After signing a contract with the Atlantic Records label Lava Records in 1994, his first major-label album, Honor Among Thieves, was issued in 1995. His second album, Misguided Roses, spawned I'll Be, a major single in 1998. Two more albums (Messenger and Far from Over) followed, but at the end of 2001, he split from Lava. In 2003 he released a collection of acoustic versions of songs both old and new called The Austin Sessions via ATC Records, a Nashville-based independent record label (at which McCain was the first artist signed following its creation in 2001). Mid-2004 saw the arrival of his first studio album in three years, entitled Scream & Whisper, which was released on another indie label, DRT Entertainment.
He has released two DVDs to date. The first was through ATC records in late 2002, called Mile Marker: Songs and Stories from the Acoustic Highway, and it consisted of interviews, live performances, and other material. The other was in late 2004, Tinsel & Tap Shoes. It was his first live concert DVD, recorded at The House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
A new CD was released in April, 2006 titled, Lost in America. Edwin recently signed a contract with Vanguard Records. This album (#8) is said to be a true "rock 'n roll" collection.
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Island Song
Edwin McCain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you can't take back what you gave away
You can leave the island but you can't leave my heart
'cause this memory remains
of the moonlit nights
When the stars were high
We could see Savannah shine across the waves
And take our time for more
And all along I know our hearts will say
you can leave the island but you can't leave my love
And you can't take back what you gave away
You can leave the island but you can't leave my heart
'cause the memory remains
and I loved you
From the moment that we met I'm thinkin' of you
And I never will forget...
How the feelin' came a reelin',
So easy to be ... so free
on a moonlit night
When the stars are high
We can see Savannah shine across the waves
Now I know you must move on...
But I'll never be alone
As long as this memory remains
and I've loved you
From the moment that we met I'm thinkin' of you
And I never will forget...
How the feelin' came a reelin',
So easy to be... so free
you can leave the island but you can't leave my love
And you can't take back what you gave away
You can leave the island but you can't leave my heart
'cause the memory remains...
This feelin' rarely ever fades...
And how I wish,
How I wish, how I wish you'd stay
The lyrics of Edwin McCain's "Island Song" describe a relationship between two people who have found true love in each other's presence. The song begins by stating that one person can leave the island, but they cannot leave the love that they shared with the other person. This love is so strong that it cannot be taken away or forgotten. The memory of their time together remains vivid, even when they are apart. The memory is so powerful that it makes the other person feel as if they are never alone.
The song goes on to describe the beautiful moonlit nights they spent together on the island, dancing along the shore and taking their time for more. The stars were high, and they could see Savannah shining across the waves. They were free, and the feeling of love came naturally. The song expresses that the person who left the island must move on, but the memory of their time together will always remain in their heart. The song concludes by expressing the deep and endless desire for the person to stay, stating how much they love and miss them.
Overall, the song is about how love can create a deep and lasting connection between two people which cannot be broken, not even by physical distance or time. The memory of their love remains strong, and the person who left will always carry it with them.
Line by Line Meaning
You can leave the island but you can't leave my love
Even if you physically leave the island we shared together, the love I have for you will remain and persist.
And you can't take back what you gave away
You may have given away parts of yourself to me during our time on the island, but you cannot take back those things now that you are leaving.
You can leave the island but you can't leave my heart
My emotional and sentimental attachment to the time we spent together on the island is too strong to simply disappear when you leave.
'cause this memory remains
Even if you are gone, the memories of our time on the island and the emotions they evoke will remain with me.
of the moonlit nights
I have vivid and memorable recollections of evenings on the island when the moon was high.
When the stars were high
The sight of the stars in the sky on those moonlit nights is forever burned into my memory.
We could see Savannah shine across the waves
Despite being on an island, we could still see the city and lights of Savannah in the distance, which made the experience even more special.
We could dance along the shore
We were able to enjoy each other's company and move freely in a carefree environment by dancing along the shoreline.
And take our time for more
We were able to enjoy each other's company without feeling rushed or pressured to do anything other than simply exist in that moment.
And all along I know our hearts will say
I am certain that our hearts and emotions were both in agreement during those moments, and always will be.
and I loved you
I felt a deep and profound affection for you, which I still carry with me today.
From the moment that we met I'm thinkin' of you
I was constantly thinking about you from the very beginning, and my affection for you grew as time went on.
And I never will forget...
The experiences we shared together are too profound and too important to me to ever forget.
How the feelin' came a reelin',
The emotions I felt when we were together were overwhelming and unforgettable.
So easy to be... so free
The ease with which we were able to be ourselves and enjoy each other's company was truly liberating and invigorating.
Now I know you must move on...
I recognize that you have to leave the island and move on with your life, no matter how much I wish you could stay.
But I'll never be alone
Even though you are gone, the memories we made together will keep me company and keep me strong.
'cause the memory remains
The memory of our time on the island is infused with too much emotion and significance for it to ever truly disappear.
This feelin' rarely ever fades...
The deep emotional connection I felt for you during our time on the island is something I will never forget or let go of.
And how I wish,
Despite knowing that you must leave, I still have a strong desire for you to stay and continue sharing new experiences with me.
How I wish, how I wish you'd stay
I cannot help but feel a sense of longing for you and all of the incredible things we could continue to accomplish together if you were still here with me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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