In 1983, she decided to become a psychologist, enrolling in Yeshiva University. She continued playing music while completing her PhD, and began to have some success as part of a duo with Shawn Colvin. However, when they began to attract record company interest, Kaplansky declined, choosing instead to set up a private practice and become a staff psychologist at a New York hospital. For several years, she concentrated largely on her work, and played little in the way of concerts. However, she still did some session work, such as singing backing vocals in the studio for Suzanne Vega.
By the early 1990s she found herself increasingly drawn back to music. Colvin, who by this time had experienced some commercial success, offered to produce an album for her. The result, The Tide, a mixture of her own songs and several covers, was released by Red House Records (Greg Brown's label) in 1994. At this time, she decided to give up her psychology practice, and return to music full-time. She released her second album, Flesh and Bone, in 1996.
In 1998 Kaplansky joined with Dar Williams and Richard Shindell to form the folk group Cry Cry Cry, which made an album and toured extensively as a result of the success of the original six week tour.
1999's Ten Year Night won rave reviews and boosted her popularity, leading to performances on CBS-TV. She followed that album in 2001 with Every Single Day.
The Red Thread, released in early 2004, includes songs about adopting her new daughter Molly, who Lucy and her husband Rick brought home from China in late 2003, and several songs relating to her experiences living in downtown Manhattan during 9-11. In 2007 she released her latest album Over the Hills.
Line In The Sand
Lucy Kaplansky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's already been blown apart
I feel like a helpless girl
In this tender troubled world
Another bomb lights up the night
For someone's vision of paradise
But it's just a wasted sacrifice
All in the name of a holy land
All to claim a line in the sand
Chorus:
Oh but the promised land
Is just across another line in the sand
Yeah but the promised land
Is just across another line in the sand
Just like at Calvary
Soldiers do the bidding of their king
And dreams are lost one at a time
Blown across both sides of the line
You can't kill a giant with just one stone
You can't erase the story of a family's home
A hate-filled heart still beats alone
Walking wounded on that endless road
And there's so much blood on all our hands
It cuts an even deeper line in the sand
Chorus
I hope a forgiving rain will fall sometime
And wash away that line
Chorus
The song "Line in the Sand" by Lucy Kaplansky is a poignant commentary on the destructive nature of war and the futility of drawing lines in the sand. The opening lines of the song, "This news won't break my heart, it's already been blown apart," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer acknowledges that she is already emotionally numb to the news of yet another bomb going off in the name of someone's vision of paradise. She can't help feeling like a helpless girl in this troubled world.
The lyrics of the song go on to explore the devastating consequences of drawing lines in the sand. The singer acknowledges that soldiers are doing the bidding of their king, and that dreams are being lost one at a time, blown across both sides of the line. The singer questions the wisdom of trying to claim a holy land by force and recognizes that the hate fueling these conflicts only leads to more bloodshed.
The chorus of the song, "Oh but the promised land is just across another line in the sand," highlights the futility of trying to claim land through violence. The repetition of this line drives home the message that there will always be another line in the sand, another boundary to be crossed or defended, and that this cycle of violence will only continue until people learn to forgive and move on.
Overall, "Line in the Sand" is a powerful and timely song that reminds us of the human cost of war and the importance of finding ways to bridge our differences and work towards peace.
Line by Line Meaning
This news won't break my heart
I am not surprised or upset by the current event.
It's already been blown apart
My heart is already damaged from previous events.
I feel like a helpless girl
I feel vulnerable and powerless in this situation.
In this tender troubled world
The world is full of both beauty and pain.
Another bomb lights up the night
Violence is perpetuated and causes destruction.
For someone's vision of paradise
People commit such acts in the name of a better future.
But it's just a wasted sacrifice
The violence does not achieve its intended purpose.
That fuels the hate on the other side
This violence only leads to further hatred and conflict.
All in the name of a holy land
People are willing to fight for what they see as their sacred territory.
All to claim a line in the sand
People are fighting over an imaginary boundary.
[Chorus]
The promised land is an illusion that leads to division and pain.
Just like at Calvary
Soldiers are following orders just as did during the crucifixion of Jesus.
Soldiers do the bidding of their king
Military personnel are following orders of their leaders.
And dreams are lost one at a time
Individual people's hopes and aspirations are destroyed in such conflicts.
Blown across both sides of the line
The violent acts lead to destruction on both sides of the boundary.
You can't kill a giant with just one stone
Big problems cannot be solved with small efforts.
You can't erase the story of a family's home
People's memories and sense of home cannot be easily erased.
A hate-filled heart still beats alone
Hatred only leads to isolation and loneliness.
Walking wounded on that endless road
People are struggling with the consequences of the violence.
And there's so much blood on all our hands
We are all responsible for the violence and its consequences.
It cuts an even deeper line in the sand
The violence only leads to further separation and conflict.
[Chorus]
The true 'promised land' is one of peace and understanding, not a physical location.
I hope a forgiving rain will fall sometime
I hope for forgiveness and healing in the future.
And wash away that line
I hope that the conflict and its imaginary boundary will be erased.
[Chorus]
Only when we let go of our illusions and work towards peace can we achieve true fulfillment.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Lucy Kaplansky, Rick Litvin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind