Phillips spent his formative years in Stockton, CA, where he founded a band called Bloody Holly, but prior to his 20th birthday Phillips headed to Los Angeles to study film, and he quickly found himself beneath the spell cast by local bands as the Rain Parade and Dream Syndicate. Phillips soon joined with Stockton acquaintance Jeff Clark to form Shiva Burlesque. The band dissolved after two critically acclaimed records, and Phillips soon began writing and demo-ing using the Grant Lee Buffalo alias.
Following some solo dates, Phillips invited former bandmates Joey Peters and Paul Kimble to join him, and the trio signed to Warner subsidiary Slash in 1992. Phillips' golden, honey-soaked voice went largely to waste in Shiva Burlesque, but the new band enabled him to step out as a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. GLB went on to release four very different LPs, consistent in excellence. A cult following, successful tours, and across-the-board critical acclaim (he was voted Rolling Stone's Male Vocalist of the Year following their second LP) didn't translate into sales, however. Frustrated with his label's dead-on-arrival promotion, Phillips asked for his band to be released from their contract, and he was obliged. (It was erroneously reported that GLB had been dropped.) Phillips dissolved his band, anxious to forge a new path.
In October of 1999, he headed to Jon Brion's studio and recorded a handful of new songs, played exclusively by himself. Dubbed Ladies' Love Oracle, it was self-released the following year online and at his numerous appearances at Largo in Hollywood. After landing a deal with Zoe/Rounder, Phillips issued the excellent Mobilize in 2001. The next year, Rounder reissued Ladies' Love Oracle in time for Phillips' joint tour with Kristin Hersh and Joe Doe. In 2004, he released Virginia Creeper, followed by an album of covers (Nineteeneighties) in 2006. Strangelet appeared in 2007 on Rounder Records, followed by Little Moon (2009), and Walking in the Green Corn (2012) .
Discography
Ladies Love Oracle (2000)
Mobilize (2001)
Virginia Creeper (2004)
Nineteeneighties (2006)
Strangelet (2007)
Little Moon (2009)
Walking in the Green Corn (2012)
Return To Love
Grant-Lee Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There will come a day when you return to love
Love, love, love, love, love, love
Souls tear away, swallowed by oceans
Underneath the waves you return to love
Love, love, love, love, love, love
The infinite moment, the warmth of the heart
Love, love, love, love, love, love
The lyrics of Grant-Lee Phillips's song “Return to Love” describe a journey of the human soul towards the ultimate destination of love. The sun symbolizes the day-to-day struggles and challenges that we encounter as humans, and the starlight bursting signifies moments of wonder that interrupt our mundane existence. The day when we finally return to love indicates a moment of clarity when we realize that no other goal could give us the same fulfillment as love. It's an invitation to look beyond the temporary and embrace a bigger picture.
The second verse speaks of souls being swallowed by oceans, representing the turmoil and uncertainties of life. But amidst the chaos, the only thing that remains constant is love, beckoning us towards its eternal existence. The chorus of "love, love, love" is a simple yet powerful reminder of the song's central message. It's not just about romantic love, but the all-encompassing force that underlies everything we do as humans.
The song's lyrical theme is emphasized by the haunting music, which swells and crashes like the tide, creating a sense of movement and urgency. It's a beautiful, evocative portrait of the human journey towards love, reminding us that despite everything, love is always within reach.
Line by Line Meaning
Suns burn away, starlight exploding
The passing of time is often bittersweet, like watching the suns burn away and starlight exploding.
There will come a day when you return to love
Despite life's ups and downs, there will always be a moment when love finds you again.
Love, love, love, love, love, love
Love is the overarching theme and message of the song.
Souls tear away, swallowed by oceans
Death is a natural part of life, and the idea that souls are swallowed by oceans brings to mind the concept of returning to the earth.
Underneath the waves you return to love
Even after one has passed away, the memory of love remains and endures.
Return to the open, return to the stars
Returning to love requires being open to new experiences and receiving the energy of the universe, symbolized by the stars.
The infinite moment, the warmth of the heart
Love is boundless, infinite, and brings a sense of warmth and comfort to the heart.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRANT LEE PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind