Born in Oakdale, New York on Long Island, Monheit began singing professionally while attending Connetquot High School. At 17, she began studying at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City under the tutelage of Peter Eldridge. At the age of 20, as a senior, she won the first runner-up prize at the 1998 Thelonious Monk Institute Vocal Competition. In 1999, she received her Bachelor's degree in music.
Monheit's voice has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald, whom she lists as one of her influences. Songs she has recorded range from jazz standards to MGM/RKO musicals of the 1930s-1950s and Brazilian rhythms such as "Começar de novo".
Monheit released her debut album, Never Never Land in October 2000 and it became an instant success. This was followed shortly by her second album, Come Dream With Me (May 2001) and her third, In The Sun (October 2002).
Her fourth album, Live at the Rainbow Room, was released in December 2003. A similarly-titled DVD was released to complement the CD.
Her fifth album, Taking a Chance on Love, was released in September 2004. It debuted at the #1 spot on Billboard's traditional jazz chart and entered Billboard's top 100 pop chart the first week it was released. The album included the song Over the Rainbow, which had been included in her previous release recorded at the Rainbow Room, and also in the soundtrack for the film, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
The Taking a Chance on Love DVD was released in March 2005 and contains performances from the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales, UK. Monheit released her sixth album, The Season, in October 2005. Her first holiday-themed album, it debuted in the top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart. Monheit told jazzreview.com that it was inspired by Ella Fitzgerald's holiday album, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.
The singer recently signed a recording contract with Concord Records. Her most recent album, Surrender, debuted at #1 on Billboard's jazz chart.
Waters of March
Jane Monheit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Words and music by: Antonio Carlos Jobim
A stick, a stone
It's the end of the road
It's the rest of a stump
It's a little alone.
It's a sliver of glass
It is night, it is death
It's a trap, it's a gun.
The oak when it blooms,
A fox in the brush
A knot in the wood
The song of a thrush
The wood of the wind
The cliff, a fall
A scratch, a lump
It is nothing at all.
It's the wind blowing free
It's the end of the slope
It's a beam, it's a void
It's a hunch, it's a hope
And the riverbank talks
Of the waters of March;
It's the end of the strain
It's the joy in your heart.
The foot, the ground
The flesh and the bone
The beat of the road
A slingshot stone
A fish, a flash
A silvery glow.
A fight, a bet
The range of a bow.
The bed of the well,
The end of the line,
The dismay in the face.
It's a loss, it's a find.
A spear, a spike
A point, a nail,
A drip, a drop
The end of the tale.
A truckload of bricks
In the soft morning light,
It's the shot of the gun
In the dead of the night.
A mile, a must
A thrust, a bump
It's a girl, it's a rhyme
It's a cold, it's the mumps.
The plan of the house.
The body in bed.
And the car that got stuck.
It's the mud, it's the mud.
A float, a drift
A flight, a wing
A hawk, a quail
The promise of spring
And the riverbank talks
Of the waters of March
It's the joy in your heart
It's the joy in your heart.
A snake, a stick
It is John, it is Joe
It's a thorn in your hand
Or a cut on your toe,
A point, a grain
A bee, a bite
A blink, a buzzard
A sudden stroke of night.
A pin, a needle
A sting, a pain
A snail, a wasp
A riddle, a stain.
A pass in the moutains
A horse and a mule,
In the distance the shelves
Grow three shadows of blue.
And the riverbank talks
Of the waters of March
It's the promise of life
In your heart, in your heart.
A stick, a stone,
The end of the load,
The rest of the stump,
A lonesome road.
A sliver of glass,
A life, the sun,
A night, the death,
The end of the run.
And the riverbank talks
Of the waters of March,
It's the end of all strain,
It's the joy in your heart.
It's the joy in your heart.
It's the joy in your heart.
It's the joy in your heart.
The song "Waters of March" by Antonio Carlos Jobim is a masterpiece filled with layers of metaphors that describe life and all its beauty and impermanence. The song starts with the imagery of mundane objects such as a stick, a stone, a stump, and a sliver of glass, and then moves to more evocative images like the oak in bloom, the song of a thrush, and the wood of the wind. The song also acknowledges the harsher realities of life with images of death, a trap, and a gun. What is remarkable is that even in these harsh images, the song offers hope with the imagery of a hunch and a hope.
Line by Line Meaning
A stick, a stone
Simple and small objects that may seem insignificant or useless, but could still hold some meaning or purpose
It's the end of the road
The conclusion of a journey, where no more progress can be made
It's the rest of a stump
The remains of a tree that has been cut down, comparable to what's left when something has been taken away
It's a little alone
A state of being isolated or independent, however it may still be significant
It's a sliver of glass
A tiny fragment of something that can still have a big impact, capable of causing harm if not handled properly
It is life, it's the sun
A duality of life and death, represented by the constant existence of the sun
It is night, it is death
The darkness of night can signify the end of a period of time, such as a life or a journey
It's a trap, it's a gun
Objects that have the potential to cause harm or be used maliciously
The oak when it blooms
The beauty and fragility of nature, showing that even the strongest things can be vulnerable
A fox in the brush
The wildlife around us, that can be both fascinating and dangerous
A knot in the wood
The imperfections and idiosyncrasies of life, which make each person and moment unique
The song of a thrush
The natural music all around us, creating soundscapes that can be both calming and exhilarating
The wood of the wind
The feeling of the wind through trees, reminding us of the physical world and natural forces we cannot control
The cliff, a fall
The fear of falling or failing, connected to our own mortality and vulnerability
A scratch, a lump
Small injuries that can cause pain, however insignificant they may seem
It is nothing at all
The possibility that some things may have no meaning or significance at all, but may still play a part in a larger narrative
It's the wind blowing free
The feeling of freedom and unencumbered movement, often associated with power and nature
It's the end of the slope
The conclusion of a period of transition, where change has occurred, and the future is uncertain
It's a beam, it's a void
The contrast between solidity and emptiness, suggesting that what seems to be present may not always be and what is absent can sometimes be filled
It's a hunch, it's a hope
An intuitive feeling that something will happen or a wishful expectation for the future
And the riverbank talks of the waters of March
The constant ebb and flow of life, often compared to the changing tides of a river
It's the end of the strain
The conflict and pressure of a challenging situation has ceased
It's the joy in your heart
The sense of happiness and satisfaction we experience when we overcome challenges and succeed
The foot, the ground
The connection between oneself and the earth. The feet represent the physical body, and the ground represents the spiritual essence of life
The flesh and the bone
The physical aspects of a human being, which nonetheless can contain a spiritual nature
The beat of the road
The rhythm of life and the constant motion forward
A slingshot stone
An object that can be a tool for destruction or protection, depending on how it is used
A fish, a flash
The transience and fleeting nature of life, captured in the delicate balance of an ecosystem
A silvery glow
The reflections of light give birth to hope and optimism
A fight, a bet
Risk-taking and competition that can result in opportunities or losses
The range of a bow.
The skill of an archer and the art of aiming for targets that are far away
The bed of the well,
The underlying structure and foundation of something that gives support to its growth
The end of the line,
When there is nowhere left to go, and options have been exhausted
The dismay in the face.
The expression of disappointment or shock that comes with an unexpected outcome
It's a loss, it's a find.
The trade-off between negative and positive experiences. Loss can lead to discovery and finding things can lead to losing others.
A spear, a spike
Weapons that can be used to both protect and injure
A point, a nail,
The sharpness of everyday objects can cause pain or help to fix things
A drip, a drop
Small amounts of liquid that eventually build up and become something larger, like a full glass or a flood
The end of the tale.
The conclusion of a story, where all loose ends have been tied up
A truckload of bricks
The weight and burden of carrying responsibilities or obligations
In the soft morning light,
The possibility of a new start or a new day that offers hope and possibility
It's the shot of the gun
The abrupt and sudden end to something
In the dead of the night.
The eerie sense of isolation and stillness that can be felt when most people are asleep
A mile, a must
Long distances that block our path and must be overcome
A thrust, a bump
Sharp impacts that can be felt physically or emotionally
It's a girl, it's a rhyme
Simple pleasures that can bring a smile to our lips or lift our spirits
It's a cold, it's the mumps.
Painful and undesirable illnesses that can come with little warning or reason
The plan of the house.
The interior layout and design of one's home, can reflect the intricacies and details of one's life
The body in bed.
The intimate and private aspects of a person's life, especially when they are in a vulnerable state
And the car that got stuck.
Obstacles and setbacks that need to be overcome before progress can be made
It's the mud, it's the mud.
The dirty reality of the physical world, requiring careful navigation
A float, a drift
The sensation of water, primarily the ocean, which can offer both peace and danger depending on the situation
A flight, a wing
The sense of awe and wonder that can come with observing and appreciating the natural world
A hawk, a quail
The balance between predator and prey, and the delicate balance of nature that interconnects all animals
The promise of spring
Hope for the future, new beginnings, and positive change
Of the waters of March
The ongoing journey of life, with all its ups and downs
It's the joy in your heart
The happiness that comes with experiencing the beauty of nature and life
A snake, a stick
Symbols of danger and protection, the serpent is both a powerful evil in some cultures and a healer in others.
It is John, it is Joe
Names that stand-in for individuals, representing the uniqueness and importance of each person
It's a thorn in your hand
The pain that comes from life's small irritants, but also how they remind us of the beauty and frailty of nature
Or a cut on your toe,
Injuries and accidents that can be painful but also mark a unique part of one's journey
A point, a grain,
The symbolism of the small things, representing the potential for growth and change
A bee, a bite
The natural instincts and threats all around us, needing to be respected but not feared
A blink, a buzzard
The simple movements of nature that can cause a chain reaction, like a bird hunting its prey
A sudden stroke of night.
The abrupt and unexpected ending of something, often linked to the darkness of night
A pin, a needle
Small instruments that can be used for constructive or destructive purposes
A sting, a pain
Starting small and seemingly insignificant, but can grow into something much more significant
A snail, a wasp
Natural species that can bring comfort or harm depending on the circumstances
A riddle, a stain.
The hidden meaning of things, or the memory of something that has happened
A pass in the mountains
Natural barriers that can be difficult or insurmountable to overcome
A horse and a mule,
Symbols of transportation and movement, capable of exploring and accessing new areas
In the distance the shelves
The beauty and mystery of landscapes far away, and the potential for discovery and wonder therein
Grow three shadows of blue.
The colors of the horizon and the sky changing, showing the transformative power of nature on the world around us
It's the promise of life
The expectation of new and exciting opportunities, and the potential for growth and improvement
In your heart, in your heart.
The hope and optimism that can come from within, even in the darkest of times
The end of all strain,
The resolution and conclusion of all difficult times and conflicts
It's the joy in your heart
The happiness and contentment that come from a sense of completion and satisfaction
Contributed by Matthew O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.