In late 1997 she created a band with the remaining members of Buckley's band called Black Beetle and finished an eponymous album which was never released. This was the first project where she was writing as well as fronting a band. Jeff buckley was her boyfriend at the time he drowned in '97.
According to Songfacts, Wasser took her curious stage name from the fact that she once attended a fancy dress party as an officer of the NYPD.
To Survive
Joan as Police Woman Lyrics
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I'll sing to you, little one
There's no one here
Who means you any harm, little one
I know what it means to be sad
It never goes
So learn to hold it close
'Cause we never know
How much we can take
Before we break
The spell in our haunted house
I've never felt alone
Like I do now, this moment
I don't belong here at all
Must find the spark to go on
Little one 'cause I owe it to us
To tend the fire and fend off fear
The fear in me so near to me
It never goes so learn to let it in
Like the rain 'cause we never know
How much we can take
Before the storm breaks
The storm of our wild design
I've never felt this way
Or maybe I do everyday
What is this gift to be alive
Must find the spark, the spark to survive
In the beginning of Joan as Police Woman's song "To Survive," the singer says, "Sleep now, little one / I'll sing to you, little one / There's no one here / Who means you any harm, little one." The opening lines of the song are both soothing and comforting. Joan speaks to a child, promising them safety and security. She sets up a dichotomy between the world outside and the child's inner world, between the people who talk too much and the child's pure, innocent space. But she reminds them that there is still beauty and goodness in the world.
The lyrics " 'Cause we never know / How much we can take / Before we break / The spell in our haunted house" is evidence of how even when we do not realize it thus, we live in a haunted house full of stories that have been and gone. The idea of being haunted is revisited persistently in the song. In the last two lines of the last verse, she says, "What is this gift to be alive / Must find the spark, the spark to survive," which is a search for the meaning of survival. All in all, the lyrics of "To Survive" tell a tale of how to stay strong in a world that often feels broken.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleep now, little one
Take rest, my dear, and let your worries fade away
I'll sing to you, little one
I'll comfort you with my words and voice
There's no one here
I'll protect you from any danger, my dear
Who means you any harm, little one
You're safe with me and I'll always keep you secure
I know what it means to be sad
I understand the feeling of sadness too well
It never goes
Sadness is a feeling that may linger for a long time
So learn to hold it close
Accept the sadness and use it as a source of strength
As a friend
Accept the sadness as a companion, not an enemy
'Cause we never know
We never truly understand
How much we can take
The extent to which we can bear hardships and pain
Before we break
Before we lose hope or give up
The spell in our haunted house
The ghosts of our past that still haunt us
I've never felt alone
I've never felt this lonely before
Like I do now, this moment
I feel isolated and disconnected from the world
I don't belong here at all
I feel like I don't fit in this world
Must find the spark to go on
I need to find a reason or motivation to keep moving forward
Little one 'cause I owe it to us
I need to continue living for myself and my loved ones
To tend the fire and fend off fear
To nurture the inner flame and overcome fear
The fear in me so near to me
My personal fear is always present and close to me
It never goes so learn to let it in
Learn to accept fear and use it to grow as a person
Like the rain 'cause we never know
Just like how rain can be unpredictable, we don't know what the future holds
How much we can take
We don't know the extent of our own resilience and strength
Before the storm breaks
Before we face a major obstacle or hardship
The storm of our wild design
The challenges that are part of our own unique life journey
I've never felt this way
I've never experienced this sentiment before
Or maybe I do everyday
Perhaps, I feel this way on a day-to-day basis
What is this gift to be alive
What is the nature of the blessing that is life itself
Must find the spark, the spark to survive
I need to look inside myself and find the inner fire to keep living and thriving
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOAN WASSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind