Where McKeown cites The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as an influence on her music, the Philadelphia Weekly recently described McKeown's music, saying:
"More singer-songwriters should follow the lead of Erin McKeown, the kooky songbird who's proved both playful and daring throughout her career. With a lilting delivery and chameleonic instrumentation, she even slipped into French for "Coucou", a gem off her unlikely standards album Sing You Sinners. But with McKeown, is anything really unlikely?"
McKeown's latest record, Hundreds of Lions, was released under Righteous Babe Records on October 13, 2009. Additionally, "CabinFever", a series of web concerts recorded in 2009 are available at McKeown's website.
McKeown began her career in the folk scene. She released her first album, Monday Morning Cold, on her own label (TVP Records), travelling throughout New England while still a student at Brown University in order to promote the record. Although she had begun studying ornithology, she graduated from Brown with a degree in ethnomusicology.
Earlier works include the roots and folk-orientated Distillation (2000), mainly pop and swing-orientated Grand (2003), We Will Become Like Birds (rock and pop, 2005) and the jazz and swing-orientated Sing You Sinners (2006, USA: 2007)
Considering she's praised for vivid and entertaining live shows, Erin McKeown released several live records such as an EP featuring live performances on KCRW Radio in 2006 and live recordings from Sirius FM by the end of 2009.
Something's Gotta Give
Erin McKeown Lyrics
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Meets an old immovable object like me
You can bet just as sure as you live
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Warms an old implacable heart such as mine
Don't say no because I insist
Somewhere, somehow
Someone's gotta be kissed
So, en garde, who knows what the fates might have in store
From their vast mysterious sky
I'll try hard ignorin' those lips that I adore
But how long can anyone try?
Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight it with all of our might
Chances are some heavenly star-spangled night
We'll find out just as sure as we live
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Fight, fight, fight it with all of your might
Chances are that some heavenly star-spangled night
We'll find out just as sure as we live
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Aw, let's tear it up
The lyrics to Erin McKeown's "Something's Gotta Give" explore the tension between two opposing forces - an irresistible force and an immovable object. The singer acknowledges that when two such forces collide, something has to give. Likewise, when an irrepressible smile warms an old, implacable heart, the singer insists that someone has to be kissed. The song is about the inevitability of change and the struggle to resist the pull of desire and the push of resistance.
The lyrics are a metaphor for the universal experience of collision - of wanting something intensely but being held back by the constraints of the past or the present. It's about the struggle that we all face when we try to resist the magnetic pull of something that we know isn't good for us, or isn't right for us, even while acknowledging that we're powerless to resist. The song explores the struggle to reconcile two opposing forces, and the possibility that, eventually, something's gotta give.
The song is full of tension, as the singer acknowledges the difficulty of the situation and grapples with the uncertainty of what the future may hold. The lyrics are a testament to the human experience of trying to hold onto what we know, even as we're swept up in the tides of change.
Line by Line Meaning
When an irresistible force such as you
When someone as charming as you enters my life
Meets an old immovable object like me
A person like me who has lived with certain ways and principles for a long time
You can bet just as sure as you live
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
There will be sparks flying between us and something in our lives is going to change
When an irrepressible smile such as yours
When your smile, full of joy and energy, catches my attention
Warms an old implacable heart such as mine
When your smile softens my tough, unyielding heart
Don't say no because I insist
Please don't refuse me because I can't help my feelings
Somewhere, somehow
Someone's gotta be kissed
One of us needs to take the first step towards expressing our love for each other
So, en garde, who knows what the fates might have in store
Let's start this battle and see what destiny has planned for us
From their vast mysterious sky
From the unknown realm of fate
I'll try hard ignorin' those lips that I adore
But how long can anyone try?
I will try hard to resist my attraction to you, but it will be difficult
Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight it with all of our might
Chances are some heavenly star-spangled night
We'll find out just as sure as we live
Let's fight our feelings with all our strength and see if the stars align in our favor
Fight, fight, fight it with all of your might
Chances are that some heavenly star-spangled night
We'll find out just as sure as we live
Let's both fight our feelings with all our might and hope that someday our love will be realized
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
Something's gotta give
We can't keep ignoring our attraction to each other, something has to change
Aw, let's tear it up
Let's take a chance and see where our love takes us
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind