One of her most widely known singles is "Passionate Kisses" (written by fellow singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams), a song with a rock flavor musically and lyrics listing simple desires such as "a comfortable bed", "food to fill me up", and "time to think". Another big hit was "Down at the Twist and Shout", which she performed in January 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans.
A number of Mary Chapin Carpenter's songs speak to women, urging them on through hard times or troubled relationships. In "He Thinks He'll Keep Her", co-composed by Carpenter and Don Schlitz, the singer makes the case for strength and self-respect. Another common theme in her music is that of taking life at your own pace, rather than rampant goal-driven materialism, such as "The Long Way Home" from her 2001 album Time*Sex*Love, which pokes fun at a man who "retire(s) at thirty to his big-ass house next to the putting green." The album has a relatively different feel musically, incorporating elaborate orchestra melodies, but with her characteristic lyrical depth.
Her album Between Here and Gone, was released in 2004.
Carpenter's 2007 album, The Calling, on Rounder Records' rock/pop imprint Zoë, features commentary about contemporary politics, a reaction to the impact of Hurricane Katrina on a track entitled "Houston," and an incendiary track entitled "On with the Song", dedicated to the Dixie Chicks, and addressing the visceral reaction to the trio. In less than three months after its release, The Calling sold more than 100,000 copies in the US.
Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and is the only artist to have won four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, which she received from 1992 to 1995. On October 7, 2012, Carpenter was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Carpenter is a fifth cousin of the late singer and humanitarian Harry Chapin, along with his brothers Tom Chapin and Steve Chapin.
Elysium
Mary Chapin Carpenter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was only just following orders
Listening to the voice in my mind
Saying steer clear of margins and borders
So I wasn't thinking of where we would go
On a could afternoon through the mountains we drove
Up a few hairpin turns and then spread out below
I looked out the window and stared at the fields
Where the blue sky and green were colliding
I looked back at you and I knew we were sealed
By a fate that has ways of providing
Yes, sometimes you get there in spite of the route
Losing track of your life and what it's about
The road seems to know when to straighten right out
The closer you come to Elysium
They say there's a place for those who are good
With it's pearly gates swinging wide open
The rest of us here are just knocking on wood
Quietly, piously hoping
I could wonder if all of it led me to you
I could show you the arrows and circles I drew
I didn't have a map, it's the best I could do
On the fly and on the run
To dreams that were tethered like kites to the ground
To the bridges I burned, to then turning around
It was here in your heart I was finally found
And the last battle won for Elysium
The song Elysium by Mary Chapin Carpenter is about finding oneself in a beautiful and idyllic place, despite not knowing how one got there, and the feeling of destiny that comes with it. The lyrics suggest that sometimes, in life, we end up in the right place even if we do not plan or expect to be there. The singer talks about riding in a car with someone and taking a wrong turn which led them to Elysium, a metaphorical paradise. The moment of arrival is described as a beautiful spread of valley which appeared in front of them in sunlight.
The song also speaks about the idea of fate and destiny – that life has a way of leading us to where we are meant to be. The chorus suggests that there is a place for those who are good, a paradise like Elysium, which we may end up at in spite of ourselves. The singer reflects on her past, admitting her mistakes and missteps, but ultimately arrives at Elysium through her journey. Through her experiences, she finds love, faith, and fulfillment. The song is a beautiful reminder that life is unpredictable, but sometimes it can lead us to a beautiful destination, such as Elysium.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't really know how I got here this time
I am unsure of how I arrived at this place
I was only just following orders
I acted upon instructions without much reflection
Listening to the voice in my mind
Following the thoughts occurring in my head
Saying steer clear of margins and borders
Advising me to keep away from limits and boundaries
So I wasn't thinking of where we would go
I did not contemplate our destination
On a could afternoon through the mountains we drove
During a chilly day we moved through the hills
Up a few hairpin turns and then spread out below
We traveled upwards on some sharp bends then surveyed beneath us
The valley appeared with the sun like Elysium
The plain was visible illuminated by the sun, resembling paradise
I looked out the window and stared at the fields
I glanced out of the window and observed the farmland
Where the blue sky and green were colliding
Where the azure firmament and the emerald earth merged
I looked back at you and I knew we were sealed
I faced you and realized our union was definite
By a fate that has ways of providing
Through destiny's mysterious methods
Yes, sometimes you get there in spite of the route
Indeed, occasionally you reach your objective despite the path
Losing track of your life and what it's about
Neglecting your existence and its purpose
The road seems to know when to straighten right out
The route appears to straighten effortlessly
The closer you come to Elysium
As you draw near the paradise
They say there's a place for those who are good
It is said that a location exists for the virtuous
With it's pearly gates swinging wide open
Where the barriers are ivory and fully unhitched
The rest of us here are just knocking on wood
The others here are merely hoping for good fortune
Quietly, piously hoping
Wishing devoutly in silence
I could wonder if all of it led me to you
Occasionally I ponder if everything guided me to you
I could show you the arrows and circles I drew
I could reveal the various signs and symbols I created
I didn't have a map, it's the best I could do
As I did not possess a plan, that was my optimal effort
On the fly and on the run
Completely on the move and while moving
To dreams that were tethered like kites to the ground
To hopes that were restrained like airborne toys tied to the earth
To the bridges I burned, to then turning around
To the relationships I destroyed, to subsequently returning
It was here in your heart I was finally found
I ultimately located myself in your heart
And the last battle won for Elysium
The final conflict was conquered to enter paradise
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music
Written by: MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind