From the stable running brave
From the cradle to the grave
This is my day, this is my song
As long as I'm alive what can go wrong?
If we're on our way-oh, ok let me know
If we're on our way-oh, ok then, let's go
The song “This Is My Song” by Carbon Leaf is an upbeat and optimistic tune that seems to be about the power of positive energy and hope. The opening lines, “My name is Luck, this is my song. I happened by when you were gone. Oh well” suggest that the singer is a kind of lucky charm or perhaps a personification of luck itself. They apologize for not being able to stay but leave behind a horseshoe, which is famously believed to bring good luck. The message seems to be that even when things don’t go as planned, good things can still happen and it’s important to keep a positive outlook.
The second half of the song shifts to a speaker named Hope who tells the listener that Luck has gone but she has a message from Love who “knows what you’ve been dreaming of.” This all seems to reinforce the idea that good things are always possible, even in difficult times. The lyrics repeat “This is my day, this is my song” which could be interpreted as an affirmation or reminder to take control of one’s life and make the most of each day. The song ends with a call to action: “If we're on our way-oh, ok let me know. If we're on our way-oh, ok then, let's go”, which seems to encourage the listener to embrace the journey of life with positivity and optimism.
Line by Line Meaning
My name is Luck, this is my song
Introducing himself as Luck, the singer states that the song he is singing is his own
I happened by when you were gone. Oh well
The singer stumbled upon someone's absence, apologizes for not being able to stay
I apologize that I could not stay, But I hope good things swing your way, I know they will here's your horseshoe, So best of luck to you
Although he left, Luck wishes the best for the person he met and hopes his gesture (horseshoe) brings them good fortune
From the stable running brave, From the cradle to the grave, This is my day, this is my song! I am alive .. what can go wrong?
The singer reflects on the inevitability of life from birth to death, celebrates their existence and questions what could go wrong
If we're on our way-oh, ok let me know, If we're on our way-oh, ok then, let's go
The singer is ready to move forward as long as they know that they are on the right path
My name is Hope, Luck just ran out, He said he'd return, without a doubt, (Ah, but don't you believe him!)
Introducing herself as Hope, the singer acknowledges that Luck's fortune may not always be with them, but insists that he will return despite any doubts
Oh, I happen to have a message from Love, She told me she knows what you've been dreaming of, My name is Hope, this is my song. When things go wrong
Hope reveals that Love understands the person's desires and intentions and states that when difficulties arise, she will be there with her own song
Through the windswept countryside, Across the great divide, From the stable running brave, From the cradle to the grave
The singer reflects on the journey of life through both good and challenging times
This is my day, this is my song, As long as I'm alive what can go wrong? If we're on our way-oh, ok let me know, If we're on our way-oh, ok then, let's go
Repeating the chorus, the singer continues to celebrate their moment and asserts their readiness to move forward with life
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BARRY THOMAS PRIVETT, CARTER GRAVATT, SCOTT ANDREW MILSTEAD, TERRELL H. CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind