Cook's West Virginia-born mother played guitar and mandolin and sang on local radio shows. Her father, a Georgia native, also performed country music and served jail time for running moonshine. Upon his release, he and Elizabeth's mother played in local bands together, eventually marrying. Elizabeth, born in 1972, moved to Nashville in her twenties and quickly got a publishing deal. Demos recorded between 1997 and 2000 comprised her independently released debut album, "The Blue Album", which showcased her formidable songwriting ability and featured such well-known Music City musicians as Tim Carroll, Kenny Vaughan, and Rick Schell.
She made her major label debut in 2002 with "Hey Y'All". But following a corporate re-structuring that left the album virtually abandoned and stagnant on sales, Elizabeth fought back with her 2005 independent release "This Side Of The Moon", which received positive reviews.
Her album "Balls" was released May 2007. It was been her most successful album to date, thanks to glowing press reviews and significant video play for the song "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman."
Her 2010 album Welder features appearances by an all-star roster of guests including Dwight Yoakam, Crowell and Buddy Miller, and continued her increasing popularity becoming her highest charting album in the U.S.
Her album "Gospel Plow" was released June 2012.
Cook hosts the morning radio show "Elizabeth Cook's Apron Strings" on the Sirius XM radio station Outlaw Country on Channel 60. The show airs weekdays from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM (Eastern Time). The show format is a mix of Americana, Outlaw, and Alt Country.
In 2016, Cook released her sixth studio album Exodus of Venus.
Official Site
What Do I Do
Elizabeth Cook Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just hand it back? no, I can't do that
What do I do? just half of two
If only I knew, what do I do
Yeah, that's slow boat for trying not to get me arrived
The options are endless or so we would sing,
About forgetting that your now is just livin' a dream
What do I do? with this love for you
Just hand it back? no, I can't do that
What do I do? with this love for you
If only I knew, what do I do
I can't walk it off and I can't lay low
Ain't put on my patsy shoes and pass on where to go
In a certain way you know me it feels like the time
I think it's the pedestule that I had you on
What do I do? with this love for you
Just hand it back? no, I can't do that
What do I do? just half of two
If only I knew, what do I do
Oh if only I knew, what do I do
The lyrics to Elizabeth Cook's song "What Do I Do" reflect the internal struggle of someone who is caught between their love and the uncertainty of the future. The singer is unsure of what to do with their love for the person they're addressing in the song, and they're left feeling confused, torn, and vulnerable.
The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song by asking the question "What do I do?" and then providing two options - handing their love back or trying to keep and make sense of it. The second verse introduces the idea of a time machine, which suggests that the singer wishes they could go back in time and undo their feelings. However, they realize how futile that would be and instead are left with the present, which they describe as "just living a dream."
The chorus reinforces the central question of the song, asking what the singer should do with their love. The verses that follow offer up a variety of ways in which the singer has tried to cope with their conflicting emotions, including walking it off, laying low, and trying to wear a different persona ("patsy shoes").
As the song progresses and the chorus repeats, it becomes clear that the singer is paralyzed by their feelings and cannot decide what to do. They're stuck in a state of confusion and are desperate for answers but unable to find them. The final line, "Oh if only I knew, what do I do," underscores this sense of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Overall, "What Do I Do" is a poignant song that captures the complexity of human emotions and the difficulty of making choices when faced with conflicting feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
What do I do? with this love for you
I am lost, unsure of what to do with the love I have for you
Just hand it back? no, I can't do that
I cannot simply return this love, it is too important to me
What do I do? just half of two
This love is a joint feeling, and I cannot separate myself from it
If only I knew, what do I do
If only I had a clear answer or solution to this predicament
If there was a time machine I'd jump inside
I wish I could go back in time to avoid feeling this love and its complications
Yeah, that's slow boat for trying not to get me arrived
Trying to disengage from my feelings is a slow, drawn-out process
The options are endless or so we would sing,
The possibilities of what to do with this love are endless, but in reality it is complex and difficult
About forgetting that your now is just livin' a dream
It's easy to get lost in the present moment and forget that reality is not always what it seems
I can't walk it off and I can't lay low
I cannot easily brush off or ignore these feelings
Ain't put on my patsy shoes and pass on where to go
I cannot pretend like everything is okay and simply move on from this situation
In a certain way you know me it feels like the time
You know me well enough to understand how difficult this situation is for me
I think it's the pedestule that I had you on
Perhaps it is the high pedestal that I put you on that makes this love so complicated
Oh if only I knew, what do I do
Once again, I am left wishing for a clear answer or solution to my dilemma
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.