Eliza Gilkyson (born in Los Angeles, California, in 1950) is an American fo… Read Full Bio ↴Eliza Gilkyson (born in Los Angeles, California, in 1950) is an American folk musician based in Austin, Texas. She has been recording and performing her unique blend of folk, country, and other genres since the late 1970s. She is the daughter of the late Terry Gilkyson, an accomplished songwriter noted for music he composed for Disney. She is the sister of Tony Gilkyson, who played with the Los Angeles-based bands Lone Justice and X. She has collaborated with both during the course of her career.

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

Emerald Street
Eliza Gilkyson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take a walk down emerald street
Sparks flyin from my head to my feet

[Chorus]
All because I'm in
All because I'm in love

Sun shines and the air smells sweet

Little birdies go tweet tweet tweet

[Chorus]

Whole world's goin' up in smoke
Hard times comin', I ain't jokin'
Just tryin' to keep my heart wide open

Shake it shake it baby
Twist and shout
Feel like a kid from the inside out

[Chorus]

Whole world's goin' up in smoke
Hard times comin', I ain't jokin'
Just tryin' to keep my heart wide open

love stills makes my world go down
people still try to talk me down

[Chorus: x2]

Overall Meaning

Eliza Gilkyson's "Emerald Street" is a love song, but not a typical one. Although the lyrics are joyful and optimistic, there is a hint of darkness underneath the surface. The opening line, "Take a walk down emerald street," sets the tone for the rest of the song. Emerald Street is a metaphor for a magical place where everything is possible, where sparks fly from head to feet, the sun shines, and the air smells sweet. It's a place where you feel alive and full of energy, almost as if you were a child again. But this joyful feeling is contrasted with the reality of the world around us, where hard times are coming, and the whole world is going up in smoke. In this context, love becomes a way of transcending the difficulties of life, of keeping one's heart open to others and to the beauty of the world.

The chorus is simple and catchy, repeating the phrase "All because I'm in love" several times. The love that Gilkyson is referring to is not just the romantic kind but a broader sense of love that encompasses everything around us. Love becomes a powerful force that can transform the world and ourselves. But even though love is a positive force, there are still people who try to bring us down, who don't share our enthusiasm and joy. The last line of the song, "Love still makes my world go down, people still try to talk me down," acknowledges this reality, but it also suggests that love is stronger than any negativity or cynicism.

Line by Line Meaning

Take a walk down emerald street
I am going for a stroll on Emerald Street.

Sparks flyin from my head to my feet
I am filled with excitement and energy.

[Chorus] All because I'm in All because I'm in love
All the positive things happening are because of the love I have.

Sun shines and the air smells sweet
The weather and atmosphere around me is pleasant.

Little birdies go tweet tweet tweet
I can hear the joyful sounds of birds chirping.

[Chorus]
Reaffirming that all the wonderful moments are because of my love.

Whole world's goin' up in smoke
The world is in chaos and troubles.

Hard times comin', I ain't jokin'
I acknowledge that harder times are ahead.

Just tryin' to keep my heart wide open
I'm attempting to keep an open mind and heart despite the troubles.

Shake it shake it baby
I'm letting loose and dancing freely.

Twist and shout
I'm enjoying myself to the fullest.