In 2006 Isobel released a collaborative LP (Ballad of the Broken Seas) with former Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age singer Mark Lanegan, a mixture of folk and more rock-orientated music. October 2006 also saw the release of her latest album, Milkwhite Sheets, a more acoustic folk album, consisting of a mixture of traditional songs alonside Isobel's own compositions.
Isobel's band The Gentle Waves released its first album on Jeepster Records, titled The Green Fields of Foreverland, in 1999. The second Gentle Waves record, Swansong For You came out one year later. In 2002, she collaborated with Scottish jazz musician Bill Wells on a collection of Billie Holliday songs, released by Creeping Bent.
In 2003 Campbell released Amorino, the first solo album under her own name, to very good reviews. Bill Wells was featured here again, along with other jazz musicians.
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan form a unique combination of gruff vocals and dulcet voices. They have released three albums so far: Ballad of the Broken Seas, which received a nomination in the 2006 Mercury Awards, Sunday at Devil Dirt, which was released in May 2008. The album received US release in Fall 2008. And finally their third album Hawk was released in August 2010.
There Is No Greater Gold
Isobel Campbell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love was so disappointing
I was waiting for a sign
I was looking for some company
So I took a walk outside
What a lucky day
I saw the devil waiting for me
He'd been walking through the earth
Swinging to and fro and down in it
As I turned to walk away
That's when I saw your face
Love, there is nothing better than this
Love, think of all the chances we miss
See the people walking by
With their mobile and computer eyes
If they'd just afford the time
There is no greater gold
Love, I don't think I'll see you again
It isn't easy you say we're friends
When you opened up your heart
Just enough to make me see again
When you stopped to take my hand
It was meant this way
It was meant this way
The lyrics of Isobel Campbell's song There Is No Greater Gold express a journey from a point of disillusionment with love to an unexpected discovery of its true value. The opening lines reveal that the singer was once a stranger to love and found it disappointing. However, she was still in search of company and took a walk outside. The song takes a twist as the singer encounters the devil, who seems to be materialistic, possessing bullets and green paper. As the singer turns to walk away, she sees the face of her loved one. This sudden encounter with love is presented by the singer as a lucky day.
The chorus of the song seems to be a reflection on the true value of love. The singer sings that there is nothing better than love and that people miss chances to experience this pure feeling. She observes people walking by with their eyes fixed on their mobile devices and computers, implying that they often fail to afford the time to appreciate the value of love. The last verse of the song confirms that the encounter with her loved one was meant to be. The singer acknowledges that love is not always easy, but she was happy that her loved one opened up her heart enough to make her see again.
In conclusion, Isobel Campbell's There Is No Greater Gold is a fascinating song that explores the theme of love's true value. The lyrics are carefully crafted to take the listener on a journey from disillusionment to a sudden realization of the worth of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Love used to be a stranger to me
Before meeting you, I was unfamiliar with love
Love was so disappointing
My previous experiences with love have been letdowns
I was waiting for a sign
I was hoping for a signal to guide me towards love
I was looking for some company
I was seeking companionship and affection
So I took a walk outside
I decided to go for a stroll outdoors
What a lucky day
It was fortunate that I happened to come across something special on that walk
I saw the devil waiting for me
I came across something evil and sinister
He'd bullets and green paper
The devil had materialistic things to offer me
He'd been walking through the earth
The devil had been wandering around the earth
Swinging to and fro and down in it
He was moving back and forth and deep within the earth
As I turned to walk away
I decided to leave the devil behind
That's when I saw your face
It was then that I encountered your presence
Love, there is nothing better than this
Being with you is the greatest feeling I've ever known
Love, think of all the chances we miss
We often fail to recognize the beauty of love that surrounds us
See the people walking by
I observe strangers passing by
With their mobile and computer eyes
People are often glued to their technological devices
If they'd just afford the time
If only they would take the time
There is no greater gold
There is no greater treasure than love
Love, I don't think I'll see you again
I don't anticipate seeing you again
It isn't easy you say we're friends
You claim that maintaining a friendship is difficult
When you opened up your heart
When you allowed yourself to be vulnerable
Just enough to make me see again
You showed me the beauty of love once more
When you stopped to take my hand
When you showed me affection and comfort
It was meant this way
Our connection was destined and fated
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ISOBEL CAMPBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind