Her international performances include membership as a principal soloist with the world renowned Irish chamber choir Anúna from 1994 to 1998, touring the United States as a soloist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, touring South Africa with Lord of the Dance, and concerts in Japan and Korea.
You Brought Me Up
Méav Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You brought me up to forget
I had ever been, I could ever breathe
In the water under your heart
I darkened your door and your days, you said
You couldn't sleep the night
With the sound of the sea hard on my heels
Climbing the stairs to your bed
The smile of a dolphin for a ring in my hands
You left me with nothing but a mouthful of air
And promises wide as the ocean
You left me down for once and for all
You left me out in the open
Under mackerel skies, high and dry
Way out of the reach of our sea
Way out of reach and out of my depth
I wear your love like a skin
That hurts when anyone touches me
Where you left me down for once and for all
Out of the reach of our sea
You promised me gloves from the skins of the fishes
The smile of a dolphin for a ring in my hands
But you left me with nothing but a mouthful of air
And promises wide as the ocean
You brought me up and out of the water
You brought me up to forget
I had ever been, I could ever breathe
In the water under your heart
The lyrics of "You Brought Me Up" by Méav are filled with vivid and powerful images that portray a tumultuous relationship between two people. The opening lines "You brought me up and out of the water, you brought me up to forget" suggest that the singer was in a difficult or dangerous situation, and that the other person rescued her. This rescue was not just a physical one but also an emotional one as they helped her forget and move past something that happened in the past. However, as the song progresses, it becomes evident that the person who rescued her also hurt her deeply, leaving her feeling alone and unsupported.
The imagery of the sea is used throughout the lyrics, with lines such as "With the sound of the sea hard on my heels", "promises wide as the ocean" and "out of the reach of our sea". These lines strongly suggest that the relationship between the two was complicated and tumultuous, much like the sea itself. The promise of "gloves from the skins of the fishes" and "the smile of a dolphin for a ring" suggests that the rescuer/lover made grand promises, but ultimately failed to follow through leaving the singer feeling disillusioned and hurt.
The lyrics also convey a sense of isolation and abandonment, with lines like "you left me with nothing but a mouthful of air" and "high and dry, way out of the reach of our sea". The singer is left with nothing but the scars of a relationship that didn't work out and with a painful reminder of the love she once shared.
Line by Line Meaning
You brought me up and out of the water
You were the one who rescued me from my struggles and brought me out of a difficult situation.
You brought me up to forget
You helped me move on from my past and start anew.
I had ever been, I could ever breathe
You helped me forget my previous struggles and gave me the ability to start fresh with a new breath of life.
In the water under your heart
In your loving embrace, I felt comfort and solace.
I darkened your door and your days, you said
You recognized that I brought sadness and hardship into your life.
You couldn't sleep the night
My presence was so overwhelming that it kept you up at night.
With the sound of the sea hard on my heels
The continuous sound of my struggles was always present and overwhelming.
Climbing the stairs to your bed
I was always there, following you and staying close to you.
You promised me gloves from the skins of the fishes
You made grand promises to me, even if you weren't able to keep them.
The smile of a dolphin for a ring in my hands
You promised me something that was both unique and unattainable.
You left me with nothing but a mouthful of air
You left me with nothing but false promises, leaving me feeling empty and alone.
And promises wide as the ocean
You made countless promises, but none were able to be fulfilled.
You left me down for once and for all
You were finished with me, and it was clear that you would no longer be there for me.
You left me out in the open
You left me to fend for myself, with no support or guidance.
Under mackerel skies, high and dry
I was left stranded and hopeless, with no escape in sight.
Way out of the reach of our sea
I was left far behind, unable to reach our previous closeness.
Way out of reach and out of my depth
I was left helpless and unable to find my way back to you.
I wear your love like a skin
I still carry your love with me, even though it can be painful at times.
That hurts when anyone touches me
The pain of losing you is still fresh, and I am not ready to move on.
Where you left me down for once and for all
Your abandonment of me was permanent and final.
You promised me gloves from the skins of the fishes
You made grand promises to me, even if you weren't able to keep them.
The smile of a dolphin for a ring in my hands
You promised me something that was both unique and unattainable.
But you left me with nothing but a mouthful of air
You left me with nothing but false promises, leaving me feeling empty and alone.
And promises wide as the ocean
You made countless promises, but none were able to be fulfilled.
You brought me up and out of the water
You were the one who rescued me from my struggles and brought me out of a difficult situation.
You brought me up to forget
You helped me move on from my past and start anew.
I had ever been, I could ever breathe
You helped me forget my previous struggles and gave me the ability to start fresh with a new breath of life.
In the water under your heart
In your loving embrace, I felt comfort and solace.
Contributed by Anna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gyula Horváth
She has an enchanting voice.
Muzette
It is truly a gift from heaven, her voice. Absolutely superb.
Jane Ray
This song invokes such incredible imagery.
Ý Nhi Nguyễn Thị
I love it soooooo much😭😭 her voice is so beautiful!!
Joy
this is a stunning song, the piano at the beginning is lovely, and she sounds so deliciously irish!!! BLISS!! Complete and utter, wordless bliss
宇佐見ハルカ
Thank you for upload this song. Full of memories.
Waterelfo
Amazing! Love it :)
Nombre
The smile of a dolphin for a ring in my hands.
Marie Larsson
Amazing! I so totally love all her songs! 😍 Just wonder how to pronounce her name?
James Parker
Here is a phonetic pronunciation for Meav's name. MAYV NEE WHALE'-CAW-HAW