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
Wildewood Spring
Eliza Gilkyson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are trapped in the gridlock of 9 to 5 thing
Burning their candles while gas engines idle
They long for revival in Wildewood spring
[Chorus]
Come down where the wild birds sing
Come down where the water's clean
Post grads from west Texas, hippies from manor
Float with the rednecks as kids do their thing
First nations linger with the ghost of John Traynor
In the deep waters of Wildewood spring
[Chorus]
I remember the first time I knew I could love him
And this would be more than a vow and a ring
With the last rays of hope and the blue sky above him
He flung himself into the Wildewood spring
[Chorus: x2]
The song "Wildewood Spring" by Eliza Gilkyson talks about a place where people can escape the fast-paced city life. In the first verse, the "urban survivors" are depicted as being trapped in their monotonous 9 to 5 lives, burning out like "candles while gas engines idle." The singer wishes for "revival" and a break from the city life in Wildewood spring, where they can hear the wild birds sing and the water is clean. The lyrics describe how people from different backgrounds, such as post-grads from West Texas, hippies from Manor, and the First Nations, can come together and enjoy the purity of the natural environment.
The second verse introduces the ghost of John Traynor, a local folk hero who is said to haunt the deep waters of Wildewood spring. The lyrics suggest that the natural spring has a mystical quality that transcends different cultures and backgrounds. The final verse is more personal, describing how the singer fell in love and committed to their partner by jumping into Wildewood spring. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, inviting listeners to join in and "come down where the water's clean."
Overall, the song celebrates the beauty of nature and portrays it as a place of refuge from the stresses of modern life. It suggests that people from all walks of life can find common ground and come together in the purity of the natural environment.
Line by Line Meaning
In the building block canyons the urban survivors
Those city dwellers who manage to scrape by are feeling trapped and suffocated by their environment.
Are trapped in the gridlock of 9 to 5 thing
They are stuck in the daily grind of a monotonous job that doesn't inspire them.
Burning their candles while gas engines idle
They feel like they are working hard, but not making any real progress. It's like spinning their wheels with no real purpose.
They long for revival in Wildewood spring
Their souls ache for a place where they can escape and rejuvenate themselves. Wildewood spring seems like the perfect oasis for this.
Come down where the wild birds sing
Gilkyson is beckoning us to join her in this place of infinite possibility, where nature reigns supreme and there are no distractions from the beauty of the world.
Come down where the water's clean
She is emphasizing the importance of finding a clean, unpolluted place where you can think clearly and find inner peace.
Float with the rednecks as kids do their thing
She's suggesting that in Wildewood spring, everyone is equal regardless of social status and age. It's a place where all can find something to enjoy.
First nations linger with the ghost of John Traynor
In this magical place, even the spirits of dead people and the native population coexist harmoniously. It's a testament to the power of nature to bring us all together.
In the deep waters of Wildewood spring
She's painting a picture of a place that is both serene and dynamic, where the water in the spring is deep and inviting, yet perhaps not entirely safe.
I remember the first time I knew I could love him
Gilkyson is recalling a personal experience, possibly one where she fell in love for the first time. This sets the stage for the song's climax.
And this would be more than a vow and a ring
She's describing the feeling of knowing that the love she has found is deeper than just a commitment - it's a connection on a soul level.
With the last rays of hope and the blue sky above him
The image of a sunset is used to show how the person she is singing about is at a turning point - they are running out of time to decide what to do.
He flung himself into the Wildewood spring
The final line of the song. He takes the plunge, and chooses to abandon the old life for the embrace of the Wildewood spring. It's a bold move, but it feels right.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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Sonya Haskins
such a beautiful song!!
Sedrick Sultan
A wonderful song. "With the ghost of John Traynor" ... Who gets that reference today? Maybe folks will look him up in Wikipedia, and Eliza, too. The rest of this album, 'Beautiful World', released in 2008, is just as satisfying.
Vicki Reed
I love this woman's voice. Her music is food for the soul.
Hope to see her one day...and tell her how I feel.
Angela Carver
She's a beautiful person