Newcomer is recognised as a rare breed of singer/songwriter: the kind who illuminates life with startling depth, humor and clarity. Her ability for sharp observation of the world lead the Dallas Morning News to rave, "She's the kind of artist whose music makes you stop, think and then say, 'that is so true'." Mining what is true, Newcomer's latest Rounder release, Before and After is a multi-layered work that invites the listener to slow down and reflect on the experiences that have changed and shaped our lives. On Before and After, Newcomer remarks, she has "peeled back another musical and emotional layer". The result is melodious and smooth, infused with classic Newcomer grace and honesty, so that, she says "there is something unguarded and naked about this album."
Praised by Billboard as a "soaring songstress," Newcomer is an acclaimed musician who continues to create music from her uniquely spiritual and poignant take on the world. Before and After is no exception, highlighting Newcomer's ability to blend her rich alto with a poetic lyricism on a skillfully arranged and performed collection of folk roots tracks, with Appalachian and classical influences. "The joy and challenge in creating this album was endeavoring to be fearlessly uncluttered and subtle," Newcomer says. The title track features an unforgettably haunting and beautiful duet with a special guest appearance by Mary Chapin Carpenter, launching the album with a remarkable collaboration from two of acoustic music's most resonant female vocalists.
Recorded and produced by Newcomer and David Weber at Airtime Studios, Before and After is Newcomer's twelfth release on Rounder, with prior albums including Regulars & Refugees, The Age of Possibility, The Gathering of Spirits, the Betty's Diner collection and her last critically acclaimed album The Geography of Light. Before and After results from working closely with a core of exceptional musicians, including Gary Walters on piano, Chris Wagoner on violin, mandolin, dobro and accordion, Mary Gaines on cello, Byron House on upright acoustic bass, Jim Brock on percussion, Keith Skooglund on guitar, and a second stunning duet featuring special guest Krista Detor on "Do No Harm." At the center is Newcomer's adept guitar work and resonant voice, which the Austin Statesman has described as being "as rich as Godiva chocolate." The album's artwork features the work of Hugh Syme, whose sense of magical realism captures Newcomer's joyous idea about finding miracles in common places.
On Before and After, the listener experiences a deep connection through Newcomer's lyrics, which explore life with a progressive spiritual sensibility. The Minneapolis City Pages wrote, "Newcomer's musing is deeply introspective, but she offers it with a poet's sense of nuance and a folkie's common touch, turning philosophical theory into the stuff of people's daily lives." On the captivating title track, Newcomer ponders the notion that "We live our lives from then until now, by the mercies received or the mark upon our brow" - exploring the large and small experiences by which we mark our lives. On "Stones in the River" she tenderly reveals that we may never see fruit from the seeds we plant today, but regardless, it is still vital that we plant them. She holds close the insistence of hope in "If Not Now" ("But miracles do happen every shining now and then") in a style reminiscent of the richness and depth of the traditional spirituals. From the cinematic lushness of "Before and After" to the elegant string accompaniments of "I Do Not Know Its Name," to the lighthearted and poignant "I Wish I May I Wish I Might," Before and After is both timeless and contemporary.
Newcomer, a Quaker, cuts across secular and spiritual boundaries. In recent years, she has emerged as a respected and recognized artistic voice for the progressive spiritual community. On Before and After, Newcomer continues to be inspired by her friendships and recent collaborations with leading authors and theologians, including Parker J. Palmer, Phillip Gulley, Scott Russell Sanders, Jim Wallis, Brian McLaren, Jill Bolte Taylor, Richard K. Thomas and Barbara Kingsolver. Her relationship with this community influenced many of the album's compelling themes and inspired the songs: "Do No Harm," "Stones in the River," and "I Wish I May, I Wish I Might."
Newcomer has worked with many notable artists throughout her career and has met with critical acclaim for her music. In 2008, she was listed as one of the Top Most Influential Artists of the past 25 Years by Boston's WUMB. Her successful 2008 release, The Geography of Light, also earned her Artist of the Year and Album of the Year from Folk Wax Magazine. She has toured with Alison Krauss and Union Station in Europe and the U.S. and recorded the title track of her 2002 The Gathering of Spirits album with Krauss. Krauss went on to introduce Nickel Creek to Newcomer's song "I Should've Known Better," which the band recorded on their Grammy-winning, gold-selling album This Side (produced by Krauss). Currently Carrie is writing a collection of essays and a musical based on the characters and music of Betty's Diner with author, playwright and internationally recognized sound designer Richard K. Thomas.
Newcomer's music has been praised in Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Acoustic Guitar, Performing Songwriter, Paste Magazine and several other outlets. In the words of acclaimed writer Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible, "Carrie Newcomer is much more than a musician. She's a poet, storyteller, snake charmer, good neighbor, friend and lover, minister of the wide-eyed gospel of hope and grace."
In the fall of 2009, Newcomer was invited by The American Center, the cultural outreach division of The American Embassy in India, to represent the U.S. as a cultural ambassador. Newcomer performed concerts for Indian audiences and young people involved with community service, taught workshops on songwriting, community service, and met and performed with contemporary, traditional and classical Indian musicians. She also visited slum programs for women and children at risk throughout the country of India. About her impressions of India, Newcomer says, "Music can be a language deeper than words. I love our differences. Cultures are rich and what makes each culture unique is to be celebrated, but I was powerfully moved by what we share as a human family."
www.carrienewcomer.com
I'll Go Too
Carrie Newcomer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There were ugly things beneath my bed
I'd slip downstairs when I got scared
To the safety of dad's easy chair
That chair was like a long deep sigh
And I'd stay until he'd say, "it's time"
But he always smiles and put his hand in mine
[Chorus]
"I'll go too, I'll go too"
That's what he'd say and what he'd do
"don't go alone I'll walk with you
I'll go too."
When I was learning how to swim
I'd look at the water and back at him
But he took my hand and said
"we'll both jump in"
And "I'll go too."
[Chorus]
So many nights I've wandered
So many things to brave
So many acts of courage
We face each and everyday
It was almost noon in a white lace dress
I had my doubts if I could do the rest
He said, "take my hand and just do your best"
"and I'll go too"
[Chorus]
So many nights I've wandered
So many things to brave
So many acts of courage
We face each and everyday
In a quiet place in the April snow
It was time to finally let her go
So I took his hand and said, "I know"
"I'll go too"
[Chorus]
Someday we all will understand
And we'll walk right into the promised land
But I hope an angel takes me by the hand
And tells me "I'll go too"
"I'll go too, I'll go too"
That's what he'd say and what she'll do
"don't go alone I'll walk with you
I'll go too."
The lyrics of "I'll Go Too" by Carrie Newcomer are filled with nostalgia and memories of the singer's childhood. The song conjures the feeling of safety and security that a parent can provide, particularly in moments of fear and uncertainty. The first verse speaks of the singer's childhood fear of the unknown, and how it was resolved by retreating to her father's chair. This chair is portrayed as a symbol of safety - a place where the singer could feel secure and protected. When the father responds by saying "I'll go too," it carries an emotional weight that speaks to the powerful bond between parent and child.
The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, reinforces this idea of the protective parent. It showcases the father's willingness to accompany his child through any challenge or difficulty. This phrase "I'll go too" almost becomes a mantra for the father, emphasizing his unwavering support for his child.
As the verses progress, the song introduces new situations where the child needed her father's guidance - learning how to swim, getting married, coping with loss, and eventually facing the end of life. In each situation, the father provides comfort and guidance, saying "I'll go too" and proving that he is a constant presence in the singer's life.
Overall, the lyrics to "I'll Go Too" speak to the importance of parental support and the enduring connection that exists between a parent and their child. It evokes feelings of warmth and safety, reminding us of the importance of these relationships in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was small I often said
When I was young, I used to say...
There were ugly things beneath my bed
...that scary things were lurking under my bed.
I'd slip downstairs when I got scared
Whenever I got scared, I would sneak downstairs...
To the safety of dad's easy chair
...and sit in the comfort and safety of my dad's favorite chair.
That chair was like a long deep sigh
It felt like sitting in a big, long breath of relief...
And I'd stay until he'd say, "it's time"
...and I would stay there until my dad said it was okay to go back to bed.
But he always smiles and put his hand in mine
He would always smile at me and take my hand...
And say," I'll go too."
...and reassure me by saying 'I'll go with you'.
[Chorus]
Refrain
When I was learning how to swim
When I was learning how to swim...
I'd look at the water and back at him
...I would look at the water, and then back at my dad.
But he took my hand and said
But he would take my hand and say...
"we'll both jump in"
...'we'll jump in together!'
And "I'll go too."
...and assure me that he would be right there with me.
[Chorus]
Refrain
So many nights I've wandered
I've wandered so many nights...
So many things to brave
...faced so many daunting things...
So many acts of courage
...and had to be brave so many times...
We face each and everyday
...every day of our lives.
It was almost noon in a white lace dress
It was almost noon, and I was wearing a white lace dress...
I had my doubts if I could do the rest
...I wasn't sure if I could go through with it.
He said, "take my hand and just do your best"
But he said to me, 'Take my hand and just do your best.'
"and I'll go too"
...and assured me he would be there with me every step of the way.
[Chorus]
Refrain
In a quiet place in the April snow
In a quiet place, on a snowy day in April...
It was time to finally let her go
...it was time to let go of someone I loved.
So I took his hand and said, "I know"
So I took my dad's hand and said, 'I understand.'
"I'll go too"
'I'll go with you.'
[Chorus]
Refrain
Someday we all will understand
Someday, we will all come to understand...
And we'll walk right into the promised land
...and we will all walk confidently into the future, wherever it may take us.
But I hope an angel takes me by the hand
But I hope that an angel will guide me by the hand...
And tells me "I'll go too"
...and reassure me by saying 'I'll be there with you'.
"I'll go too, I'll go too"
'I'll go with you, I'll go with you'
That's what he'd say and what she'll do
...that's what my dad would say, and what I will do for my loved ones.
"don't go alone I'll walk with you
'Don't go alone, I'll be right there with you.'
I'll go too."
'I'll be there with you.'
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CARRIE ANN NEWCOMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind