According to the Walking In Memphis Songfacts, Cohn was discovered by Carly Simon in the mid-'80s when he was with a 14-piece band called The Supreme Court. Atlantic Records signed him in 1989, but the first attempts to record his debut album with Tracy Chapman 's producer David Kerschenbaum failed. Ten months later, he tried again, producing the set himself with help from the little-known Ben Wisch, who had helped him with his demos. Finally released in 1991 when Cohn was 31 years old, his self-titled debut album was a huge hit, thanks to the massive success of "Walking In Memphis." Cohn won the 1991 Grammy for Best New Artist award, beating out both Boyz II Men and Seal. Cohn never matched the chart success of this song, but like his musical heroes Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne , he remained a critical and artistic success as a songwriter and performer.
He has issued two other studio albums to date, The Rainy Season (1993) and Burning the Daze (1998), both on Atlantic Records. A self-released live compilation, Live 04-05 (2005), is being sold at concerts on his current tour.
He is the most famous graduate of Beachwood High School in Beachwood, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. He attended Oberlin College as well. In addition, Cohn is notably married to ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas whom he met at the 1999 US Open after being introduced by Andre Agassi. Cohn and Vargas have two sons: Zachary Raphael (born on January 31, 2003) and Samuel Wyatt (born on August 16, 2006). Cohn has two other children— Max and Emily—from a previous marriage.
On August 7, 2005, Cohn was shot in the head during an attempted carjacking, following a concert with Suzanne Vega in Denver, Colorado. He was hospitalized and released the next day. The remaining concerts on the tour were cancelled.
Cohn released The Very Best Of Marc Cohn in June 2006, and his 4th studio album, Join The Parade, was released on October 9, 2007. He continues to tour to this day. For photographs and additional information visit Marc's official website, www.MarcCohn.net.
Healing Hands
Marc Cohn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who knows what fear runs deep and wild
Inside
But the river's in flood tonight
I lay down and the light streamed across my face
I felt the beauty of some deeper grace
And I tried
I feel your skin as smooth as silk
Drunk like a baby on his mama's milk
Take me down under the wishing tree
Lay your healing hands on me
Been a long time riding this deserted train
There's no messiahs out here, baby
But I found the holy grail all right
Cause I'm lying in your arms tonight
Yeah
Lay your healing hands on me
The song "Healing Hands" by Marc Cohn explores themes of longing for comfort, inner turmoil, and the healing power of love. The opening lines of the song, "Tonight I cried the tears of a child / Who knows what fear runs deep and wild / Inside," conjure up an image of vulnerability and helplessness. The singer is expressing a deep sense of pain and distress, one that is not easily assuaged. The metaphor of the river in flood drives home the intensity of the emotion—this isn't just any ordinary sadness, it's something that threatens to overwhelm and drown the singer.
As the song progresses, however, a note of hope starts to emerge. The lines "I felt the beauty of some deeper grace / And I tried / To find my way to the other side" suggest that there is a way out of the darkness. The singer is trying to hold onto something positive amidst the darkness, to find an escape from the fear and despair that has overtaken them.
The final verse brings a change of tone, as the singer discovers unexpected solace in the arms of an unnamed lover. The lines "Been a long time riding this deserted train / There's no messiahs out here, baby / But I found the holy grail all right / Cause I'm lying in your arms tonight" evoke a sense of relief and release. The singer has found the one thing that can heal their pain and make them feel safe and loved. The repeated plea at the end of the song, "Lay your healing hands on me," reinforces the idea that the love of another person can be a powerful antidote to the suffering we experience in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Tonight I cried the tears of a child
I cried uncontrollably, like a helpless child.
Who knows what fear runs deep and wild
I am unsure of what is causing such deep and intense fear.
Inside
Within me.
But the river's in flood tonight
Emotional turmoil is overwhelming me.
I lay down and the light streamed across my face
I rested and experienced a moment of clarity.
I felt the beauty of some deeper grace
I was inspired by a profound and unexpected source of beauty.
And I tried
I attempted.
To find my way to the other side
To overcome and move past my difficulties and reach a better place.
I feel your skin as smooth as silk
I find your skin to be incredibly soft and pleasant.
Drunk like a baby on his mama's milk
I feel intoxicated, like an infant drinking its mother's milk.
Take me down under the wishing tree
Bring me somewhere peaceful and magical.
Lay your healing hands on me
Use your hands to comfort and alleviate my emotional pain.
Been a long time riding this deserted train
It has been a while since I have experienced positive emotions.
There's no messiahs out here, baby
I am not expecting anyone to save me from my troubles.
But I found the holy grail all right
I have discovered something that is deeply meaningful to me.
Cause I'm lying in your arms tonight
I am feeling secure and comforted while resting in your embrace.
Yeah
Indeed.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARC COHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ethanwilde5371
Healing Hands
Marc Cohn
Tonight I cried the tears of a child
Who knows what fear runs deep and wild
Inside
But the river's in flood tonight
I lay down and the light streamed across my face
I felt the beauty of some deeper grace
And I tried
To find my way to the other side
I feel your skin as smooth as silk
Drunk like a baby on his mama's milk
Take me down under the wishing tree
Lay your healing hands on me
Been a long time riding this deserted train
There's no messiahs out here, baby
But I found the holy grail all right
Cause I'm lying in your arms tonight
Yeah
Lay your healing hands on me
@RIDETHESUNSHINE
“Tonight I cried the tears of a child
Who knows what fear runs deep and wild
Inside
But the river's in flood tonight
I lay down and the light streamed across my face
I felt the beauty of some deeper grace
And I tried
To find my way to the other side
I feel your skin as smooth as silk
Drunk like a baby on his mama's milk
Take me down under the wishing tree
Lay your healing hands on me
Been a long time riding this deserted train
There's no messiahs out here, baby
But I found the holy grail all right
'Cause I'm lying in your arms tonight
Yeah....
I feel your skin as smooth as silk
Drunk like a baby on his mama's milk
Take me down under the wishing tree
Lay your healing hands on me
[CHORUS]
Lay your healing hands on me....”
Healing Hands
Marc Cohn
@Will_WAR
I can remember hearing this on the "Hurricane" episode of Dawson's Creek. Feels like a lifetime ago. It was a great episode topped off with this beautiful song!
@john56854
I got here just now because of Dawson's Creek :)
@Will_WAR
@@john56854 hope you're enjoying the series 🙂👍
@No1Icebreaker
Mitch returns home to see Gail on the porch....
@MalphasMikaelson
Just started watching Dawson's Creek for the first time, what a great song.
@rodneyrtennis1279
Just watched it last night. Same reason I'm here.💞
@DamGreek
Many of my close friends remember how sweet my Mom was. Other than her eyes, I always miss her hands. When I would come home from a long day, she would hug me and rub my arms and shoulders and try to comfort me, like a mother does. I miss her hands and her comfort so much. This song makes me miss her more, because I remember how much she always loved me, no matter what. Same with my Dad. He and I had our problems, but I remember how much he loved me. You notice how much you miss people, when they're gone. A song like this one just reminds you. Dig DmGrk
@quaid8
Everytime I hear I think about my mother who died of cancer in 2006. Great song, Love you Mom.
@jamesyh307
I lost my mother this day 15 years ago to cancer. It has been very hard without her as I was only 18 years old when she past. Beautiful song!!!
@felipepn3397
Dawson's Creek