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
Silver
Carrie Newcomer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When our ears and noses get bigger
When Arthritis starts to nag
And our best parts start to sag
Will you love me in reading glasses
Kiss my neck and still make passes
And our grandchildren we'll scandalize
There is no real way of knowin'
But if things keep goin' the way they're goin'
I will promise you again
I will be with you and we'll be the best of friends
Will you love me if I babble
Let me win sometimes at scrabble
Will you help me bare the load
And be somebody I'm still proud to know
There is no real way of knowin'
But if things keep goin' the way they're goin'
I will promise you again
I will be with you and we'll be the best of friends
Will I still be what you need
When I drive below posted speed
Lay down like spoons in quiet wonder
And love me years and days without number
Will you love me when life hurts
Wake me up if I fall asleep in church
Sit beside me when evening comes
And count our blessing one by one?
Will you love me when we go silver
Carrie Newcomer's song "Silver" is a heartwarming and sentimental tribute to love that endures through the ups and downs of time. The song speaks about growing old together and the insecurities that come with aging, such as wrinkles, arthritis, and loss of hearing. However, the song reassures that true love perseveres through the changes that come with aging as it continues to flourish with mutual respect and kindness towards one another.
Through thoughtful lyrics, the song highlights that love is not just about romance but also about companionship and support through life's challenges. The lyrics evoke emotions of vulnerability and fear, as the singer wonders if their partner will still love them when they are old and feeble, babbling or driving too slow. Despite all these uncertainties, the song conveys a message of hope and reassurance that if things continue the way they are, the love between the couple will continue to deepen and mature.
Overall, "Silver" is a touching ode to the power of love and its ability to endure through the passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Will you love me when we go silver
Will you still love me as we both age and become older
When our ears and noses get bigger
When we inevitably begin to age and our physical features change, will you still love me?
When Arthritis starts to nag
As we both grow older, we may experience physical pain and discomfort, but will you still love me and stay by my side?
And our best parts start to sag
The physical changes of aging may affect our bodies, but will you still find me attractive and love me all the same?
Will you love me in reading glasses
As we age, our eyesight may weaken and require reading glasses, but will you still look at me with love and affection?
Kiss my neck and still make passes
Will you still desire me, kiss me with passion and make romantic advances?
And our grandchildren we'll scandalize
Even as we grow older, will we still have a youthful spirit and sense of fun that may surprise or scandalize our grandchildren?
By holding hands and making eyes
Will we still be affectionate and show our love through small gestures of holding hands and making eye contact?
There is no real way of knowin'
The future is uncertain and we cannot predict how we will change, but these questions are important to ask in order to deepen our commitment to each other.
But if things keep goin' the way they're goin'
If we continue to work on our relationship and prioritize our love, we can face any challenges that come our way and continue to grow together.
I will promise you again
I vow to recommit myself to you and our relationship once again.
I will be with you and we'll be the best of friends
No matter what happens, we will be friends and partners who support each other and face the world together.
Will I still be what you need
As our relationship evolves and changes, will I still be able to meet your emotional and physical needs?
When I drive below posted speed
As we age, we may become more cautious and move more slowly, but will you still be patient and love me all the same?
Lay down like spoons in quiet wonder
Even amid the chaos of life, will we still find moments of intimacy and connection, lying together closely in quiet moments of wonder?
And love me years and days without number
As we age and grow old together, will you continue to love me endlessly and without reservation?
Will you love me when life hurts
When life becomes difficult and painful, will you still love me and be there to support me?
Wake me up if I fall asleep in church
Even as we age, will we still find moments of humor and levity, like a partner gently nudging the other awake in church?
Sit beside me when evening comes
Even as our lives change and our routines shift, will we still make time to sit together, share space, and be present with one another?
And count our blessing one by one?
Even amid the challenges and difficulties of life, will we continue to express gratitude for our love for one another and the ways in which we support each other?
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.