Following the release of Here, which earned her an appearance on NBC’s “Today Show” among many other accolades, Owen performed the material live in major cities across the U.S., Canada and the UK. Reviewing her at NYC’s great launching pad for singer-songwriters, The Living Room, The New York Times raved that she “has the kind of wailing folk-jazz voice that slices away surfaces to touch vulnerable emotional nerve endings and leave you quivering.”
Preceded wherever she goes by her sterling reputation—Variety effusively describes her as “a charmer and a seducer, a rocker, and a jazz chanteuse”—Owen has recorded and toured with some of the world’s finest contemporary musicians, including k.d. lang, bluesman Keb ‘Mo, saxophonist Tom Scott, Julia Fordham, jazz vocalist Ian Shaw, Quantic and others. Cassandra Wilson calls her “one of the most passionate, mesmerizing, thoroughly creative vocal artists on the scene today.” Jamie Cullum has deemed Owen a “female Randy Newman.”
British folk-rock legend Richard Thompson was so impressed by the songbird that he invited her to perform on his tour, “1000 Years of Popular Music.” Owen’s considerable contributions to this historic jaunt are documented on a collectable 2006 CD and DVD of the event, where she and Thompson perform music dating back to the 13th century, up to contemporary tracks by Julie London, the Beatles and even Britney Spears. Owen has become Thompson’s female foil of choice: Aside from him performing on Happy This Way, Owen is featured on his most recent album, Sweet Warrior, and will join him in more U.S. performances of “1000 Years” this winter, when the show returns to the road.
More about this artist at www.judithowen.net
Here
Judith Owen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make us the people we are
It would be nice to have life easy
But would we have come quite so far
For all my sense & my knowing
I still miss you
I still wish that you were
Here...
But I wish you were still
Here...
Isn't it good to forgive
How things were
Be grateful for what you have now
Thankful to all who have passed thru your life
Who hurt you and showed you how
It makes me angry
Knowing how I miss you...
Here...
I wish you well
But I wish you were still
Here...
And when they're gone
We try to swim against the tide
But you can't move on
Till we stop denying just how much
They touched our lives... Here
Here...
I wish you well
But I wish you were still
Here...
The lyrics of Judith Owen's song "Here" reflect the bittersweet emotions of missing someone who has passed away or moved on. The first verse acknowledges that the difficult experiences in life shape who we are, but the singer expresses a desire for an easier life while recognizing that such a life may not have led to their current level of growth. There is a sense of longing in the line "I still miss you, I still wish that you were Here" that reflects the singer's inability to let go of someone who has left their life (either by choice or death).
The second verse takes a different approach by urging listeners to forgive and be grateful for the people in their lives, even those who have hurt them in the past. The line "It makes me angry knowing how I miss you" reveals the complex mix of emotions that come with missing someone. The chorus repeats the phrase "Here" and expresses the singer's longing for the person they have lost. The final lines of the song acknowledge that we cannot move on until we accept the impact the person had on our lives.
Overall, the song "Here" is a poignant reflection on the human experience of loss and the power of memories. The lyrics suggest that while it may be painful to miss someone, the memories we carry with us can help us move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Isn't it true how the hard things in life
Life is full of trials and hardships that shape us into who we are.
Make us the people we are
Our struggles and challenges make us stronger and shape our character.
It would be nice to have life easy
Although life can be tough, it's natural to wish things were easier.
But would we have come quite so far
However, without the struggles we've faced in life, we may not have made it as far.
For all my sense & my knowing
Despite being rational and knowledgeable, I still miss you.
I still miss you
I feel the absence of someone in my life who was once close to me.
I still wish that you were Here...
I long for the person who is no longer with me and wish they were still here.
I wish you well
I hope that you're doing well in your life.
But I wish you were still Here...
At the same time, I still wish you were here with me.
Isn't it good to forgive
Forgiveness is an important part of the healing process.
How things were
We need to let go of the past and accept how things were.
Be grateful for what you have now
We should be thankful for the present moment and what we have in our lives.
Thankful to all who have passed thru your life
We should be grateful for everyone who has crossed our paths in life, even those who hurt us.
Who hurt you and showed you how
Those who hurt us have also taught us important life lessons.
It makes me angry
The knowledge that someone we loved and lost still hurts us can be frustrating and infuriating.
Knowing how I miss you...
Being aware of how much we miss someone can be overwhelming.
And when they're gone
When someone we love and care for is no longer with us,
We try to swim against the tide
We often struggle to move on and resist the natural flow of life.
But you can't move on
However, we cannot move on until we accept our loss and let go.
Till we stop denying just how much
We must stop denying how significant this person was in our lives.
They touched our lives... Here
The impact this person had on our lives is still present and felt, even when they're gone.
I wish you well
Although I miss you, I still hope that you're doing well.
But I wish you were still Here...
Despite this, I still wish you were here with me.
Contributed by Alaina C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pat
I heard you sing this in person during a Christmas variety show at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia the year my mom died. I sat there sobbing in public, and I'm still crying while listening to it 10 years later. Such a gorgeous song, so beautifully sung.
Mark Cote
Beautiful. Heartfelt & authentic on every level.
Bruce Packard
What a great clip and song
Bill Donaldson
Beautiful...
andre ViaMonte
:) Beautiful Judith !