On an empty NYC subway train circa 1997, Colombian-born, Brooklyn-based sin… Read Full Bio ↴On an empty NYC subway train circa 1997, Colombian-born, Brooklyn-based singer and songster John Wolfington inexplicably decided to switch cars at the 14th Street station. Sitting in the next car, deep into a novel, was Thurston Moore. Coincidentally carrying a tape containing 'Coney Island Freak' — a song that talks about a trip to the freak show and references SY in its lyric — and feeling he had been somehow 'urged' to switch cars, he handed the tape to Thurston, who politely accepted it. Although this encounter ultimately had little to do with the recording of this album, in retrospect it somehow seems like a step along the way.

Cut to the summer of '99, when John blindly sent a 5 song demo to Two Dollar Guitar majordomo Tim Foljahn. Floored by the quality of the songs and the sparse, intimate production — most of the material had been recorded in Wolfington's bathroom, using simple drum machine patterns or brushes on a live drum — Tim passed the tape on to Steve Shelley, and the two of them agreed to work with John on recording his self-titled debut.

Sessions took place over the next six months, primarily at Brooklyn's Rare Book Room with engineer Nicolas Vernhes. Steve and Tim play on over half the songs, with the rest sporting simple drum loops and Wolfington's sweltering croon and lithe, ethereal, instrumental work on drums, piano, Moog, bass, and Dr. Rhythm. The album is rounded out by some of the original bathroom recordings.

Grace
John Wolfington Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Light shines through an empty glass
the minutes move to meet the past
and everything is in its place
I dream of you beneath the stars
too many days we've been apart
and here you are
you're full of grace

no one no no one can tell me there's someone like you
you wanted it all and now you lost your way
you wanted it all

no time to hear the news the things they say are of no use to you and I they do not care

no no no one can tell me there's someone like you
you wanted it all and now you lost your way

you wanted it all

you wanted it all and now you've lost you way
you wanted it all

Overall Meaning

In John Wolfington's song Grace, the lyrics convey a sense of longing and reminiscing about a past love. In the first verse, the image of light shining through an empty glass represents the singer's feeling of emptiness and sadness without their love. The minutes moving to meet the past suggest that time is passing, but the singer is still stuck in the past, thinking of their love. Despite this, there is a sense that everything is in its place, as if the singer accepts the situation and is resigned to their feelings. They dream of their love beneath the stars, suggesting that their love was once beautiful and magical. The line "you're full of grace" seems to describe the love interest's character and personality, perhaps indicating that they were kind and forgiving.

In the chorus, the singer seems to be addressing the love interest directly, saying that nobody could ever compare to them. They wanted it all, perhaps meaning that they had big dreams and ambitions, but somehow, they lost their way. The repetition of the line "you wanted it all" adds emphasis to this idea, suggesting that it's an important factor in why things didn't work out between them. The second verse suggests that the singer doesn't have time for the opinions of others; they only care about their love interest. The repetition of the phrase "no no no one can tell me" reinforces the idea that the singer is fiercely protective of their feelings and their love.

Overall, the lyrics of John Wolfington's Grace convey a sense of longing, sadness, and nostalgia for a past love that was once full of promise and hope. There is a sense of acceptance and resignation, but also a sense that the singer cannot let go of their feelings for their love interest.

Line by Line Meaning

Light shines through an empty glass
Despite feeling empty or lacking, there is still light and hope within us.

The minutes move to meet the past
Time never stops and we cannot change the past, but we can learn from our experiences.

And everything is in its place
Even when life is chaotic or challenging, everything is happening as it should.

I dream of you beneath the stars
Even when apart from loved ones, we can find solace and comfort in our dreams and memories.

Too many days we've been apart
Being separated from loved ones can be difficult and painful.

And here you are
The presence of loved ones can bring us peace and joy.

You're full of grace
Loved ones have a special quality that brings beauty and peace into our lives.

No one no no one can tell me there's someone like you
You are unique and irreplaceable in my life.

You wanted it all and now you lost your way
Sometimes our desires and ambitions can lead us astray from what truly matters.

No time to hear the news the things they say are of no use to you and I they do not care
It's important to focus on what truly matters and filter out the noise and distractions in life.

You wanted it all
We all have desires and ambitions, but it's important to keep them in perspective.

You wanted it all and now you've lost you way
When we lose sight of what truly matters, we can become lost and confused.

You wanted it all
Our desires and ambitions can be both a source of motivation and a potential pitfall.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: John Wolfington

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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