With guitar in hand, Craig can turn any setting into an intimate affair, infusing his music and lyrics with an uncompromising humanism rarely seen in today's production-heavy climate.
Craig makes it a point to keep the relationship with his fans personal, inviting and accepting any opportunity to make his audience as much a part of the performance as he is. Don't be surprised if one day you find yourself enjoying one of Craig's renowned shows in the comfort of your own living room.
In 2012, Cardiff was nominated for a Juno Award for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Solo, and for a Canadian Folk Music Award as Contemporary Singer of the Year.
For more information, tour dates, and music, please visit the official Craig Cardiff site.
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Craig Cardiff's Bandcamp page
Lake Michigan
Craig Cardiff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything's born then hollowed
Broken, filled, busted, cracked wide-open
If everything's going, everything leaves you
Lessons in learning how to
How to let go with grace
Grace, let go
And we said time, time, time... She takes everything
You said save me something
Time said, none of it's worth anything at all
Without love, love, love
She painted everything
No one makes it the brightest
Makes it worth the ache
Worth even mentioning
(Instrumental)
I did not know
How tall I stood
How tall I stood was from your
Oh from your hand and my hand
You said how
Forgiveness is the safest passage through my...
Oh through my head
Through my heart
And we said time, time, time... She takes everything
And you said save me something
Time said, none of it's worth anything at all
Without love, love, love
She painted everything
No one made it the brightest
Made it worth the ache
Worth even mentioning
(Instrumental)
On the drive home
All the hitchhikers shadows
Little town pass by
Pushed me
Oh to lake Michigan
Pushed me back to you
Pushed me back to you
And you said time, time, time... It takes everything
And you say save me something
Time said, none of it's worth anything, oh
Without love, love, love
She painted everything
No one makes it the brightest
Makes it worth the ache
Worth even mentioning
(Instrumental)
Craig Cardiff's "Lake Michigan" is a song that delves into the themes of acceptance, forgiveness, and letting go. The lyrics depict the transience of life and how everything is born only to eventually leave us. The song talks about how everything that is broken, busted, filled or cracked open, including people, finds its way into the night. The song's chorus repeats 'time takes everything', emphasizing that everything is ephemeral, and time will eventually take away everything that is precious to us.
The song also explores the idea that everything is essentially meaningless without love. The lyrics suggest that love gives meaning to our lives and that without it, nothing matters. The singer in the song recalls being pushed by hitchhiker shadows towards Lake Michigan on a drive home, where thoughts of love and forgiveness ultimately pushed them back towards their loved one. The song's final instrumental sequence signifies the acceptance of the inevitable passage of time and how love is what makes the journey worthwhile.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything goes into the night
All things come to an end eventually and fade away like the darkness of the night.
Everything's born then hollowed
Everything has a beginning and an end, like a life that starts with promise but eventually fades.
Broken, filled, busted, cracked wide-open
All things will experience pain and hardship, and though they may be repaired, they will remain forever changed.
If everything's going, everything leaves you
All good things must come to an end, and when they do, they leave a sense of loss and emptiness behind.
Lessons in learning how to
Life is full of experiences that teach us how to deal with the pain of loss, to adapt, to change and to move on.
How to let go with grace
To deal with loss gracefully means accepting it as natural and inevitable, and to move on without regret or bitterness.
Grace, let go
Moving on requires grace and acceptance, and letting go of regrets and bitterness will free us to enjoy what remains.
And we said time, time, time... She takes everything
Time is the great leveler that takes all things, erasing all but memory.
You said save me something
We cling to our past and try to hold on to what we can, even if it only exists in our memories.
Time said, none of it's worth anything at all
Time reminds us that all things, even our memories, have no value without love.
Without love, love, love
Love is the glue that holds our memories and experiences together, giving them meaning and worth.
She painted everything
Love is a force that colors everything we experience with beauty and depth.
No one makes it the brightest
Love is like light shining on everything, bringing it to life, but no one can make it brighter than it already is.
Makes it worth the ache
Love transforms our pain and losses into something worthwhile and meaningful.
Worth even mentioning
Love gives everything in our lives importance and relevance, even if it's just a memory.
I did not know
Without love, we don't always realize the true value and meaning of our experiences and memories.
How tall I stood
Love helps us see how much we've grown and how far we've come because of the experiences we've had.
How tall I stood was from your
Our experiences shape who we are, and the people we love the most often have a significant impact on us.
Oh from your hand and my hand
We take the best parts of ourselves and combine them with the ones we love, growing and learning together as we go.
You said how
We turn to those we love for guidance and wisdom when we're lost and searching for answers.
Forgiveness is the safest passage through my...
Forgiveness is essential to moving on from the pain of the past and embracing the beauty of the present moment.
Oh through my head
Forgiveness starts in our minds, as we choose to let go of anger and bitterness and embrace peace.
Through my heart
Forgiveness must also reach our hearts, healing the hurt and paving the way for love and connection.
On the drive home
As we move forward in life, we sometimes must take a journey back in time, remembering where we've been and who we've loved.
All the hitchhikers shadows
Our memories are like shadows on the edge of our minds, always present but sometimes dim and elusive.
Little town pass by
Even the smallest and most insignificant moments of our lives can take on great importance when viewed through the lens of love.
Pushed me
Love can inspire and motivate us to move forward and grow, even in the face of loss and pain.
Oh to lake Michigan
Our journey through life is like a vast and beautiful lake, filled with the memories and experiences that shape us.
Pushed me back to you
Love has a way of bringing us back to the people and memories that matter most, reminding us of the beauty and worth of life.
Writer(s): Craig Cardiff
Contributed by Tristan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.