She was born Laura Nigro on 18th October 1947 in the Bronx, New York, of Italian-American and Jewish-American parents. As a child, she taught herself piano, read poetry, and listened to her mother's records by Leontyne Price, Billie Holiday and classical composers such as Ravel and Debussy. She composed her first songs at age eight. While in high school, she sang with a group of friends in subway stations and on street corners.
As a teenager she experimented with using different names, and Nyro was the one she was using at the time. She sold her song "And When I Die" to Peter, Paul and Mary for $5,000, and made her first extended professional appearance in 1966, at age 18, singing at the "hungry i" coffeehouse in San Francisco. Mogull negotiated her a recording contract, and she recorded her debut album, More Than a New Discovery, for the Verve Folkways label. The album provided material for other artists, notably the 5th Dimension.
In 1967, Nyro made only her second major live appearance, at the Monterey Pop Festival. Although some accounts described her performance as a fiasco that culminated in her being booed off the stage,[8] recordings later made public contradict this view.[
Nyro was best known by the general public – and had the most commercial success – as a songwriter rather than a performer. Her best-known songs include "And When I Die" (made a hit by Blood, Sweat & Tears), "Stoney End" (covered by Barbra Streisand), "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Save the Country" (all covered by The 5th Dimension), and "Eli's Coming" (a hit for Three Dog Night). Ironically, Nyro's own best-selling single was "Up on the Roof", a cover of the Carole King-Gerry Goffin hit originally recorded by The Drifters in 1962.
She died on 8th April 1997.
In 2012 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Timer
Laura Nyro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goin down
Ole life line
Walkin down faster
Walkin with the master of Time
My lady woke up
And she broke down
She let go
Take me Timer
Shake me Timer
Timer let it blow
Let it blow
Oh I belong to Timer
He changed my face
You're a fine one Timer
You've got me walkin'
Through the gates of space
I keep rememberin'
Indoors that I used to walk through
Baby I'm not tryin' to talk you down
But I could walk through them doors
Onto a pleasure ground
It was sweet and funny
A pleasure ground
Didn't know about money
Didn't know about Timer
Did not know about Timer
Holdin' to my cradle at the start
But now my hand is open
And now my hand is ready
For my heart
So let the wind blow Timer
I like her song
And if the song goes minor
I won't mind
And Timer knows the lady's gonna love again
Time says the lady rambles never more
If you love me true
I'll spend my life with you
And Timer
You're a jigsaw Timer
God is a jigsaw
Soulin' with
Soulin' with Timer
The lyrics to Laura Nyro's song Timer seem to be a conversation between the singer and "Timer," with "Timer" being a metaphorical representation of time. The lyrics suggest that the singer is walking through their life and that "Timer" is keeping pace with them. Through the lyrics, it seems that the singer is trying to hold on to their past and the things that they used to know and love. However, as they are "walkin' with the master of Time," it becomes clear that time is a force that cannot be held onto or controlled. The lyrics also explore the idea that time changes everything, as evidenced by the line "He changed my face." Though it is not entirely clear what this line means, it implies that time has had a profound effect on the singer's life.
The line "Holdin' to my cradle at the start, but now my hand is open" speaks to the idea that the singer is growing and changing. They are no longer holding onto the things that once comforted them, instead, their hand is open, ready to embrace the future. The phrase "I keep rememberin' Indoors that I used to walk through" hints at a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past. But the lyrics suggest that the singer is ready to move forward as long as "Timer" is with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Uptown
Starting a journey towards success.
Goin down
Going down the stream of life, experiencing change and growth.
Ole life line
Life, with its ups and downs.
Walkin down faster
Moving quickly towards the future.
Walkin with the master of Time
Walking with time, acknowledging its power and influence over life.
My lady woke up
Realizing and coming to terms with the changes in her life.
And she broke down
Breaking down due to the overwhelming emotions.
She got up
Finding the strength to move forward.
She let go
Letting go of the past and embracing the present.
Take me Timer
Asking time to guide her towards the future.
Shake me Timer
Asking time to help her break free from the past.
Timer let it blow
Allowing time to take its course.
Oh I belong to Timer
Acknowledging the power of time over life.
He changed my face
Life's experiences have made her who she is today.
You're a fine one Timer
Acknowledging time's power and beauty.
You've got me walkin'
Acknowledging time's influence over her life.
Through the gates of space
Moving forward towards the future, towards new possibilities.
I keep rememberin'
Looking back on the past.
Indoors that I used to walk through
The past, the places she used to be.
Baby I'm not tryin' to talk you down
Not trying to diminish the past, just moving towards the future.
But I could walk through them doors
Remembering how things used to be.
Onto a pleasure ground
Remembering the good times.
It was sweet and funny
The memories are filled with happiness and humor.
A pleasure ground
The happy times of the past.
Didn't know about money
The past was not driven by material wealth.
Didn't know about Timer
The past did not acknowledge the power of time over life.
Holdin' to my cradle at the start
Holding onto the past when life was simpler.
But now my hand is open
Ready to embrace the future.
And now my hand is ready
Looking forward to what the future holds.
For my heart
Ready to love again and embrace new experiences.
So let the wind blow Timer
Allowing time to bring about changes and growth.
I like her song
Appreciating the present moment.
And if the song goes minor
Acknowledging that life has its setbacks and challenges.
I won't mind
Accepting the setbacks and persevering through them.
And Timer knows the lady's gonna love again
Time will heal and allow her to love again.
Time says the lady rambles never more
The past will not hold her back from moving forward.
If you love me true
If the love is sincere and honest.
I'll spend my life with you
Commitment to a future together.
You're a jigsaw Timer
The intricate and complex nature of time.
God is a jigsaw
Acknowledging the complexity of life and the importance of faith in navigating it.
Soulin' with
Connecting with the deeper spiritual aspects of life.
Soulin' with Timer
Embracing time and its spiritual significance in life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAURA NYRO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind