Lisa worked with musician and producer Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters) on her third release, Ordinary Days. From this experience, Lisa learned to shape a more organic soundscape and to explore mood to complement her delicate voice and poetic themes. On We Were All Together, the songs explore these ideas even further. All the musical and lyrical elements work sparingly to speak of those things that sometimes go unsaid but are frequently felt, bringing the listener in close. Since many of the songs were written after the loss of Lisa’s father, Lisa’s songs prove to be a more personal outing than those of the past, yet at the same time, continue to cover universal ground (“Tiny Patch of Earth”, “Change the Ending”). Still, there is also a whimsical quality found in songs inspired by her children (“Mia Noelle”, “Humming”, and “You Are So Loved”). These songs highlight the redemptive nature of life. Whether the songs are joyful or melancholic, or anywhere in between, at the forefront of Lisa’s work is an attempt to hold onto fleeting moments with love and hope.
Lisa currently lives in Maryland with her family and is a professor teaching English as a Second Language when she is not writing.
Only Good Thoughts My Love
Lisa Cerbone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Anyone holding up the sun.
He saw how well I wasn't standing there on my hands.
Through their great, untrustworthy lands.
In the darkness, he took the silence away.
In the darkness, he took the silence away.
And the tears that blaze down a face.
Fear that they'd start, and won't go away.
He waited, he waited and stayed and stayed true.
In the darkness, he took the silence away.
In the darkness, he took the silence away.
In his eyes, he tells me how it goes.
How sorrow has a language, and there is too much yet to know.
And how there's strange joy in the slightest,
No matter how hard, how hard, how hard...
It is to get past these broken doors.
And, in the darkness, he took the silence away.
He took the silence away.
The lyrics to Lisa Cerbone's "Only Good Thoughts My Love" describe a situation in which the singer is deeply troubled and in a dark place emotionally. The first few lines suggest a sense of disorientation and desperation, as the singer stumbles towards anyone who might be able to help them, anyone who might "hold up the sun" and offer guidance. The phrase "great, untrustworthy lands" suggests that the singer doesn't know where to turn, or perhaps has been let down by others in the past.
The next stanza describes a moment of connection between the singer and someone who is willing to sit with them in their pain. The metaphor of "taking the silence away" suggests that the singer has been unable to vocalize their feelings, and that the person they are with has created a safe space for them to do so. The image of tears "blazing down a face" and fear that won't go away emphasizes the intensity of the singer's emotions.
In the final stanza, the singer's companion offers some wisdom and comfort, acknowledging that there is still much sorrow to be felt, but also pointing towards moments of joy and resilience even amidst hardship. The repeated phrase "he took the silence away" emphasizes the importance of being truly heard and understood in moments of pain.
Overall, the song speaks to the power of connection and empathy in the face of emotional struggle. It suggests that even in our darkest moments, there are people who are willing to sit with us and help us find a way through.
Line by Line Meaning
I was staggering oddly towards anyone.
I was stumbling around aimlessly, seeking anyone who could offer me comfort.
Anyone holding up the sun.
I was looking for someone who could bring light into my life.
He saw how well I wasn't standing there on my hands.
He noticed that I was struggling and not coping well.
Through their great, untrustworthy lands.
Despite being surrounded by people who are untrustworthy, he still stood by me.
In the darkness, he took the silence away.
He brought me out of my dark place and helped me find my voice.
And the tears that blaze down a face.
He witnessed and understood the intense pain I was feeling.
Fear that they'd start, and won't go away.
I was scared that my tears and pain would never subside.
I was curled up for nothing on the bathroom floor.
I felt hopeless and defeated, with no reason to get up.
He waited, he waited and stayed and stayed true.
He patiently stayed by my side and supported me through my struggles.
In his eyes, he tells me how it goes.
His eyes conveyed the understanding and wisdom he possessed about my situation.
How sorrow has a language, and there is too much yet to know.
He explained how grief and sadness have their own language and there is still much for me to learn and understand about it.
And how there's strange joy in the slightest,
He pointed out the surprising moments of happiness that can be found in the smallest things.
No matter how hard, how hard, how hard...
Even in the face of extreme difficulty and pain.
It is to get past these broken doors.
It can be challenging to move past the obstacles and pain that have broken us.
And, in the darkness, he took the silence away.
Once again, he helped me find my voice and brought light to my dark times.
He took the silence away.
He brought me out of my despair and helped me find my way back to hope and happiness.
Contributed by Logan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.