She received much critical acclaim for her 2005 release, Paradise Hotel, which contains songs that strike a chord with listeners in light of recent events. "Requiem" honors Hurricane Katrina and tsunami victims with hopeful pleas to the Virgin Mary, while "Man of God" is a bitter, unapologetic denouncement of President George W. Bush and his administration.
"The actions of this regime do not follow the teachings of Christ, what I call real Christianity," Gilkyson said in August 2005. "I just don't appreciate the religious right acting like I don't love God and my country just because I'm not in their corner. I'm mad and I want other people to be mad about this too."
In 2008, her album Beautiful World came out, again on Red House Records. The songs vary from pop to folk and points in-between, with songs ranging from intimate ballads to rallying cries against the imperialist machine. She recently collaborated on a new album entitled Red Horse with two of her Red House Records label-mates John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky.
In 2011, she came out with Roses at the End of Time. Recorded at her home with the help of her son and co-producer Cisco Ryder, Gilkyson took a longer time in the studio and came out with a more eclectic and personal album. She continues to tour about 150 dates per year in the United States and overseas.
www.elizagilkyson.com
Clever Disguise
Eliza Gilkyson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A tried and true believer
If there's nothing that I can live for
I don't want to be here
I wear my heart on my shirtsleeves
And my dark glasses over my eyes
[Chorus]
Clever disguise
Clever disguise
I'm just a roadside flower draped in a fancy dress
From my booth in the broadcasting tower
I send out my s.o.s.
And when I reach into the breach
Of a wandering pair of eyes
I see a,
[Chorus]
[Repeat: x2]
I'm just a lonely freight train comin'
Hummin' round a hairpin bend
Tryin' to keep my engines runnin'
Till I reach some kind of rainbow's end
I saw you there at the rally down at the city hall
And before you even reached your finale
I'd already started to fall
You say you're just a prairie boy
Neither wealthy, worthy, nor wise
[Chorus]
Clever disguise
Clever disguise
The lyrics in Eliza Gilkyson's song Clever Disguise are about the feeling of being a troubadour or a wandering minstrel who is deeply committed to their beliefs but struggles with the idea of living in a world that does not share those beliefs. The first verse establishes the singer's fundamental nature as a true believer, someone who wears their heart on their sleeve and is always looking for something to live for. The second verse turns to the idea of identity and the way in which the singer has to hide their true self behind a "clever disguise" in order to navigate the world. The chorus repeats this idea, emphasizing the distance between how the singer appears to others and what they really are underneath.
The third verse introduces imagery of a lonely freight train, suggesting that the singer feels a similar sense of isolation and purposelessness as they move through life. The final verse introduces a potential love interest, someone who the singer is attracted to but who they recognize as being similarly lost in the world. These lyrics are all tied together by the idea of the "clever disguise," which becomes a metaphor for the way in which people hide their true selves in order to survive and succeed in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I am just a troubadour
I am a musician who travels from place to place singing and playing my music.
A tried and true believer
I am someone who believes strongly in what I do and will always stick to it.
If there's nothing that I can live for
If there is nothing that motivates me to keep going on with my life,
I don't want to be here
I would rather not be alive.
I wear my heart on my shirtsleeves
I am someone who is open and honest with my feelings, and I express them openly.
And my dark glasses over my eyes
But at the same time, there is a part of me that I keep hidden, that I do not show to just anyone.
Clever disguise
I am hiding something about myself from others that I do not want them to know.
I'm just a roadside flower draped in a fancy dress
Although I may appear beautiful and put together, I am still someone who is fragile, just like a flower by the side of the road.
From my booth in the broadcasting tower
I use my music as a way to reach out to others, even if I may seem distant and detached from them.
I send out my s.o.s.
Through my music, I may be trying to reach out and connect to others who may be in need of help, just as I may be.
And when I reach into the breach
When I am able to get someone's attention and make a connection with them,
Of a wandering pair of eyes
Of someone who may be lost or confused, I feel like I am making a difference and am able to help them in some way.
I'm just a lonely freight train comin'
I am someone who is traveling through life alone, like an empty train moving along the tracks.
Hummin' round a hairpin bend
Despite the twists and turns along the way, I keep moving forward, never losing sight of my goals.
Tryin' to keep my engines runnin'
Although there are times when it may seem like I want to give up, I always try to stay motivated and never give up.
Till I reach some kind of rainbow's end
Until I reach a place in my life where everything makes sense and I feel like I have achieved my goals.
I saw you there at the rally down at the city hall
I notice and pay attention to the people around me, especially those who may be standing up for something they believe in.
And before you even reached your finale
Before they were even finished speaking or taking action, I knew that I was already drawn in by their passion and dedication.
I'd already started to fall
I found myself being pulled in and inspired by this person.
You say you're just a prairie boy
Although they may not think much of themselves, or may be from a humble background,
Neither wealthy, worthy, nor wise
They still have something important to say, and they have the power to inspire and make a difference in the world.
Clever disguise
Just like me, this person may be hiding something important about themselves, but they still have something valuable to offer the world.
Clever disguise
I am hiding something about myself from others that I do not want them to know.
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: Eliza Gilkyson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
folkneverdies
Another beautiful song, she is a brilliant singer/songwriter, one of the best i know.
Listen to her songs over and over...
Sukhdev singh
Only 742 views and 5 likes : Clever disguise 2019 AD