Her real exposure though came at the age of sixteen when she auditioned for Australian Idol. She quickly received high praise with one judge claiming that she was "the best thing musically that has ever came out of this country." While on the show, Lisa performed such songs as Collide, Diamonds on the Inside, Fall At Your Feet and Heart of Glass. Despite receiving positive reviews, Lisa felt vulnerable without her guitar providing solace.
Nevertheless, she was finally reunited with the instrument as she performed a rare track from Coldplay entitled See You Soon. Despite the pressure to perform it well, due to her growing reputation as an authentic guitar-playing songwriter ("reminiscent of an early Joni Mitchell"), she mesmerized millions with her enticing rendition. After two more performances, including an original entitled Too Far Gone, Lisa was ready to go her own way and that she did.
Soon after leaving the show, she was offered a couple of recording contracts but rejected the offers, claiming that such an album would be too manufactured. Instead, admirably, Lisa decided to continue developing her craft as both a performer and songwriter. She quickly built a grass-roots following after touring with Old Man River, as well as performing both at National Youth Week and on MySpace (four performances) to a viewership of over ten thousand. Her page has now received over three hundred thousand views. It was around this time that Lisa felt she was ready to sign with both Scorpio Music and Warner Music, and recently with Sony Publishing, all with the support of Dan Hume from Evermore.
On August 4th 2007, her first EP entitled Said One to the Other was released, which included the tracks Slow and Incomplete Lullaby. The EP debuted at number 27 on the ARIA charts and number 1 on the Australian iTunes chart. Of late, after putting school on hold temporarily, Lisa has been touring with the likes of Sparkadia, The Hampdens and Evermore, with an upcoming tour supporting Ben Lee. She has also expressed interest in producing another EP in the future.
Lisa is currently on a tour of the eastern states of Australia. Much to the chagrin of fans from her home town of Albury-Wodonga, Lisa has decided to leave her home town off the tour in favour of larger cities.
Oh! Hark!
Lisa Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dirt and daisies hit the pave
No sooner than I have turned
I hear the devil cooking up a new storm
My world ends on a regular basis
Yeah I fed quick and lonesome places
No sooner that I am dead
I feel the ravens tugging at my hair
Do you a hear a voice like velvet through the night sky
Do you hear the fickle hand of fate at my side
And all those that god has sinned with hope in his stride
And watch out
Watch for them camouflaged and crouched in the shadows
Oh they couldn't hold a candle up to you
But they stand as tall as you in broad daylight too
Oh! Hark!
Once again I leave my grave
And dirt and daisies hit the pave
But no sooner than I am dead
I feel the ravens tugging at my hair
Once again I leave my grave
Like a bird out of its cage
No sooner that I have won
I feel the storm clouds plotting against the sun
Oh! Hark!
Do you a hear a voice like velvet through the night sky
Do you hear the fickle hand of fate at my side
And all those that god has sinned with hope in his stride
And watch out
Watch for them camouflaged and crouched in the shadows
Oh they couldn't hold a candle up to you
But they stand as tall as you in broad daylight too
Oh! Hark!
Oh! Hark!
Do you a hear a voice like velvet through the night sky
Do you hear the fickle hand of fate at my side
And all those that god has sinned with hope in his stride
And watch out
Watch for them camouflaged and crouched in the shadows
Oh they couldn't hold a candle up to you
But they stand as tall as you in broad daylight too
Oh! Hark!
The lyrics of Lisa Mitchell's song "Oh! Hark!" convey a sense of foreboding and unease, as the singer remembers her past and faces an uncertain future. The song begins with her leaving her grave and feeling the presence of the devil, who is cooking up a new storm. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer reflects on her life, which has been plagued by feeling quick and lonesome in different places. The imagery of the ravens tugging at her hair echoes the sense of dread and fear that permeates the song.
The chorus of the song is an invitation to listen closely and be aware of the dangers that lurk around us. The voice like velvet through the night sky could be interpreted as a seductive but dangerous force, masking its true intentions. The reference to "all those that god has sinned with hope in his stride" could be seen as a nod to the idea of redemption and the possibility of second chances. However, the warning to watch out for those camouflaged and crouched in the shadows suggests that danger is ever-present, and we must be vigilant.
Line by Line Meaning
Once again I leave my grave
I experience a feeling of being reborn and starting anew
Dirt and daisies hit the pave
I see the beauty and fragility of life, knowing that death looms
No sooner than I have turned
I am constantly reminded of my mortality and the fleeting nature of time
I hear the devil cooking up a new storm
I feel the presence of evil and negativity around me, constantly brewing
My world ends on a regular basis
I experience constant upheaval and change in my life, leading to feelings of uncertainty and despair
Yeah I fed quick and lonesome places
I have been through many difficult experiences that have left me feeling isolated and alone
No sooner that I am dead
I am constantly reminded of the transience of life and the inevitability of death
I feel the ravens tugging at my hair
I feel the presence of death and darkness around me, represented by the ravens
Oh! Hark!
Listen closely and pay attention
Do you a hear a voice like velvet through the night sky
Do you sense the comforting presence of someone or something in the darkness
Do you hear the fickle hand of fate at my side
Do you feel the unpredictable and capricious nature of destiny, always lingering close by
And all those that god has sinned with hope in his stride
Even those who have made mistakes and faced challenges can still have hope and positivity
And watch out
Be vigilant and cautious
Watch for them camouflaged and crouched in the shadows
Be aware of the dangers that lurk and hide in unexpected places
Oh they couldn't hold a candle up to you
You are capable of overcoming any obstacle or challenge
But they stand as tall as you in broad daylight too
The obstacles and challenges in life can appear as insurmountable and daunting as you
Like a bird out of its cage
I experience a sense of freedom and release from constraints
No sooner that I have won
After achieving success, I am faced with new challenges and obstacles
I feel the storm clouds plotting against the sun
I sense the negative forces in the world trying to obliterate positivity and light
Writer(s): Lisa Mitchell Copyright: Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Australia) Pty Lim, Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Australia) Pty Limited
Contributed by Alex D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Shilo2010
I'm a 43 year old plumber from country Queensland and I'm a Lisa Mitchell fan. Sue me. There's something undefinable that is inherently late 60's, early 70's in a lot of her music. Thanks for being unique, Lisa and not just another carbon copy. I also love that cool - unco thing you got going on. That's reminiscent of Kate Bush in many ways.
Kristian Murray
@Lisa Mitchell Love it. Star.
Shilo2010
Stumbled across this by chance.
46 in a few weeks and still a Lisa Mitchell fan!
Lisa Mitchell
Hi All, new video The Boys just been uploaded, LM HQ xx
Shilo2010
@John-rey Endean Good onya John.Dance to the beat of your own drum brother. lol. Cheers.
SP Y
What a stunning voice, & clearly soul.
One question though, why are every one of Lisa's songs on YouTube only of a good enough quality to be watched on a mouses mobile phone?
The Gorn
I know right. I want 1080p resolution.
Mollygaga42
This song is unique along with her unique looks,she is absolutely gorgeous,can't stop listening to this song !
Billy Digital
Let me try to top that... 35 year old law enforcement officer, covered in tattoos.. just discovered this in 2019.. and I LOVE IT!
avion gamer
2020 shit hits, also love Neapolitan Dreams by her