Veirs was raised in Colorado, studied geology and Mandarin Chinese at Carleton College, worked as a translator for a geological expedition in China, and now lives in Portland, Oregon. Veirs has said that she didn't seriously listen to music until she was in her 20s; instead, she just heard what was in her environment. She listened to folk / country / classical / pop, around the house & on the radio, during her youth.
Attending Carleton College in rural Minnesota, Veirs latched onto feminist punk rock from the Pacific Northwest, eventually starting an all-female punk band called "Rair Kx!". Veirs studied geology and Mandarin Chinese. After college, she embraced older country and folk music. Her first foray into songwriting started with a geological expedition in China, where she served as translator. She was miserable and immersed herself into writing lyrics as a way of coping.
She put out her own self-titled album Laura Veirs, recorded live and featuring just her and guitar, in 1999. She has since made five highly acclaimed records with producer Tucker Martine. 2003 saw the release of Troubled by the Fire, a full-band effort that found the artist sharing the studio with such luminaries as Bill Frisell and violist Eyvind Kang. She signed to Nonesuch Records the following year with the atmospheric follow-up Carbon Glacier. Year of Meteors followed in August of 2005. She collaborated with The Decemberists on "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)", from their 2006 album The Crane Wife. Her sixth record, Saltbreakers, was released worldwide on Nonesuch Records in April 2007. Her seventh album July Flame was released in January 2010.
In November 2011, Veirs released the album Tumble Bee: Laura Veirs Sings Folk Songs For Children. The album presents mostly traditional songs, and features an array of guest musicians, including Colin Meloy, Jim James, and Bela Fleck. The album won a Parents' Choice Award in 2012.
In September 2012 her first feature film soundtrack was released: Hello I Must Be Going.
Veirs tours frequently in Europe, the US and Australia both solo and with her backing band Saltbreakers, consisting of Karl Blau on bass, guitar, and backing vocals, keyboardist Steve Moore, and Tucker Martine on drums.
Nightingale
Laura Veirs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though it's blacker than the bog
Nightingale sing to me
I need to hear your song
Nightingale come
And perch upon my tree
A terrifying light's
I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Till the nightingale came
And sang a song for me
She'll sing above the blasts
And the clothing singed by fire
She'll sing above the black smoke
Rising from the funeral pyre
Her heart a field in bloom
Her heart a sacred snow
Her heart a mirror blinding
All the greedy as they go
I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Till the nightingale came
And sang a song for me
I cannot help but want
To sodder all the parts
Sodder back together
All the shattered hearts
Nightingale come
And perch upon my tree
The terrifying night's
Been crashing over me
I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Till the nightingale came
And sang a song for me
I would not bear to rest
I would not dare to dream
Till the Nightingale came
And sang a song for me
Laura Veirs's song Nightingale is a beautiful and haunting tune about finding solace during times of fear and uncertainty. The song begins with a plea to the nightingale, even in the midst of darkness, to sing her song. The singer needs to hear her song to find comfort and hope. The nightingale is then asked to come and perch upon a tree, as a "terrifying light" is flashing. The nightingale is seen as a source of safety, a guide in the midst of confusion and despair.
Throughout the song, the nightingale is described as a powerful, almost mystical creature that can sing above "the blasts" and "the black smoke rising from the funeral pyre." Her heart is a "field in bloom," "a sacred snow," and a "mirror blinding all the greedy as they go." Her song has the ability to heal shattered hearts and bring hope to those who are struggling to find peace. The nightingale's song is seen as a transformative power that can transcend even the most difficult of circumstances.
Overall, Nightingale is a beautiful and deeply moving song, with lyrics that are full of hope and comfort. It speaks to the power of music and the human need for connection and healing, especially in times of darkness and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Nightingale sing
The singer is calling out to the nightingale to sing.
Though it's blacker than the bog
Even though everything is dark and gloomy.
Nightingale sing to me
The singer wants the nightingale to sing for her.
I need to hear your song
The singer is feeling helpless and worried and needs some comfort from the nightingale's song.
Nightingale come
The singer is again calling out to the nightingale to come to her.
And perch upon my tree
The singer wants the nightingale to sit on her tree.
A terrifying light's
There is a scary light around that is bothering the singer.
Been flashing over me
The scary light is giving the singer a lot of anxiety.
I would not bear to rest
The singer can't relax or sleep.
I would not dare to dream
The singer is too anxious to even dream at night.
Till the nightingale came
The singer needs the nightingale's song for comfort.
And sang a song for me
The singer wants the nightingale to sing her a song.
She'll sing above the blasts
The nightingale can sing even above the noise of explosions.
And the clothing singed by fire
There are fires happening around and clothes are burning.
She'll sing above the black smoke
The nightingale can even sing above the black smoke.
Rising from the funeral pyre
There is a funeral happening and smoke is rising from the funeral pyre.
Her heart a field in bloom
The nightingale has a heart that is like a beautiful blooming field.
Her heart a sacred snow
The nightingale's heart is pure and sacred like snow.
Her heart a mirror blinding
The nightingale's heart is shining so bright that it can blind the greedy people who see it.
All the greedy as they go
The greedy people who are always running after money and power.
I cannot help but want
The singer can't help herself but to do something.
To solder all the parts
The singer wants to fix everything that is broken and put it back together.
Solder back together
The singer wants to repair everything that is shattered.
All the shattered hearts
The singer wants to fix and heal all the broken hearts.
The terrifying night's
The scary night is still going on.
Been crashing over me
The scary night is overwhelming for the singer.
Till the Nightingale came
The singer still needs the nightingale's song to calm her down.
And sang a song for me
The singer wants the nightingale to comfort her with her song.
I would not bear to rest
The singer can't relax or sleep.
I would not dare to dream
The singer is too anxious to even dream at night.
Till the Nightingale came
The singer needs the nightingale's song for comfort.
And sang a song for me
The singer wants the nightingale to sing her a song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAURA VEIRS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind