Laura Phillips Anderson was born June 5, 1947, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, United States. She attended Mills College in California, and eventually graduated from Barnard College magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, studying art history. In 1972, she obtained an MFA in sculpture from Columbia University.
She performed in New York through the 1970s. Two early pieces, "New York Social Life" and "Time to Go," were included in the 1977 compilation New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media, along with works by Pauline Oliveros and others.
She became more widely known in 1982 with the single "O Superman," originally released in a limited quantity by One Ten Records; a sudden influx of orders from the U.K. (prompted by British DJ John Peel playing the record) led to Anderson signing with the Warner Brothers label, which re-released the single. "O Superman" reached number two on the national pop charts in Britain.
"O Superman" was part of a larger stage work entitled United States and was included on her following album, Big Science. Her more recent stage work includes a multimedia presentation inspired by Moby Dick. She starred in and directed the 1986 concert film, Home of the Brave, and also composed the soundtracks for the Spalding Gray films Swimming to Cambodia and Monster in a Box. All of Anderson's albums from the 1980s sold very well despite being labeled "avant garde". Her varied career has even included voice-acting in the animated film The Rugrats Movie. In 1994 she created a CD-ROM entitled Puppet Motel.
She wrote a supplemental article on the cultural character of New York City for the Encyclopædia Britannica and in the late 1980s hosted the PBS series, Alive from Off Center, for which she produced the short film, What You Mean We?.
One of the central themes in Anderson's work is exploring the effects of technology on human interrelationships and communication.
Anderson has collaborated with William Burroughs, Mitchell Froom, Arto Lindsay, Peter Gabriel, Perry Hoberman, David Sylvian, Jean Michel Jarre, Hector Zazou, Nona Hendryx, David Van Tieghem, and husband Lou Reed. She also worked with comedian Andy Kaufman in the late 1970s (with a romantic involvement hinted at in some of her spoken word performances about him).
Anderson, who rarely revisits older work (though themes and lyrics occasionally reappear) went on tour performing a selection of her best-known musical pieces in 2001. One of these performances was recorded in New York City only a week after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and included a performance of "O Superman". This concert was released in early 2002 as the double CD, Live in New York, which remains her most recent album release.
In 2003, Anderson became NASA's first and so far only artist-in-residence, which inspired her most recent performance piece, The End of the Moon.
Rumors emerged of a possible new album release in the fall of 2004, but this turned out to be false as Anderson seems too busy mounting a succession of themed shows, as well as composing a piece for Expo 2005 in Japan.
In February 2010, Laurie Anderson premiered a new theatrical work, entitled Delusion, at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. This piece was commissioned by the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad and the Barbican Centre, London.
In May/June 2010, Anderson curated the Vivid Sydney festival in Sydney, Australia together with Lou Reed
In late June 2010, with the production assistance of husband Lou Reed, as well as Roma Baran. Laurie Anderson released her first full length studio album in near a decade with that of: "Homeland" on Nonesuch Records. Receiving much critical acclaim, "Homeland" has been lauded by many as Anderson's crowning auditory achievement. A conglomerated assimilation of her many persona's, characters and decades work exploring and experimenting in a multitude of artistic mediums.
Also featured on the "Homeland" album are a number of famed collaborators, including John Zorn (saxophone on tracks 8 & 11), Kieran Hebden of "Four Tet" fame (keyboards on track 5), Antony Hegarty (vocals on track 4), Husband Lou Reed himself on some guitar, and Tuvan throat singers. At 66 minutes, it is also Anderson's longest studio album.
Sites: Wikipedia
FreeFall
Laurie Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Freefall to the bottom
Like when you're drowning or falling asleep
You get turned around
And when you think you're swimming to the surface
You're swimming straight down.
Down to the bottom. All the way to the bottom.
I'm lost in your words I'm swimming.
We're going down to the bottom. All the way to the bottom.
Rapture of the deep.
I got your letter. I couldn't read it. It was a cryptogram.
Did it say Take me with you or Take me as I am?
We're going down to the bottom.
All the way to the bottom. We get turned around.
There is another world spinning inside of this one.
I remember where I came from
There were tropical breezes and a wide open sea
I remember my childhood
I remember being free.
Down to the bottom.
All the way to the bottom. We get turned around.
There is another world inside of this one.
Rapture of the deep.
We're going down to the bottom.
There is another world spinning inside of this one.
Laurie Anderson's song "Freefall" is a contemplative piece that explores the sensation of being pulled down or drowning, and the idea of being lost in code or language. The song begins with the description of being out on the ocean and getting pulled down, freefalling to the bottom. The feeling of being turned around and swimming to the surface, only to find oneself going further down is evoked. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the struggles of life, where one can sometimes feel like they are making progress, only to find themselves being pulled back even further.
As the song progresses, cryptograms and secret codes are introduced. The reference to being lost in language could be seen as a commentary on the power of words to obscure or obfuscate meaning. The lyrics "I got your letter. I couldn't read it. It was a cryptogram. Did it say Take me with you or Take me as I am?" suggest a feeling of disconnection from the world and difficulty in understanding communication. The imagery of being pulled down is again referenced, as if the singer is diving deeper into mystery and confusion.
Towards the end of the song, the idea of another world spinning inside this one is introduced. This could be interpreted as a reference to the idea that there is more to life than what meets the eye, and that deeper meaning can be found by delving into the unknown. The lyrics "There is another world inside of this one. Rapture of the deep" suggest that while the journey may be difficult, there is something profound and transformative to be found in exploring the depths.
Line by Line Meaning
You're out on the ocean and you get pulled down
You are in the middle of the ocean and something forces you underwater.
Freefall to the bottom
Falling towards the ocean floor without any control.
Like when you're drowning or falling asleep
The feeling of losing control, whether being pulled under water or falling asleep.
You get turned around
Losing all sense of direction and not knowing which way is up or down.
And when you think you're swimming to the surface
Believing you are heading towards the top of the water.
You're swimming straight down.
But instead, you are unknowingly diving towards the ocean floor.
Down to the bottom. All the way to the bottom.
Falling completely to the bottom of the ocean floor without any control.
Secret codes and cryptograms
Messages that are meant to be deciphered and have hidden meanings.
I'm lost in your words I'm swimming.
Feeling wrapped up in someone's language or message that is causing confusion.
We're going down to the bottom. All the way to the bottom.
Continuing to fall towards the ocean floor without any sense of direction.
Rapture of the deep.
Enjoying the feeling of being lost or overwhelmed by the vastness of the ocean.
I got your letter. I couldn't read it. It was a cryptogram.
Receiving a message that is unclear or difficult to understand due to hidden meanings.
Did it say Take me with you or Take me as I am?
Wondering what the message is conveying, such as an invitation or an acceptance of oneself.
We're going down to the bottom. All the way to the bottom. We get turned around.
Continuing to fall towards the ocean floor without control and losing direction.
There is another world spinning inside of this one.
Feeling as though there is a hidden or deeper world, beneath the surface of the one in which we live.
I remember where I came from
Thinking back to where one started their journey or life.
There were tropical breezes and a wide open sea
Recalling an idyllic childhood, feeling free and experiencing nature.
I remember my childhood
Reflecting on one's early years and experiences.
Down to the bottom. All the way to the bottom. We get turned around.
Continuing to fall towards the ocean floor without any sense of direction.
Rapture of the deep.
Enjoying the feeling of being lost or overwhelmed by the vastness of the ocean.
We're going down to the bottom.
Continuing to descend towards the ocean floor.
There is another world spinning inside of this one.
Feeling as though there is a hidden or deeper world, beneath the surface of the one in which we live.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: WALTER AFANASIEFF, CLARK ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
hortense234
Laurie Anderson is one of the underappreciated artists who have had untold effects... too many people don't know her work, but have experienced the effects of it.
Petra Galijan
This song reminds me of some dark memories, still I love how deep it is...
Cotictimmy
She is excellent - I recently heard Big Science for the first time. I'm hooked.
d-AU-d
On which platform if YouTube where and how I'm trying so hard?
Cotictimmy
@d-AU-d I'm afraid I'm not understanding your question - could you clarify it?
Pier Saintbull
Meravigliosa... ... I remember where I came from There were tropical breezes and a wide open sea I remember my childhood I remember being free. Down to the bottom. All the way to the bottom. We get turned around. There is another world inside of this one. Rapture of the deep. We're going down to the bottom. There is another world spinning inside of this one.
Sergy Volodimirov
Laurie The Best Of Gratest Perfomance Musician Of Our Epoque.Beautiful ballance&sense composition
dementiapraecoz
BRIGHT RED, what a great album.
Vitina Portoghese
Sempre e ancora eccellente!
Simon Eric
- Laurie Anderson makes music in a manner that noone else does... strange sorts of talking blues on synths background wall of sound