Parsons started out playing piano, and also picked up the guitar at about 14, finally getting serious in seventh form (about age 17) when applying for the Nelson School of Music. After a year of music school, Parsons went overseas for a period, then returned to New Zealand to attend the University of Auckland, where she studied popular music and performance, along with history, anthropology and Spanish.
In 2007, Parsons started work on her first album. The album was written by Parsons, and recorded with co-producer Shaun Elley and her backing band, The Rhythm Kings. The album, "Over My Shoulder", was released in 2009.
In 2011, Parsons released her second studio album, "Red Grey Blue", featuring Anika Moa and Greg Johnson on harmonies, Bruce Lynch on double bass, and Don McGlashan on baritone horn, along with others. The album was recorded in Studio One, Boatshed Studios, and The Spare Room, in Auckland, New Zealand.
Parsons recorded her third studio album, "Drylands", at Surgery Studios. The album was engineered by Lee Prebble who, along with mixing engineer Oliver Harmer, won the 2015 New Zealand Music Awards for best engineer for the album.
Parsons released her fourth album, "Glass Heart", on 30 November 2018. Glass Heart is the first album Parsons recorded outside of New Zealand. It was recorded in the US in Santa Monica, California, with producer Mitchell Froom.
Parsons released her fifth studio album, "Slow Burn", on 16 September 2022.
Far Away
Mel Parsons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Far far away I want it to stay that way
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
It can wake me up it can make me dive
It can dry my face or bring the waters down
Noone I know cos I won't be seeing you round
Far far away you're so far away
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
It can bring me up like a soaring kite
It can bring me down like turning off the light
I can sail away you're the melody of his life
You can bring me back pour water on his pride, your so
Far far away you're so far away
Far far away I want it to stay that way
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
Time goes slow, further you stray
I am at peace now, you're far away, and there's
Too much that's been said, and there's too much on the table
I'm goin' to get me goin', as soon as I am able, yeah, there's
Too much that's been said, and there's too much on the table
I'm goin' to get me goin', just as soon as I am able, you're
Far far away you're so far away
Far far away I want it to stay that way
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
Far far away now there's too much on the table
Far far away, as soon as I am able
Far far away, yeah I don't want to see you no more
Far far away I thought I'd closed that door
Far far away far away
Far far away, I want it to stay that way
The lyrics of Mel Parsons's song "Far Away" convey a sense of distance and longing for someone who has been left behind. The repetition of the phrase "far away" emphasizes the physical and emotional distance between the singer and the subject of the song. The opening lines, "Far far away you're so far away / Far far away I want it to stay that way," indicate that the separation has been intentional and suggests that the singer is trying to move on from this person. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that this person still occupies the singer's thoughts and emotions. The lines "It can wake me up it can make me dive / It can dry my face or bring the waters down" suggest that this person has the power to affect the singer's moods and behaviors. Even though the singer acknowledges that there is "too much that's been said" and "too much on the table," which have made it difficult to reconcile, there is still a sense of unfinished business that needs to be addressed.
The lyrics of "Far Away" can be interpreted as a reflection of the human experience of longing for someone or something that is out of reach. The feelings of distance and separation that are expressed in the song are relatable to anyone who has gone through a breakup, lost touch with a friend, or been unable to pursue a desired dream or goal. The repeated refrain of "Far far away you're so far away / Far far away I want it to stay that way" captures the tension between the desire to move on and the longing for what has been left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Far far away you're so far away
You are distant from me, both physically and emotionally.
Far far away I want it to stay that way
I don't want to be close to you anymore, it's better if we remain separate.
Far far away but you're on my mind
Even though I want to forget about you, you are still occupying my thoughts.
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
I believed I had moved on from you, but my feelings still linger.
It can wake me up it can make me dive
Thinking about you can cause me to feel energized or overwhelmed with emotion.
It can dry my face or bring the waters down
Remembering you can either make me cry or dry my tears, depending on my mood.
Noone I know cos I won't be seeing you round
I won't be running into you socially, so no one in my life will have to deal with the awkwardness of seeing you.
It can bring me up like a soaring kite
You have the power to make me feel joyous and alive.
It can bring me down like turning off the light
You can also make me feel sad and hopeless.
I can sail away you're the melody of his life
I can move on from you and start fresh, but you will always be the important song in his life.
You can bring me back pour water on his pride, your so
You have the power to make me feel small and humble, which might appeal to him in some way.
Time goes slow, further you stray
The longer we are apart, the more time seems to crawl by.
I am at peace now, you're far away, and there's
I've found some serenity in not having you around, but there are still some unresolved feelings.
Too much that's been said, and there's too much on the table
There are too many complicated feelings and situations between us to easily untangle.
I'm goin' to get me goin', as soon as I am able, yeah, there's
I'm going to try and move on with my life and leave the past behind, as soon as I feel ready.
Far far away now there's too much on the table
I can't deal with these complicated emotions right now, so I need you to stay distant from me.
Far far away, as soon as I am able
When I am emotionally ready, I will be able to move further away from you and focus on my own life.
Far far away, yeah I don't want to see you no more
I've had enough of our past together and I don't want any more contact with you.
Far far away I thought I'd closed that door
I believed I had moved on from you and closed the metaphorical door on our past, but my emotions keep pulling me back.
Far far away far away
You are far away from me, both physically and mentally, and I want to keep it that way.
Far far away, I want it to stay that way
I am content with the way things are now and don't want anything to change between us.
Writer(s): PARSONS MEL
Contributed by Mackenzie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Leah
This song rocks! Mel got the audience singing along at a recent gig.
@aine-zeliepopps337
Far far away you're so far away
Far far away I want it to stay that way
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
It can wake me up it can make me dive
It can dry my face or bring the waters down
Noone I know cos I won't be seeing you round
Far far away you're so far away
Far far away I want it to stay that way
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
It can bring me up like a soaring kite
It can bring me down like turning off the light
I can sail away you're the melody of his life
You can bring me back pour water on his pride, your so
Far far away you're so far away
Far far away I want it to stay that way
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
Time goes slow, further you stray
I am at peace now, you're far away, and there's
Too much that's been said, and there's too much on the table
I'm goin' to get me goin', as soon as I am able, yeah, there's
Too much that's been said, and there's too much on the table
I'm goin' to get me goin', just as soon as I am able, you're
Far far away you're so far away
Far far away I want it to stay that way
Far far away but you're on my mind
Far far away I thought I'd left you behind
Far far away now there's too much on the table
Far far away, as soon as I am able
Far far away, yeah I don't want to see you no more
Far far away I thought I'd closed that door
Far far away far away
Far far away, I want it to stay that way
@jarrodwraight9971
I am so glad Brokenwood brought me here!
@whatshername369
Me too!
@evalaurabonacini6444
Me too!
@nicolasperrot9436
Same way... from France.
@massimilianochiti4133
me too from italy
@petrborek9511
Also from the Czech republic :o).
@curiouskitty6590
Greetings from UK, brokenwood brought me here.
❤️
@Windthin
Brokenwood brought my wife and I here, your amazing music and work is keeping is here, believe me.
@paulkemp930
I heard and loved this on Brokenwood 2-3 years ago, and it took me this long to track down the artist. But here I am, listening happily and glad I followed the road, eventually.