Sand
Celia Berk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slippery but clinging
Love is just sand
Stir it and it flies
Love is just grand
′Till you feel it stinging your eyes
Love is just sand
Slipping through your fingers
Now it isn′t there
Just like sand
Even when it lingers
All it's about is
You can't get it out of your hair
It can seem smooth when really it′s bumpy
It can look soft and be dry
Warm and be soothing
Hot and make you jumpy
Although you′ll never know until you try
Is it the Sahara
Or a beach beneath the Caribbean sky
Love is just sand
You can feel it shifting
Soon as you stand
You begin to sink
Everything's planned
Then it gets to drifting
Never to where you think
Love ain′t solid land
It's just sand
All it′s about is
You can't get it out of your hair
It can seem smooth when really it′s bumpy
It can look soft and be dry
Warm and be soothing
Hot and make you jumpy
Although you'll never know until you try
Is it the Sahara
Or a beach beneath the Caribbean sky
Love is just sand
You can feel it shifting
Soon as you stand
You begin to sink
Everything's planned
Then it gets to drifting
Never to where you think
Love ain′t solid land
It′s just sand
Nothing but
Sand
These lyrics describe love as being similar to sand - slippery, clinging, and constantly shifting. The comparison suggests that love is both fragile and unpredictable.
The first paragraph presents the idea that love, like sand, can be both smooth and bumpy, soft and dry, or warm and soothing. The line "Love is just grand, ′till you feel it stinging your eyes" implies that love can bring joy and happiness, but it can also cause pain and tears. The reference to sand slipping through fingers highlights the fleeting nature of love and how it can easily slip away.
The second paragraph emphasizes the idea of uncertainty in love. Just like standing on sand, love can start to shift and drift, leading to unexpected changes. The line "Everything's planned, then it gets to drifting, never to where you think" suggests that even when we think we have it all figured out, love can surprise us and take us in unexpected directions.
The repetition of "Love ain't solid land, it's just sand" throughout the song emphasizes that love is not stable or concrete. It's a transient and ever-changing experience. This line also suggests that while love may seem solid and secure at times, it can quickly turn into something uncertain and unsettled.
In the final paragraph, the repeated line "You can't get it out of your hair" suggests that love can become ingrained in our lives, difficult to remove or let go of. The question of whether love is like the Sahara or a beach beneath the Caribbean sky emphasizes the contrasting nature of love - it can be both harsh and intense (like the desert) or serene and peaceful (like a beach).
Overall, these lyrics convey the idea that love is an elusive and unpredictable force, much like sand. It can bring both joy and pain, and its nature is constantly shifting and changing.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is just sand
Love is unpredictable and constantly changing, like grains of sand
Slippery but clinging
Love can be elusive, yet it has the power to hold onto you
Stir it and it flies
Love can get disrupted easily and become chaotic
′Till you feel it stinging your eyes
Love can bring both joy and pain, and it can hurt deeply
Slipping through your fingers
Love can be difficult to hold onto and can easily slip away
Now it's in hand, now it isn't there
Love can be present one moment and vanish the next
Just like sand, even when it lingers
Love can have a lasting impact, even if it seems insignificant
All it's about is you can't get it out of your hair
Love becomes deeply ingrained in your thoughts and emotions, impossible to forget
It can seem smooth when really it's bumpy
Love may appear perfect or flawless, but it often comes with challenges and imperfections
It can look soft and be dry
Love may appear gentle and comforting, but it can also lack the nourishment and depth desired
Warm and be soothing
Love can bring warmth and comfort to one's life
Hot and make you jumpy
Love can be intense and create intense emotions and excitement
Although you'll never know until you try
One can only truly understand the nature of love by experiencing it firsthand
Is it the Sahara or a beach beneath the Caribbean sky
Love can either be a harsh, dry environment or a beautiful and serene paradise
You can feel it shifting
Love is constantly changing and evolving
Soon as you stand, you begin to sink
Once you commit to love, it can feel overwhelming and consume you
Everything's planned, then it gets to drifting
Love may seem like it has a clear path or purpose, but then it becomes uncertain and unpredictable
Never to where you think
Love rarely follows the expected or desired course
Love ain't solid land, it's just sand
Love is not a stable or permanent foundation, but rather something constantly shifting and changing
Nothing but sand
Ultimately, love is fleeting and transient, like grains of sand
Writer(s): Stephen Sondheim
Contributed by Xavier R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mariamiliotis
Great performance
@angelawolcottmusic6887
Beautiful! I've never heard this song. Lovely.
@CeliaBerkMusic
Glad you enjoyed discovering this song, Angela!
@jjaffa
Wow! I heard this song for the first time after I bought You Can't Rush Spring on iTunes. It was one of my favorite songs on the CD. To discover that it was written by Sondheim is icing on the cake.
@TheMaestroCraig
what a class act. thank you
@FemNeuroSurg1
I love Celia Berk. Her album, "You Can't Rush Spring" is played nearly everyday in my house.
@CeliaBerkMusic
Thank you so much, Stephanie!
@FemNeuroSurg1
Celia Berk Music no, thank you. I have been playing your music for, and introducing it to everyone that I know. Your voice is so familiar and perfect!!
@FemNeuroSurg1
Celia Berk Music, You need to post a video of you singing "You're All The World To Me". My cousin, Ms. Joan Crawford, did a rendition of the song in her film "Torch Song" back in 1955. I have home videos from the shoot and her natural voice, dubbed over for the film release of the picture, is so much like your own. Actually that is how my cousin Cathy (the surviving one of Joan's twins) and I found your fabulous music. I wish you the best of everything (no pun intended).
@CeliaBerkMusic
So interesting - thank you for sharing!