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
Midnight In Missoula
Eliza Gilkyson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It′s midnight in Missoula
Where the Black Hills know your name
Is the snow piled high around your window frame?
Is there enough frost left to write our names upon the pane?
Are you sleeping now?
It's midnight in Missoula
It′s midnight in Missoula
I am down in Rio where I cannot find the sky
Our savior on that mountaintop has taught my soul to fly
I am singing Gershwin and children's lullabies
And wondering of you
And if you're sleeping in Missoula tonight?
Are you sleeping now?
It′s midnight in Missoula
Are you sleeping now?
It′s midnight in Missoula
I'd love to climb your hilltop and look out upon Missoula lights
Sing Samuel Barber melodies with your viola sweet and high
But I am off to Liverpool on an early evening flight
And wondering of you
And if you′re sleeping in Missoula tonight
Are you sleeping now?
It's midnight in Missoula
Are you sleeping now?
It′s midnight in Missoula
Are you sleeping now?
It's midnight in Missoula
Where the Black Hills know your name
Is the snow piled high around your window frame?
Is there enough frost left to write our names upon the pane?
Are you sleeping now?
It′s midnight in Missoula
Are you sleeping now?
It's midnight in Missoula
Are you sleeping now?
Do you know how much I love ya?
Are you sleeping now?
It's midnight in Missoula
"Midnight in Missoula" is a song by Eliza Gilkyson that depicts a long-distance relationship between two people who are separated by distance. The song is a soulful and poignant ballad that conveys the feelings of the singer as she wonders if her lover in Missoula is sleeping. The haunting refrain of "Are you sleeping now?" is repeated throughout the song, creating a sense of longing and melancholy that is heightened by the simple yet evocative lyrics.
The song references the Black Hills, a region in South Dakota where the singer's lover is from. There is a sense of familiarity and intimacy conveyed in the line "Where the Black Hills know your name," suggesting that the singer feels connected to her lover's homeland even though she is far away. The snow and frost imagery in the song adds to the wistful atmosphere, evoking the wintry landscape of Montana and the frigid loneliness of being apart from someone you love.
As the song progresses, the singer muses on the things she would like to do with her lover, like climb a hilltop and look out at the lights of Missoula or sing music together. However, she is currently in Rio and then is going to Liverpool, far away from her lover. This reflects the bittersweet nature of the song, as the singer yearns for her lover but is unable to bridge the distance between them.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you sleeping now?
Wondering if the person is asleep at the moment
It's midnight in Missoula
Noting the time and location
Where the Black Hills know your name
Acknowledging the familiarity of the area
Is the snow piled high around your window frame?
Inquiring about the weather conditions
Is there enough frost left to write our names upon the pane?
Asking if they can leave a message for the person on the window
I am down in Rio where I cannot find the sky
Explaining where the singer currently is and the issues they are facing
Our savior on that mountaintop has taught my soul to fly
Connecting their current situation to a spiritual experience
I am singing Gershwin and children's lullabies
Sharing what they are doing in Rio
And wondering of you
Expressing their thoughts about the person in Missoula
And if you're sleeping in Missoula tonight?
Questioning the person's current state
I'd love to climb your hilltop and look out upon Missoula lights
Describing a desire to see the person's surroundings
Sing Samuel Barber melodies with your viola sweet and high
Sharing what they would like to do with the person
But I am off to Liverpool on an early evening flight
Explaining their upcoming plans
And wondering of you
Returning to their thoughts about the person in Missoula
And if you′re sleeping in Missoula tonight
Repeating the opening question
Do you know how much I love ya?
Ending with a statement of affection
Writer(s): Nanci Caroline Griffith
Contributed by Eli V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.