Grassie's clever songwriting is supported by extensive classical training in both harp and voice. Her interpretations of traditional Scottish harp repertoire earned her first place prizes in five competitions and an invitation to perform at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in 2001. In her youth, she sang with both national and regional ACDA honors choirs in such prestigious venues as Heinz Hall, Symphony Hall, and The National Cathedral.
Her debut, independent EP To An Unwitting Muse, released in June 2005, sold out of its original pressing and helped her cross over onto radio territory, receiving airplay on WXPN, and making the top ten in Q102's "Have a Great Gig" contest. Grassie's approach to the harp, which brings the instrument out of its traditional context and into a brand of indie pop that is both accessible and unusual, has inspired critics to call her "an innovator par excellence." [Ticket Magazine]
Her first full-length effort, Serpentine, was released in October 2007 and has received rave reviews, praised as “an album that belongs on every critic’s best of list not only for the year, but also the decade,” .
In 2009/10 she will be collecting musical and cultural impressions in France, Germany, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. So far (Nov 2009) she's had a busy schedule with concerts and musical collaborations in Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, and other places in Germany.
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Gillian Grassie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Catching clouds with eyelashes
A bee hummed a traveling song.
I rolled over and thought
It's time for a walk
But this one, it might be long
I'll send you my kisses
But now, I really should go.
And you might protest
But me, I can't contest
With wind, she told me so
When she sang:
Sha-ni-nah
Let's say it's all for the best
And toss up what's left
To powers without any name.
We'll have us some fun
'Neath a hot summer sun
Then watch the leaf colors change.
The cold's getting thicker
And people walk quicker
Down streets they don't really know.
With the purposeful geese
My thoughts fill with peace
As we all move towards home.
Will I still know the faces
The smiles in glass cases
Or just my reflected frown?
Persistent winter flurries
Alleviate my worries
They keep on falling down.
They're whispering:
Sha-ni-nah
My heart's feeling lighter
As I pull my scarf tighter
Taking steps back from change,
I'm hearing the sound
Of a circle come round
And the song is the same.
The song is about a person who is taking a walk and enjoying their surroundings. The first stanza evokes a peaceful atmosphere of a beautiful day in the springtime as the person lays down in the soft grass, staring up at the clouds and listening to the buzzing of a bee nearby humming a song. The singer decides to get up for a walk, but the wind tells them that this walk may be longer and more meaningful than they had anticipated. The chorus sings “sha-ni-nah,” which could be interpreted as a non-lexical vocable that is used as a musical or onomatopoeic expression, often meaning nothing specific.
The second stanza talks about how the singer plans to enjoy their life, have fun beneath a hot summer sun and watch the leaves change color in the fall. But as the cold winter sets in and people walk more purposefully down the streets they don't really know, the singer starts to have second thoughts. They wonder if they'll still recognize the faces and smiles they see or if all they'll ever see is a reflection of their own somber face. However, the persistence of winter flurries alleviates their worries.
The song seems to reflect a certain nostalgia, and suggests that the singer might feel like they're at a point in their life where everything is changing too quickly. They long for the past, for what they knew, and for the familiarity of their own circle. However, the end of the song suggests that there's comfort in the idea of the circle coming back around; that everything will be back to where it started, and that there is a sense of reassurance in that.
Line by Line Meaning
While lying down in spring grasses
I was enjoying the beauty of nature surrounded by the greenery and freshness of the spring grasses.
Catching clouds with eyelashes
I felt as if I were trying to touch the moving clouds passing over me by extending my eyelashes.
A bee hummed a traveling song.
I heard a bee making noise as if singing a song and moving from one flower to another.
I rolled over and thought
Suddenly, I moved over and had time to think about something.
It's time for a walk
I realized it was time to stand up and take a walk.
But this one, it might be long
I was aware that this walk might be longer than usual.
I'll send you my kisses
I'm sending you my love and warmth as I leave.
And all my best wishes
My best thoughts and hopes for you are with you.
But now, I really should go.
However, it's time for me to leave and say goodbye.
And you might protest
You may disagree with my decision to leave.
But me, I can't contest
I am not able to argue or contest with the strong pull I feel to continue on.
With wind, she told me so
I know it's time to leave because the signs of the wind are indicating so.
When she sang:
Sha-ni-nah
The signal to move on was a chant that I heard in my head.
Let's say it's all for the best
It's better to believe that everything is happening for good reason.
And toss up what's left
We can throw away all the negative thoughts and embrace the positivity.
To powers without any name.
We can give up the control of our lives to the higher power, which we may not name.
We'll have us some fun
Together, we can have joy and pleasure in the moment.
'Neath a hot summer sun
By the lucky chance of enjoying the summer heat and brightness, let's stay happy.
Then watch the leaf colors change.
Once summer comes to an end, we'll get to see the colors the leaves change to, and this will remind us of the beauty we experienced together.
The cold's getting thicker
As the winter comes, I could feel the cold growing more intense.
And people walk quicker
People seem to be in a hurry to reach their destinations as they walk in the winter.
Down streets they don't really know.
The winter mist could make people drift and lose their way to familiar places.
With the purposeful geese
The geese that are migrating during the winter will give us a sense of direction and aim.
My thoughts fill with peace
I feel my mind gradually calming down and becoming more peaceful.
As we all move towards home.
While we head back home, we can feel connected to the natural progression of life.
Will I still know the faces
When I get back, will I recognize the people and the places?
The smiles in glass cases
or even our best memories, will they still be broadly displayed and felt?
Or just my reflected frown?
Maybe all I will recognize is my own reflection frowning back at me.
Persistent winter flurries
Despite the relentless winter snow, however, I might still persist in trying to stay positive.
Alleviate my worries
The snow makes me worry less by cocooning my way of thinking and giving me peace.
They keep on falling down.
The snow continues, grateful for a never-ending blanket to comfort me.
They're whispering:
Sha-ni-nah
This calming rhythm continues its chant, giving me strength and peace.
My heart's feeling lighter
After feeling weighed down, my heart is beginning to feel light and free.
As I pull my scarf tighter
As I wrap my scarf around me, wanting to be warm, I also feel safer and more secure.
Taking steps back from change
Despite the unknown, I'm slowly coming to accept that some things may need to remain the same.
I'm hearing the sound
At the same time, my ears perk up to the sounds of life and its patterns.
Of a circle come round
It’s coming back to what was familiar, like completing a cycle.
And the song is the same.
And still, the undulating lullaby of nature repeats itself in harmony and service, providing us with hope and continuity.
Contributed by Allison K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
WILLIAM LANE
This guy should be a sit down comedian.
National Ctr for College Students w/ Disabilities
He is!
Tranee Nicole
LMAO PERFECT
CripAyyLmao
Wow good one dude you’re so original
Mary J
Best comment lol
Valentino Giudice
You rule.
Elena Gibbons
His unfocused eyes just really add to the whole energy of someone trying to climb in the window of a car
Hrair Shorr
Kinda looks like Pennywise
Don Jonson
Yes. As a caregiver for someone with cp I must say it's incredibly frustrating when people do this (far more frequent than you would think). I actually had someone honk at me as I was lowering the ramp one time because they wanted to park there. Needless to say I had some choice words for that lazy asshole.
Lolli Swankette
Where we live, we usually see motorcycles/scooters parked in these areas.