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.
Scorpion
Lucy Kaplansky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No whispers, no worries, no words
Just light fills the corner of your eye
Take me in, take me in
Cold sky, dark Montana, long road
Running fence, radio, trucks blow by
Take me back, take me back
I want to show you everything, everything
I want to give you everything, everything
There's a chance now and then, now and then
No more cut and run, No more cut and run
Blue night, blue world, tracking you
I'm a scorpion and I'm coming after you
Running out of darkness and time
Looking for you, looking for you
Gonna sting you with a kiss from my lips
Gonna sting you with a piece of my mind
Gonna sting you with a taste of my skin
Then you're mine, then you're mine
repeat chorus
Lucy Kaplansky's song "Scorpion" is a hauntingly beautiful song that is open to interpretation. From a literal perspective, it is about chasing someone who is trying to outrun the scorpion. The lyrics describe running along a long road under a cold sky in Montana, with no air up high and dreams that seem out of reach. The scorpion is tracking the person, attempting to sting them with a kiss, a piece of their mind, and a taste of their skin, in order to claim them as their own.
However, the true meaning of this song is much more complex than a simple chase. The scorpion represents an alluring danger, something or someone that draws us in even though we know it may harm us. The scorpion is a symbol of the unconscious mind, representing our deepest desires and fears. The song speaks to the idea of chasing after what we want, even if it is risky or dangerous. It is about confronting the unknown and taking a risk, even if it means getting stung in the process.
Overall, "Scorpion" is a beautiful and poetic song that encourages listeners to embrace their desires and take risks, even if it means facing fear and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
In night, inside, at night
The setting of the song is at night, probably inside a house.
No whispers, no worries, no words
There is a sense of calmness in the setting, with no one whispering or expressing worries or talking.
Just light fills the corner of your eye
Perhaps there is a source of light, like a lamp or a candle, illuminating the corners of the room.
Take me in, take me in
The singer wants to be taken in, either into the setting, into someone's life, or into someone's heart.
Cold sky, dark Montana, long road
The setting changes to Montana, where the skies are cold and dark, and the road seems to stretch out a long way.
Running fence, radio, trucks blow by
The singer looks out and sees a fence, a radio playing, and trucks passing by.
Up high, no air, big dreams
The setting changes again, and the singer is somewhere up high with no air, with big dreams that seem unattainable.
Take me back, take me back
The singer wants to be taken back to a better time or place, perhaps a memory or a moment of happiness.
The chorus expresses the singer's desire to show and give everything to someone.
There's a chance now and then, now and then
There are occasional moments in life where there is a chance for something new or unexpected to happen.
No more cut and run, No more cut and run
The singer is tired of running away from things or giving up too quickly, and wants to commit and make things work.
Blue night, blue world, tracking you
The setting is dark and blue, and the singer is focused on finding and following someone.
I'm a scorpion and I'm coming after you
The singer uses the metaphor of a scorpion to describe their pursuit, implying that they are willing to be fierce and confrontational in order to get what they want.
Running out of darkness and time
The singer feels like they are running out of time or opportunities, and need to act fast before it's too late.
Looking for you, looking for you
The singer is persistent in their pursuit, and will not stop until they find the person they are looking for.
Gonna sting you with a kiss from my lips
The singer will use a kiss as a way to capture the attention or affection of the person they are pursuing, possibly implying that the kiss will be intense or passionate.
Gonna sting you with a piece of my mind
The singer plans to share their thoughts or feelings with the person they are pursuing, possibly implying that they will be brutally honest or confrontational.
Gonna sting you with a taste of my skin
The singer implies that they will use their physical appearance and touch to entice and captivate the person they are pursuing.
Then you're mine, then you're mine
The singer is determined to make the person they are pursuing their own, and will do whatever it takes to make it happen.
repeat chorus
The chorus is repeated to emphasize the singer's desire to show and give everything to the person they are pursuing.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: DI MENG XING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind