Performing Songwriter calls Hutchinson, "...A master of introspective ballads filled with understated yearning and an exquisite sense of metaphor." The twenty-six year old describes her style as "lyric-based, folk-pop, with a whole lot of small town idealism and one devastating break up thrown in for good measure." Among her influences she is quick to include poet Mary Oliver along with the likes of David Grey, Patty Griffin, Greg Brown and Shawn Colvin. Her songs are characterized by a weathered but unselfconscious optimism, a love of language and of the natural world. Having grown up in a town of 5,000 people, "just outside the National Historic District," her songs possess all the charm of Lake Wobegon, tempered by a sweet and timeless voice.
Neither Here nor There
Meg Hutchinson Lyrics
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Gardens and a barn and it's quiet, on these back roads
We're the last to get plowed out, when it snows
And we're building a new room
There'll be five of us come june
And through the windows, the voices of the one i love the most
They're making little boats and
Who could say i could have made more of myself?
I could have been neither here nor there
Here is the car, here the map and here the bus and here the train,
I'm leaving you again
Another motel, another ticket for the plane
Another city of strangers, who know me by name and
I am made of whims and praise
There is nothing familiar at the end of the day
So much road...
And who could say i need anything else?
Who could say i could have made more of myself?
I could have been neither here nor there
Here on the phone, in a truck stop, late for the big show
Oh god i miss you you know and
Who could say i need anything else?
And who could say i could have made more of myself?
I could have been, neither here nor there,
But i have been neither here nor there
So much for the best of both worlds
Here nor there, yes i have been, neither here nor there
The first stanza of Meg Hutchinson's "Neither Here nor There" presents a picturesque image of a house in the countryside with an orchard, a farm, and a barn. The peacefulness of living on the back roads is highlighted by the fact that they are the last to be plowed out from snowstorms. The singer, who is building a new room, is pleased that their family of five will have more space come June, as they listen to the voices they love the most through the house's windows. The voices are probably of the singer's spouse and children, who are in the yard making little boats.
In contrast, the second stanza describes the life of someone who travels constantly and has nothing familiar to cling to at the end of each day. The singer is made of "whims and praise," indicating they are fickle and constantly seeking the approval of others. They travel by car, bus, and train and feel like strangers in every new city they visit. Even though the singer misses the person on the other end of the phone call at the truck stop, they continue to travel to the next big show.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "who could say I need anything else?" twice and then adds "who could say I could have made more of myself?" These words could be interpreted as the singer's questioning whether their wandering lifestyle is fulfilling or if they are missing out on something more significant. The phrase "I could have been neither here nor there," implies that the singer is searching for that sweet spot where they are neither too settled nor too rootless but haven't yet found it.
Line by Line Meaning
Here is the house, orchards on the hill and here the farm
The singer is describing the physical environment of their home which includes a house, orchards on a hill, and a farm.
Gardens and a barn and it's quiet, on these back roads
In addition to the house, orchards, and farm, there are also gardens and a barn creating a peaceful environment due to the remote location of their house.
We're the last to get plowed out, when it snows
Because they live on back roads, it takes longer for the roads to be cleared, meaning they are the last ones to have their roads plowed when it snows.
And we're building a new room
The artist's family is expanding and so they are in the process of adding a new room to their house.
There'll be five of us come june
The artist will have five family members living in their house by June.
And through the windows, the voices of the one i love the most
The singer can hear the voice of the person they love the most through the windows of their house.
They're making little boats and
The person the singer loves is doing an activity related to making little boats that the singer can see through the window.
Who could say i need anything else
The artist is content with their current situation and feels they have everything they need.
Who could say i could have made more of myself?
The artist believes they have done all they can and are satisfied with their life choices so far.
I could have been neither here nor there
The artist recognizes that there are other choices they could have made in life, but they are okay with the choices they have made and where they are currently.
Here is the car, here the map and here the bus and here the train,
The singer is describing different forms of transportation they use when traveling.
I'm leaving you again
The artist is leaving someone behind as they travel and is upset about it.
Another motel, another ticket for the plane
The singer is describing the monotony of their travels, saying it's just another motel and another plane ticket.
Another city of strangers, who know me by name and
The singer has been to so many cities they describe them as all being filled with strangers, who somehow know the singer's name.
I am made of whims and praise
The singer is whimsical in nature and requires praise and positivity to keep going.
There is nothing familiar at the end of the day
The artist feels lonely on their travels and has nothing familiar to go back to at the end of their day.
So much road...
The artist has traveled so much that they have experienced many different kinds of roads.
Here on the phone, in a truck stop, late for the big show
The singer is describing a moment in which they find themselves on the phone, in a truck stop, and late for an important event/show.
Oh god i miss you you know and
The singer misses someone they care about and is expressing this feeling.
But i have been neither here nor there
The artist is acknowledging that their life involves a lot of moving around, meaning they don't stay in one place for very long.
So much for the best of both worlds
The artist recognizes that the life they have chosen involves a lot of travel and moving around which can be difficult.
Here nor there, yes i have been, neither here nor there
The artist repeats the phrase 'neither here nor there' to emphasize that they feel like they don't have a permanent home and are constantly traveling.
Contributed by Anthony L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.