Isobel Campbell (born April 27, 1976) is a Scottish singer, cellist and com… Read Full Bio ↴Isobel Campbell (born April 27, 1976) is a Scottish singer, cellist and composer in the indie and folk genres. As with her former band Belle and Sebastian, she is often labelled as twee pop. Campbell was a member of Belle and Sebastian from their formation in Glasgow in 1996 until 2002, when she departed the band for personal reasons. Isobel played cello with Belle and Sebastian and sang backing vocals. She also took lead vocals on a few songs from the band, and co-wrote their top-20 U.K. single Legal Man.

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.

Time Is Just the Same
Isobel Campbell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just when I think I'm getting closer
Just when I think I understand
Here comes a chaos to surround us
Of all the years without a plan
And to the spaceship from the carthorse
We play along, it's in the game

This time is just the same

They say we're too young to be lazy
And you're not going anywhere
And though I know that you'll act crazy
That doesn't mean I never care
And when you're tired of chasing rainbows
Just look me up and say my name

This time is just the same

With the seasons and the rung(?)
Love is never changing, only time

And I'm not getting any younger
It is still the month of may
And where I'm going days are longer
I'm going to make it there one day
And I am not the same as you are
So wish me luck upon my way

This time is just the same

It's just the same

It's just the same

It's such a shame

It's just the same

It's such a shame

It's just the same

Overall Meaning

In "Time Is Just the Same," Isobel Campbell sings about her attempts to understand the complexities of life, only to be thrown for a loop by unexpected chaos. Despite her efforts to make sense of it all, she ultimately realizes that time marches on, bringing with it the same challenges, joys, and disappointments.

The first verse describes the feeling of getting close to something, only to have it slip away again. The chaos that surrounds us refers to the unpredictability of life and the way it can disrupt even the best-laid plans. The line "to the spaceship from the carthorse" may be a metaphor for the way technology has advanced quickly in recent years, leaving older, more traditional ways of doing things behind.

The second verse switches to the perspective of someone else - perhaps a friend or lover - who is struggling to find their place in the world. The singer acknowledges their partner's wild side but assures them that they still care for them. The line "love is never changing, only time" could be seen as either optimistic or pessimistic - either an assertion that love endures despite the chaos of life, or a reminder that time wears everything down eventually.

In the final verse, the singer looks ahead to the future, acknowledging that she has a long way to go but still determined to get there. She notes that she is different from those around her, but seeks their support nonetheless. The repetition of "it's just the same, it's such a shame" emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of both good and bad experiences.

Line by Line Meaning

Just when I think I'm getting closer
Just when I feel like I'm making progress

Just when I think I understand
Just when I feel like I comprehend

Here comes a chaos to surround us
Suddenly, everything becomes disorderly

Of all the years without a plan
Despite all the time that's gone by aimlessly

And to the spaceship from the carthorse
From one extreme to the other

We play along, it's in the game
We try to keep up, that's how it is

They say we're too young to be lazy
They say we're too immature to be idle

And you're not going anywhere
You're staying put

And though I know that you'll act crazy
Although I know you'll behave erratically

That doesn't mean I never care
It doesn't mean I don't care about you

And when you're tired of chasing rainbows
When you become weary of pursuing unrealistic goals