Kate left a secure career with a Nashville university to pursue music full-time. Her 1994 debut album "Songs From The Levee" was re-released in 2004. Her latest album "1000 Pound Machine" was released in 2012.
Lay Back the Darkness
Kate Campbell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have i stood by the river
And could not see
To the other side
Hoping like moses
The clouds would be lifted
Stretch out my hand
The waters divide
Lay back the darkness
Let in the light
Take all the wrongs
Make them all right
And if i could
Lay down these blues
For good
For so long i'm standing
Alone at the crossroad
Praying for someone
To give me a ride
Watching as slowly
Shadows come crawling
But nobody knows me
They all pass me by
We're all born to trouble
In troubling times
This world has a way
Of wearing us down
But the earth keeps on turning
Night turns to day
And every new morning
Mercies come round
The song Lay Back the Darkness by Kate Campbell is one of hope and faith. The opening lines, "How many times have I stood by the river and could not see to the other side," create an atmosphere of uncertainty and confusion. The singer is hoping for a miracle just like Moses did when he stretched out his hand and divided the waters of the Red Sea. The mood is melancholic as the singer's plaintive voice expresses the feeling of being lost and disconnected.
The chorus of the song, "Lay back the darkness, let in the light, take all the wrongs, make them all right," is a prayer for redemption and salvation. The singer is hoping for a light to guide her through the darkness and a way out of her predicament. The line "And if I could lay down these blues for good" expresses the desire to be free of the pain and suffering that she is experiencing.
The second verse describes the singer's experience of standing alone at the crossroad, hoping for someone to give her a ride. The shadows on the ground symbolize her inner demons and struggles, which nobody seems to notice. The verse ends with the poignant line, "But nobody knows me, they all pass me by." The final verse offers a message of hope and resilience. The singer acknowledges that life is full of troubles, but the earth keeps turning, and every new morning brings a new mercy. The song ends with the chorus, which is repeated several times for emphasis.
Line by Line Meaning
How many times
Reflecting on the multiple times the singer has been by the river of life, unable to see beyond it.
Have I stood by the river
Have been in despair and seen myself alone in life.
And could not see
And feeling like I am unable to see way forward.
To the other side
To find a way out of these problems.
Hoping like Moses
Looking up to God for intervention, like Moses did the same-pool of water on his way to Egypt.
The clouds would be lifted
The path ahead would be cleared to show the way.
Stretch out my hand
To ask for Divine intervention.
The waters divide
The path would be cleared.
Lay back the darkness
Asking for darkness and gloom to be removed.
Let in the light
Let in hope and better days.
Take all the wrongs
Take away all the things that are going wrong.
Make them all right
Settle everything in the lightness of hope and peace.
And if I could
A wish to have the power to counter my problems.
Lay down these blues
Cast off the sadness I am feeling.
For good
For a more satisfying life.
For so long I'm standing
There was a long period of waiting for solutions to life.
Alone at the crossroad
With no one around to help or support me.
Praying for someone
Hoping for help from anyone who would show love and kindness.
To give me a ride
To offer emotional or material support so I don't feel abandoned.
Watching as slowly
Feeling like I am the passive spectator of my own life.
Shadows come crawling
Succumbing to a sense of gloom and hopelessness dominant in life.
But nobody knows me
Even when surrounded by people, I feel like nobody truly understands the depth of my struggles.
They all pass me by
People acknowledge my struggle, but then forget about me and move on with their own life.
We're all born to trouble
Life is difficult for everyone; it is filled with pain, struggle, and loss.
In troubling times
In the midst of struggling times.
This world has a way
The nature of our world leads us to struggle and experience pain.
Of wearing us down
repeated experience of trouble can weaken us to the point we succumb to it more often.
But the earth keeps on turning
Life continues even when we feel like the opposite is true; time never stops.
Night turns to day
Suffering is not permanent and can be replaced with joy.
And every new morning
Every morning, we wake up to a brand new day that offers hope and possibilities.
Mercies come round
Grace, compassion, and forgiveness come around every day, and we can tap into them to facilitate the change we desire.
Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.