Lucy Kaplansky (born 1960) is a folk musician. Originally from Chicago, at … Read Full Bio ↴Lucy Kaplansky (born 1960) is a folk musician. Originally from Chicago, at the age of 18 she moved to New York City, where she became involved in the city's Greenwich Village folk music scene.

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.

Secret Journey
Lucy Kaplansky Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Out on a secret journey
I met a holy man
His blindness was his wisdom
I'm such a lonely man

[Chorus:]
You will see light in the darkness
You will make some sense of this

And when you've made your secret journey
You will find this love you miss

And as the world was turning
It rolled itself in vain
This does not seem to touch you
He pointed to the rain

[Chorus]

And in the days that followed
I listened to his words
I strained to understand him
I chased his thoughts like birds

[Chorus]

You will see light in the darkness
You will make some sense of this
You will see joy in this sadness
You will find this love you missed

And when you've made your secret journey

You will be a holy man
[Repeat]

Overall Meaning

"Secret Journey" by Lucy Kaplansky is a song that features a conversation between the singer and a blind holy man on a secret journey. The blind man has a unique perspective on life, and the singer learns from his wisdom. The singer is looking for companionship and love, but is lonely and unsure of where to find it. The chorus reassures the listener that there is hope, and that they will ultimately find the love they seek.

In the first verse, the singer meets the holy man, who is blind but wise. The second verse describes the world as turning in vain, and the holy man points to the rain to emphasize this point. The third verse shows the singer listening to the holy man's words, trying to understand his thoughts. The chorus repeats, and the last line suggests that the singer will also become a holy person after completing their own secret journey.

The song is a meditation on finding meaning and fulfillment in life. The holy man's blindness represents his ability to see beyond physical appearance and to understand deeper truths. The rain and the turning world represent the distractions and noise of everyday life, which can prevent people from finding what they are truly looking for. The journey is secret because it is a personal and unique experience that each person must undertake on their own.

Line by Line Meaning

Out on a secret journey
I embarked on a hidden investigation

I met a holy man
I encountered a spiritually enlightened person

His blindness was his wisdom
His lack of physical sight allowed him to see things clearly in a different way

I'm such a lonely man
I am feeling isolated and disconnected

You will see light in the darkness
There is always hope even in the darkest of times

You will make some sense of this
You will eventually understand and make sense of the situation

And when you've made your secret journey
Once you have completed your private quest

You will find this love you miss
You will rediscover the love you have lost

And as the world was turning
Although the world was changing

It rolled itself in vain
It seemed to serve no purpose

This does not seem to touch you
You seem immune to its effects