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
The Things I've Gone and Done
Carrie Newcomer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like you've taken off your clothes
It's such a glorious insurrection
Not to hold your secrets close
What's the use in counting errors
Or the help in counting sheep
I don't intend to live my whole life out
It's not the things I've gone and done, I'll regret or be ashamed
But the things I did not say or do, just because I was afraid.
How mysterious and wondrous
The strange circling of the mind
And that I can see as far ahead of me
As I can see behind
Hindsight is always 20/20
Yet, we'll see what we want see
And I used to pray for wisdomp
Now I know just what that means
It's not the things I've gone and done, I'll regret or be ashamed
But the things I did not say or do, just because I was afraid.
I'm learning to forgive
And I relearn it everyday
Every time I stoop to gather stones
I Straighten up and walk away.
I don't have another message
I don't have anything to sell
And there are no easy answers
As far as I can tell
But I don't believe that Jesus was crazy
Or that it is Mohammad's fault
When something good can get so twisted
Till there's no semblance at all
It's not the things I've gone and done, I'll regret or be ashamed
But the things I did not say or do, just because I was afraid.
Just because the odds are bad
Doesn't mean you shouldn't risk
Don't believe it will not happen
Just because it hasn't happen yet
Carrie Newcomer's song "The Things I've Gone and Done" is a poignant reflection on the importance of vulnerability and speaking up. The opening lines encourage the listener to let down their defenses and shed their secrets, suggesting that there is power in sharing one's truth. Newcomer contrasts this with the futility of counting mistakes or trying to control one's thoughts in the second stanza, acknowledging that life is inherently unpredictable and that we cannot always plan for every outcome.
The chorus, "It's not the things I've gone and done, I'll regret or be ashamed, but the things I did not say or do, just because I was afraid," encapsulates the central theme of the song. Newcomer suggests that the true measure of regret in life is not the mistakes we make, but the opportunities we miss by staying silent or holding back. The final verse ties these ideas together, emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and acknowledging that there are no easy answers.
Overall, "The Things I've Gone and Done" is a gentle yet powerful call to action, reminding us that true joy and fulfillment can only be found when we are willing to take risks and speak our truth.
Line by Line Meaning
Take down your defenses
Open up and be vulnerable
Like you've taken off your clothes
Expose your true self and let down your guard
It's such a glorious insurrection
It's liberating to break free from hiding secrets
Not to hold your secrets close
It's unhealthy to hide your true self from others
What's the use in counting errors
It's pointless to dwell on past mistakes
Or the help in counting sheep
Counting sheep won't help solve real problems
I don't intend to live my whole life out
I don't want to waste my life on trivial things
Just to find I was asleep
Only to realize too late that I missed out on living fully
It's not the things I've gone and done, I'll regret or be ashamed
I won't regret or feel bad about the things I've done
But the things I did not say or do, just because I was afraid.
I will regret the missed opportunities due to fear
How mysterious and wondrous
The mind is complex and fascinating
The strange circling of the mind
The way our thoughts loop can be confusing and dizzying
And that I can see as far ahead of me
I have a vision for my future
As I can see behind
And understand my past
Hindsight is always 20/20
It's easier to see the errors of the past in retrospect
Yet, we'll see what we want see
Our perception is colored by our desires and biases
And I used to pray for wisdom
I hoped to gain more knowledge and insight
Now I know just what that means
Now I understand the true value of wisdom
I'm learning to forgive
I'm working on letting go of resentments
And I relearn it everyday
It's a continuous process
Every time I stoop to gather stones
Every time I'm tempted to judge or criticize others
I Straighten up and walk away.
I choose to be kind and compassionate instead
I don't have another message
I don't have any easy answers
I don't have anything to sell
I'm not trying to persuade anyone
And there are no easy answers
Life is complex with no simple solutions
As far as I can tell
From my perspective
But I don't believe that Jesus was crazy
I don't view religious figures as insane
Or that it is Mohammad's fault
I don't blame a religion for the actions of its followers
When something good can get so twisted
Sometimes good intentions can have negative repercussions
Till there's no semblance at all
To the point where the original meaning is lost
Just because the odds are bad
Just because the chances of success are low
Doesn't mean you shouldn't risk
Doesn't mean you shouldn't try anyway
Don't believe it will not happen
Don't let doubt prevent you from taking chances
Just because it hasn't happen yet
Just because it hasn't materialized yet
Contributed by Abigail H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.