In 2000 Wright joine… Read Full Bio ↴Lizz Wright is a U.S. jazz singer and composer.
In 2000 Wright joined the Atlanta-based vocal quartet In the Spirit, which soon achieved critical acclaim; in 2002 she signed a recording contract with Verve Records. Her first album, Salt, was released in 2003 (reaching number two on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz chart in 2004), followed by Dreaming Wide Awake in June 2005 (reaching number one on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart in 2005 and 2006).
Salt
Lizz Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you have sung it for so long?
How can you forget your dance, your dance
When THAT dance is all you ever had?
It must be, it must be true
You can?t SEPARATE THE TWO
Oh no, you can?t
JUST like the salt in the stew
Oh my, it?s all A part of you
One thing that life cannot do
Life can?t do it NO
It can?t take your song from you
So when life brings a chance, a chance
For you to give your part, TO give your part away
Don?t just stand there FEELING scared
Don?t be afraid
'Cause there could be a treasure right there
Now listen, listen to THE truth
It does not matter, doesn?t matter what TO do
Still gonna BE you
Just like the salt in the stew
Yeah, it?s all A part of you
And one thing, the one thing that life cannot do
Hey, hey, hey, can?t do it NO
It can't take your song from you
Life can?t take it, you DON?T give it
Life can?t take it
It can't take your song from you
These lyrics speak to the fear of losing one's authentic self in the face of life's challenges. The imagery of a song and a dance are used to represent one's personal identity and unique expression in the world. The artist asks how one can lose their song or forget their dance, when they have been a part of them for so long. The answer is that it is impossible. Just like the salt in a stew, our personal expression and identity are inherently a part of us, and cannot be taken away by life's struggles.
The artist urges listeners to not be afraid to give themselves fully to the world, as there may be a treasure waiting for them in doing so. The truth is that no matter what happens or what choices we make, we will always be ourselves. This is reinforced by the metaphor of the salt in the stew, which is an integral part of the dish and cannot be removed without fundamentally changing it.
Overall, the message of the song is one of empowerment and self-acceptance. By embracing our unique identity and expression, we can navigate the challenges of life with greater resilience and ease.
Line by Line Meaning
How can you lose your song?
How can you lose your purpose or passion?
When you have sung it for so long?
When you have been living your purpose for so long?
How can you forget your dance, your dance
How can you forget the thing that defines you?
When THAT dance is all you ever had?
When that purpose or passion is all you have?
It must be, it must be true
It is an indisputable fact
You can’t SEPARATE THE TWO
You cannot separate yourself from your purpose or passion
Oh no, you can’t
It's impossible to do
It’s impossible to do
It's impossible to separate yourself from your purpose or passion
JUST like the salt in the stew
Your purpose or passion is an integral part of you, just like salt is an essential ingredient in a stew
Oh my, it’s all A part of you
Your purpose or passion is an integral part of you
One thing that life cannot do
There is one thing that life cannot take from you
Life can’t do it NO
Life cannot take your purpose or passion from you
So when life brings a chance, a chance
When there is an opportunity
For you to give your part, TO give your part away
For you to share your purpose or passion with others
Don’t just stand there FEELING scared
Do not let fear stop you from sharing your purpose or passion with others
Don’t be afraid
Do not let fear stop you from sharing your purpose or passion with others
‘Cause there could be a treasure right there
There could be something valuable in sharing your purpose or passion with others
Now listen, listen to THE truth
Listen to the truth
It does not matter, doesn’t matter what TO do
It does not matter what you do
Still gonna BE you
You will still be yourself, with or without your purpose or passion
Just like the salt in the stew
Your purpose or passion is an integral part of you, just like salt is an essential ingredient in a stew
Yeah, it’s all A part of you
Your purpose or passion is an integral part of you
And one thing, the one thing that life cannot do
There is one thing that life cannot take from you
Hey, hey, hey, can’t do it NO
Life cannot take your purpose or passion from you
Life can’t take it, you DON’T give it
Life cannot take your purpose or passion from you if you do not let it
Life can’t take it
Life cannot take your purpose or passion from you
It can't take your song from you
Life cannot take your purpose or passion from you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind