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.
Watching You Drown
Lisa Cerbone Lyrics
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The lyrics to Lisa Cerbone's song "Watching You Drown" are a poignant and heartbreaking exploration of the experience of watching someone you love struggle with addiction. The opening lines of the song paint a vivid picture of the singer's feelings of helplessness and frustration as she watches someone she cares about slip away from her. The use of the metaphor of drowning is particularly effective in communicating the sense of being overwhelmed by circumstances that are beyond one's control.
As the song progresses, the singer expresses her desire to help and her efforts to do so, but these attempts are ultimately unsuccessful. She describes the feeling of being pulled under by the same forces that are dragging her loved one down, and the sense of despair that comes with being unable to make a real difference.
The chorus of the song is particularly haunting, with its repetition of the lines "I see my face in the rear-view mirror, I don't recognize it anymore." This speaks to the transformative power of addiction, both for the person who is struggling and the people who care for them. The singer is no longer the same person she was before she became so intimately acquainted with the destructive force of addiction.
Overall, "Watching You Drown" is a deeply moving song that captures the complex emotions that come with loving someone who is battling addiction. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of empathy and understanding for those who are struggling, and the need for support and resources to help them overcome these challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been hard watching you drown.
It has been emotionally difficult for me to witness your struggle.
You do it so quietly - I never heard a sound.
You are suffering silently, without expressing your pain to others.
I reach out my arm for you to grab - c'mon, grab it...
I am extending a hand to help and support you, urging you to take hold of it.
I dive in to find you, but you just keep going down, down.
I am trying to rescue you, but you continue to struggle and sink deeper into your difficulties.
Something gripped you from below. Taken in by the undertow.
You have been seized by a force beyond your control, pulled beneath the surface by a powerful current.
In the depths of dark water, I wait for you to float, stir.
Amidst the darkness and uncertainty of your situation, I remain by your side, hoping for a sign of progress or improvement.
Tell me it's all a terrible mistake, arrive towards light through the water's blur.
I wish that your difficulties were just a misunderstanding, and that you can find a path to healing and recovery despite the obstacles you face.
I see my face in the rear-view mirror. I don't recognize it anymore.
I have been changed by my experiences, and my reflection no longer feels familiar or recognizable to me.
All my prayers must have been answered. I don't recognize it anymore.
Despite my expressions of faith or hope for a positive outcome, my current reality feels disorienting or unexpected.
I see my face driving away from you.
I feel a sense of separation or distance from you, perhaps due to our differing experiences or struggles.
I made a grand plan. Wrote it on a piece of paper. I got you your prescription from the doctor.
Despite my efforts to help you, my actions and decisions have not been enough to fully address the challenges you face.
You said don't push me; just lay it on the table. And when I had to leave, I became another person in this world you would blame.
Despite my best intentions, I have encountered resistance or resentment from you when trying to provide aid or support. This has led to a strain in our relationship.
I see my face in the rear-view mirror. I don't recognize it anymore.
My sense of identity or purpose has been shaken by the challenges I have faced while trying to help you.
All my prayers must have been answered. I don't recognize it anymore.
My connection to my faith or sense of hope has been altered by my current experiences.
I see my face as I drive away from you.
I feel a sense of detachment or disconnection as I move away from you, perhaps in search of new ways to help or cope with your struggles.
It's been hard watching you drown...
Overall, your struggles have impacted me deeply, causing me pain and stress while I try to offer support and care.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: LISA CERBONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind