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.
Zephyr
Mary Chapin Carpenter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whether to leave or to stay
'Cause underneath sorrow, underneath fear
There's nothing that's keeping me here
'Cause I'm a zephyr on the inside
And it's a hard ride when you feel yourself tied down
Hide-and-earth bound
I tried to be constant just like a star
I tried to be steady and yar
But the storms keep breaking over my head
I'm aching for blue skies instead
'Cause I'm a zephyr on the inside
And it's a hard ride when you feel your heart tied down
Hide-and-earth bound
But there's no tether
I'm a zephyr
All of the wings I've ridden back home to you
All the things I've given I've wanted to
All that you see has always belonged to you
Except for the wind:
Forever and after, that's if we're charmed
You've got to hold on with more than these arms
Because love is all there is and time is just sand
And I might just slip through your hands
'Cause I'm a zephyr on the inside
And it's a hard ride when you feel your life tied down
Hide-and-earth bound but there's no tether
I'm a zephyr on the inside
And it's a hard ride when you feel yourself tied down
Hide-and-earth bound but there's no tether
On a zephyr
The lyrics to Mary Chapin Carpenter's song Zephyr speak to the idea of being trapped or tied down both physically and emotionally. The opening lines convey a feeling of indecision, of not knowing whether to stay or go. The verses speak of trying to be steady and constant, but being constantly buffeted by storms and longing for freedom. The chorus emphasizes the singer's sense of being a zephyr or breeze on the inside, always in motion and never tethered down.
The imagery of being a zephyr on the inside speaks to a desire for freedom and escape, both from external circumstances and from one's own emotional struggles. The image of slipping through someone's hands suggests a fear of being caught and trapped, of losing that freedom. The final lines of the song, "On a zephyr", suggest a sense of acceptance of this freedom and the idea that it is something to be cherished and celebrated.
Overall, Zephyr is a song about the struggle for independence and the desire to break free of constraints, both external and internal. It is a song that speaks to anyone who has felt trapped, tied down, or suffocated by their circumstances, and who longs for the freedom to become a zephyr on the inside.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know nothing, nothing today
I am unaware of anything today
Whether to leave or to stay
I am unsure if I should stay or go
'Cause underneath sorrow, underneath fear
Beneath my sadness and fear
There's nothing that's keeping me here
There is nothing holding me back
'Cause I'm a zephyr on the inside
Because I am a gentle breeze within
And it's a hard ride when you feel yourself tied down
It's challenging to feel restrained
Hide-and-earth bound
Stuck to the ground
But there's no tether, on a zephyr
But a gentle breeze has no bounds
I tried to be constant just like a star
I attempted to be unwavering like a star
I tried to be steady and yar
I attempted to be stable and reliable
But the storms keep breaking over my head
But difficulties keep overwhelming me
I'm aching for blue skies instead
I desire clearer, happier times
'Cause I'm a zephyr on the inside
Because I am a gentle breeze within
And it's a hard ride when you feel your heart tied down
It's difficult to experience emotional restriction
All of the wings I've ridden back home to you
Every effort I have made to return to you
All the things I've given I've wanted to
All the gifts I have given to you, I wanted to
All that you see has always belonged to you
Everything you perceive has always been yours
Except for the wind:
Except for the gentle breeze
Forever and after, that's if we're charmed
If we are lucky, forever and thereafter
You've got to hold on with more than these arms
You must hold on with more than just your physical arms
Because love is all there is and time is just sand
Love is the most important thing and time is fleeting
And I might just slip through your hands
I may escape your grasp
'Cause I'm a zephyr on the inside
Because I am a gentle breeze within
And it's a hard ride when you feel your life tied down
It is tough to feel trapped in one's own life
Hide-and-earth bound but there's no tether
Stuck to the ground but with no limit
I'm a zephyr on the inside
I am a gentle breeze within
And it's a hard ride when you feel yourself tied down
It's hard to experience restraint
Hide-and-earth bound but there's no tether
Stuck to the ground but with no limit
On a zephyr
On a gentle breeze
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music
Written by: MARY CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind