Her first hit in the United States is "Thunder and Lightning," released in May 1972. By August it reached #17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #12 on the U.S. Record World top 100 record chart and U.S. CashBox top 100, #18 on the Canadian RPM magazine charts, and #4 on the German hit list. It drove her first album, "Chi Coltrane", to stay on the charts for three months. The song "Go Like Elijah" also received considerable airplay, and held the #1 position on the Holland hit list for one month.
After her first album was released, she released the album Let It Ride early in 1974 (on the Columbia label), Greatest Hits and Best Of albums in 1975, and in 1977 another album, Road To Tomorrow as well as Silk & Steel in 1981 . She subsequently moved to Europe where she lived for a few years. She was voted Best Female Artist for two consecutive years). She released several albums on the Teldec label during the 1980s,[1] including Live! in 1982 (it reached #12 on the European charts),and Ready to Roll (1983), and The Message (1986). In the European “100 Best Musicians of the Century” list, she was listed in the top 50.[citation needed] Golden Classics was released in November 1996 (Collectibles label). She has done TV soundtrack work, and collaborated with Tangerine Dream in 1991. She returned to Los Angeles in 1993, where she built a recording studio and worked with underprivileged groups.
In 2009 Coltrane resumed her music career, releasing a new compilation "The Essential Chi Coltrane - Yesterday, Today & Forever". The collection featured material from her 1980s albums "Live!", "Ready to Roll", and "The Message". It also contained three new recordings, including the title track which featured a Paul Buckmaster string arrangement.
Coltrane's first comeback performance was a concert in Vienna at the Donounselfest in 2009, where she drew 100,000 people. She then did a tour in Holland in October of 2009. Her CD went to #55 on the charts within two weeks. She then signed with Sony and did another tour in Holland as well as a highly successful tour in Germany. She is now preparing for additional touring in Germany, and another tour in Holland as well as a tour in Switzerland. She has committed to working next on a studio album of new material, to be released in 2012.
The Tree
Chi Coltrane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hoping I could find m way to peace
I didn't know where my life would lead
So I took my troubles to the tree
I told my story to the breeze
When no one seemed to listen to me
And like the breeze I now am free
Since I told my story to the breeze
Well, I laid me down in the sun
It's warmth and I became one
And I missed the sun when the day was done
He was such a friend to me the sun
Oh yeah—
This world can't give me any peace
It seems that love will never really be
And my troubled mind must find release
So I sat me down beneath the tree
Well, I laid me down in the sun
It's warmth and I became as one
And I missed the sun when the day was done
He was such a friend to me the sun-
Oh yeah—
I took my troubles to the tree
And God's own son looked down on me
All I know is I was blind and now I see
Since I took my troubles to the tree
And I believe we all can find the way to peace
If we take our troubles to the tree
In Chi Coltrane's song "The Tree," the singer describes taking her troubles to a tree in order to find peace and release from her troubled mind. She speaks of how she did not know where her life was leading her and how she felt unheard when she shared her story with others. However, she found solace in sharing it with the tree and the breeze. Through this, she became free and one with the sun, which became a friend to her.
The line, "And God's own son looked down on me" implies a deeper spiritual meaning to the song. The tree can be interpreted as a symbol of nature and the divine. The singer's choice to take her troubles to the tree is a metaphor for taking them to a higher power, allowing her to find peace and enlightenment. The song speaks to the idea that if we connect with nature and a higher power, we can find the strength and guidance we need to overcome life's struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I took my troubles to the tree
I sought solace from nature when life became hard
Hoping I could find m way to peace
My intention was to find inner calm through the tree
I didn't know where my life would lead
I was uncertain about the future of my existence
So I took my troubles to the tree
Therefore, I resorted to seek consolation from nature
I told my story to the breeze
I confided in the wind about my emotional turmoil
When no one seemed to listen to me
As I was ignored by everyone around me
And like the breeze, I now am free
I have now found liberation from my emotional pain
Since I told my story to the breeze
After sharing my hardships with the wind
Well, I laid me down in the sun
I rested peacefully in the warm sunshine
It's warmth and I became one
I felt deeply connected with the sun's warmth
And I missed the sun when the day was done
I longed for the sun even when it disappeared
He was such a friend to me the sun
I held great affection for the sun for being my confidant
Oh yeah—
Expressing emotional exaltation
This world can't give me any peace
I could not attain inner peace from this world
It seems that love will never really be
Love appears to be elusive
And my troubled mind must find release
I desired to free my mind from the pain and stress of life
So I sat me down beneath the tree
Therefore, I meditated beneath the tree
And God's own son looked down on me
I felt a divine presence while meditating
All I know is I was blind and now I see
Spiritual enlightenment helped me see the world in a new light
Since I took my troubles to the tree
Seeking nature's assistance in finding inner peace was fruitful
And I believe we all can find the way to peace
I have faith that everyone can attain the much-needed inner calm
If we take our troubles to the tree
By confiding in nature, we can all find solace
Contributed by Luke C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@michelepillar9409
I’ve always loved Chi. Thank you, for your heart and allowing us to see it.
@dragonfly5372
Music, days gone by, how they fly, your lyrics Chi are in my blood, I listend to you back in the 70's and now as well, your voice is unique and your sound is joyful as well as angelic. My heart was broken at one time and your music helped me heal. Turn me around , and The tree are 2 of my favorites. There used to be a large old oak tree in our backyard where I would pray and meditate , and the song The tree was MY SONG... love and peace to all...
@leotridentum6437
I got this album in the mid-70's and recognized the meaning of "the Tree" right away due to my Catholic upbringing and just stumbling across the songs here tonight, I rediscovered Chi Coltrane's beautiful and uplifting voice. What a beautiful song! "And God's own Son looked down on me..." Beautiful!
@m.f.vanderwerf1069
This is beautiful... and ... very emotional.
@stassijnsmachteld774
This is such a beautiful song and a wise lesson for all of us Christians--take your torubles to the cross. In evangelical parlance "tree" means "cross", doesn't it.
@leotridentum6437
Indeed it does! I bought this album because I noticed the songs "The Tree" and "Go Like Elijah". I was in the seminary studying for the priesthood and there was a tree in the distance on the grounds where I used to pray. So for me, this song has a special meaning of where I used to "meet" God and also the Cross upon which all my hopes are placed. Thank you for your message and God bless us all!
@judithhand4987
@@leotridentum6437 And you are the one that comes up with such wonderful videos along with Chi's songs! Thank you, brother Leo...
@judithhand4987
Oh, yeah.....I relate to the comments of all below, on this one going back 4, 8 and 2 years ago. Blessings & so many thanks, Chi!