Heather Nova is the Bermudian Songwriter who grew up on a boat in the Caribbean and went on to sell over 2 million albums in her 15 year career to date. She has released seven albums and has opened for artists like Van Morrison and Neil Young as well as performed with artists like Sarah McLachlan. She has also had hit records with co-writes featuring artists like ATB (Renegade), and Eskobar (Someone New).Her brother is the Reggae singer Mishka.
By the end of the 1980s, after leaving RISD, Heather moved briefly to New York City (where she unsuccessfully tried to interest some major labels in a demo including Columbia , who rejected her, only to sign her five years later ), before moving to London, England. She has British citizenship due to her Bermudan origin. In 1990, she released her first recording, an EP called 'Heather Frith' — she had not yet changed her name by then. The name change came a year or so later after several gigs in the Netherlands, where, after finding out that the Dutch have trouble pronouncing "Frith," she chose a name that would be easily pronounceable in every European language, "Nova," her Canadian mother's maiden name.
The new name debuted in 1993 with her second EP 'Spirit in You' and her first full album, 'Glow Stars'. The success of the album led her to record and release her first live album, 'Blow', the same year, which she supported by a tour of Europe. A year later in 1994 she released what many consider to be her finest work to date, the emotional yet jagged album 'Oyster', for which she toured for almost two years. Another live album, 'Live from the Milky Way', was released in 1995, and after its release she toured for nearly three years straight, twice joining Sarah McLachlan and others on the North American Lilith Fair, which is a music festival with only female performers. Heather is also a frequent performer at European music festivals such as Roskilde.
In 1998, the long-awaited follow up to 'Oyster' was released. After the release of 'Siren', Heather took a break while various television show and film soundtracks licensed some of her songs and her record company (Sony Records/The WORK Group) released various singles from the album, which received only moderate play on America's MTV2, Europe's MTV and Canada's MuchMusic and on mainstream radio, although she was popular on college radio. Also during this time, she recorded a version of the often covered Billie Holiday song, 'Gloomy Sunday', for the German WWII drama Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod. In 2000, she released yet another live album, called 'Wonderlust'.
Over the years, Heather has written and recorded over a hundred songs, so that her albums are selected from work that has often already been performed live, rather than being conceived during rushed songwriting sessions. Half the songs on 'Siren' had been written during the 'Oyster' sessions and were frequently played live prior to being committed to a studio session, and most of the songs for 2001's 'South' were written between 1999 and 2000 while she was on hiatus from touring. With the release of 'South', she returned to the international spotlight with an appearance on the soundtrack of the John Cusack movie "Serendipity", a couple of music videos, and a collaboration with Swedish band Eskobar, for a song called "Someone New", also released as a video, which proved so popular that it was played primarily on America's MTV, not just MTV2 (which is normally reserved for less-popular songs). 'Storm', Heather's fifth studio album, was released in late 2003 on Big Cat Records, as was 'Redbird', released in 2005.
In 2002, she self-published 'the sorrowjoy', a 72-page book of her poetry and drawings. An album of the same name was released in March 2006, which featured Nova reading the poems from her book set to ambient music. The album has only been available for purchase at concerts beginning with the Intimate Evening tour, from the fan-run websites, HeatherNova.Net and HeatherNova.De, and from the official website, www.heathernova.com.
The album Storm was released in 2003. It was a more refined album, using Mercury Rev as Heather's backing band. The album was Top 5 in Germany and Top 10 across Europe. It was an album of dark ballads, marking a step away from the polished sound of South. It was also Heather's first release on her own record label, Saltwater Records. Despite being pregnant, she toured hard with a new line up and band, before returning home to Bermuda. (A live DVD was made of these concerts (live at the Union Chapel)
Motherland
Heather Nova Lyrics
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The sky above you, safe from everything
Under, under my wing
To watch you breathing is all that I can do
To see you smile, my only wish come true
I'm living, living for you
You take my hand
And through the years and through the fears
I'll be your rock, the motherland
The bond is written, the animal in me
I'd lay my life down, I'd give it happily
I'd give it, I'd give it for you
The waves roll in, I help you swim
You take my hand
And through the years and through the fears
I'll be your rock, the motherland
The lyrics to Heather Nova's song "Motherland" describe a mother's unconditional love for her child. The first two lines suggest that the mother wants to protect her child from any harm or danger that may come their way. The use of the metaphor "under my wing" suggests that the mother wants to provide shelter and comfort for her child. The third line, repeated twice, emphasizes the mother's desire to protect her child.
The next two lines express the mother's joy in seeing her child happy. The repetition of "living" highlights the centrality of the child in the mother's life. The following lines express the mother's commitment to her child's well-being, regardless of the challenges that may arise. The metaphor of "the motherland" suggests a sense of stability and security, but also a connection to a larger community or homeland.
The chorus repeats the idea of the mother's role as protector and supporter, with the imagery of the waves representing the challenges and difficulties that the child may face. The repeated use of "through the years and through the fears" emphasizes the mother's enduring commitment to her child.
Overall, the song is a testament to the powerful bond between a mother and her child. The lyrics express a deep sense of love and devotion, as well as a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of the child's well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could keep you underneath my wing
If I could protect you from harm
The sky above you, safe from everything
I want you to feel safe and secure from all dangers
Under, under my wing
In my loving care
To watch you breathing is all that I can do
I am overwhelmed with love and tenderness when I watch you breathe
To see you smile, my only wish come true
I find ultimate happiness in seeing you smile
I'm living, living for you
My life's purpose is to live for you and your well-being
The waves roll in, I help you swim
I will always be there to support you through tough times and help you navigate life's challenges
You take my hand
I will be your guide and support system
And through the years and through the fears
I will be there for you through all of life's ups and downs
I'll be your rock, the motherland
I will be a solid and dependable foundation for you to rely on in all aspects of life
The bond is written, the animal in me
The connection I have with you is primal and instinctual
I'd lay my life down, I'd give it happily
I would do anything to protect and care for you, even if it meant sacrificing my own life
I'd give it, I'd give it for you
My love and devotion to you know no bounds
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Heather Allison Frith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind