Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American rock singer-songwr… Read Full Bio ↴Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist. Her self-titled debut album was released in 1988 and become an underground hit. The album peaked at #22 on the Billboard 200, and its lead single, Bring Me Some Water, garnered Etheridge her first Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. In 1993, Etheridge won her first Grammy award for her single, Ain't It Heavy, from her 3rd album Never Enough. Later that year, she released what would become her breakthrough album, Yes I Am. The album featured the mainstream rock hits I'm the Only One (#8) and Come to My Window (#25), the latter which scored Etheridge her second Grammy award. Yes I Am peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200, and spent 138 weeks on the chart, earning a RIAA certification of 6x Platinum, her largest to date.
In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. At the 2005 Grammy Awards, she made a return to the stage and, although bald from chemotherapy, performed a tribute to Janis Joplin with the song "Piece of My Heart". Etheridge's performance was widely lauded, with India.Arie writing "I Am Not My Hair" about Etheridge. Later that year, Etheridge released her first compilation album, Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled. The album was a huge success, peaking at #14 on the Billboard 200, and going Gold immediately. Her latest release is 4th Street Feeling.
Etheridge is known for her mixture of "confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals." She has also been an iconic gay and lesbian activist since her public coming out in January 1993.

Beloved
Melissa Etheridge Lyrics

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They say that they don't know me
Never saw my face
And if they've never been there
Can they be sure there's such a place
They think if they don't answer
The world will pass them by
But there's a fire in their kitchen
And the water's three feet high and risin'

My beloved
The only one I see standing up for me

Someone's shouting at me
You're all going to hell
Must not be too far away
Sometimes I can never tell
My shoes are still as empty
A mile they never walked
Send in their donation
And they never have to talk again

My beloved
The only one I see standing up for me
My beloved
Close my eyes heal my pride

I just want to show them who I am
I just want to show them what I can do
There's not much use to curse the damned
And there's power in nothing to lose

Someone's spitin' blood
Face down in the dirt
Someone's thinking about a gun
To try and stop the hurt
Someone drew conclusions
On the wall of destiny
Someone's getting louder
And that someone would be me

You think if you don't answer
The world will pass you by

But there's a fire in your kitchen
And the water's three feet high and risin'

Overall Meaning

Melissa Etheridge's "Beloved" is a song about advocacy, determination, and pushing back against societal norms. The lyrics open with a verse that speaks to the idea of being misunderstood or underestimated by others. Etheridge sings, "They say that they don't know me/Never saw my face/And if they've never been there/Can they be sure there's such a place." This verse reveals that the singer feels unrecognized and dismissed by those around her. She goes on to address the idea that some people choose to withdraw from the world and its problems, hoping that if they simply ignore what's happening, the issues will go away. Nevertheless, Etheridge argues that this is not an effective solution when "there's a fire in their kitchen/And the water's three feet high and risin'."

Line by Line Meaning

They say that they don't know me
People deny knowing me, my identity seems unknown to them

Never saw my face
They have never seen me, they're unfamiliar with who I am

And if they've never been there
If they haven't experienced it themselves

Can they be sure there's such a place
Would they know if such a place existed, without any personal experience?

They think if they don't answer
People assume avoiding a response will prevent them from being affected by their surroundings

The world will pass them by
The world around them will continue without their acknowledgement

But there's a fire in their kitchen
Something important requires attention, something that is being neglected

And the water's three feet high and risin'
The situation is worsening quickly and people need to act fast

My beloved
The person I deeply love and cherish

The only one I see standing up for me
The only person supporting me through thick and thin

Someone's shouting at me
People are being hostile and aggressive towards me

You're all going to hell
People are judged and sentenced to eternal damnation

Must not be too far away
The perception of doom and misfortune seems very close

Sometimes I can never tell
It is unclear if people are condemning me or the situation in which I find myself

My shoes are still as empty
The metaphorical shoes of empathy and compassion are lacking in the people's hearts

A mile they never walked
People are unwilling to empathize with my feelings because they have never experienced anything similar

Send in their donation
People think they can buy their way out of responsibility and commitment

And they never have to talk again
People expect their donation to silence them from taking any action towards helping

Close my eyes heal my pride
I need to take a step back and focus on restoring my own sense of dignity and self-respect

I just want to show them who I am
I strive to make my identity and capabilities known

I just want to show them what I can do
My knowledge and abilities are underrated and I aim to prove them wrong

There's not much use to curse the damned
It is futile to express bitterness towards those already condemned to their own negative fate

And there's power in nothing to lose
When faced with absolute defeat, one could find unexpected strength to take action

Someone's spitin' blood
People are experiencing physical or emotional turmoil

Face down in the dirt
People are struggling to cope with difficult situations

Someone's thinking about a gun
There could be people considering violent self-defense or suicide

To try and stop the hurt
People resort to drastic measures to relieve pain and emotional distress

Someone drew conclusions
People have already made up their minds without considering other perspectives

On the wall of destiny
Events seem predetermined, some see no hope in a better outcome

Someone's getting louder
Someone has decided that it is time to speak up and obtain justice

And that someone would be me
The singer highlights that they are the one taking the initiative to speak up and act against oppression and discrimination

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MELISSA ETHERIDGE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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