In 2000, Ferrick founded her own record label, Right On Records. The first studio album released on her own label was Valentine Heartache.
Her 2011 album was entitled "Still Right Here".
Website: www.melissaferrick.com
The Other Side
Melissa Ferrick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey I don't know what I want
To have come this far
To just go back again
To have been loved so much
To actually want to love again
But I forget to ask myself
I forget to check in
See the devil's got my hand
And I've been out here wandering this whole time
Pretending I've got me a grand plan
But I told you
I don't know
What I'm doing
It's like I'm drifting out
The current's got my body
But I'm too tired to swim or shout
But I can see you waving
At the shoreline
You're calling me home
But the biggest part of me
Knows that I need to be out here alone and I'm
Floating out here
Waiting for the moon to push the tide
Floating out here waiting for the ocean to carry me
To the other side
Get me to the other side
And I'm forcing inspiration
Out of fear I'll never write again
But I'm out here giving away
More than my body can
Bluffing the whole table
Holding me a pair of threes
I'm dreaming drinking will fix me
Thinking sleeping with you is gonna free me
That my smoking won't kill me
And in the meantime
Look at life out there happening
Cause I don't know
What I'm doing
It's like I'm just drifting out
The current has got my body
But I'm too tired to swim or shout
But I can see you waving
At the shoreline
You're calling me home
But the biggest part of me
Knows that I need to be out here alone
Floating out here
Waiting for the moon to push the tide
Floating out here
Waiting for the ocean to carry me
To the other side
Get me to the other side
Floating out here
Waiting for the moon to push the tide Come on and carry me
To the other side get me to the other side
The song "The Other Side" by Melissa Ferrick describes a sense of disorientation and confusion in the face of life's many possibilities. The opening lines of the song use a metaphor likening the singer's state of mind to "electricity scattered," suggesting a sense of scattered energy and uncertainty. The lyrics then express a sense of ambivalence about moving forward versus looking back, with the singer stating that she does not know what she wants.
The song's chorus repeats the idea that the singer is "floating out here," waiting for something to carry her to "the other side." The other side could be interpreted as a metaphor for a new phase of life or a sense of clarity and purpose. However, the singer seems to be resigned to an extended state of limbo, admitting that she is too tired to swim or shout to get there.
The lyrics also touch on addiction, with the singer dreaming that things like drinking or sleeping with someone will provide a fix or free her from her sense of confusion. However, she ultimately sees life passing her by as she waits for something to change. Ultimately, the song's message seems to be about the difficulty of finding direction in life and the temptation to remain adrift, even when we know where we want to be.
Line by Line Meaning
Like electricity scattered
Feeling lost and aimless
Hey I don't know what I want
Uncertain about personal desires
To have come this far
Reflecting on life experience
To just go back again
Feeling apprehensive about progress
To have been loved so much
Grateful for past experiences and relationships
To actually want to love again
Desire to find love in the future
But I forget to ask myself
Neglecting personal reflection
Hey what do I want to do?
Lacking a clear direction in life
I forget to check in
Neglecting self-awareness
See the devil's got my hand
Feeling tempted or misguided
And I've been out here wandering this whole time
Feeling lost or disconnected
Pretending I've got me a grand plan
Putting on a false front of confidence
But I told you
Admitting vulnerability to someone else
I don't know
Owning uncertainty
What I'm doing
Feeling uncertain about current path
It's like I'm drifting out
Feeling aimless and without direction
The current's got my body
Feeling like a passenger in one's own life
But I'm too tired to swim or shout
Feeling helpless to change one's circumstances
But I can see you waving
Recognizing the presence of others
At the shoreline
Symbolic of security and stability
You're calling me home
Receiving support and encouragement from others
But the biggest part of me
Feeling compelled to go against the advice of others
Knows that I need to be out here alone
Recognizing the importance of personal growth and discovery
Floating out here
Feeling untethered and adrift
Waiting for the moon to push the tide
Metaphor for waiting for outside forces to shape one's life
Waiting for the ocean to carry me
Metaphor for waiting for direction and purpose in life
To the other side
Symbolic of a new stage or chapter in life
And I'm forcing inspiration
Trying to manufacture creativity
Out of fear I'll never write again
Feeling blocked or unproductive artistically
But I'm out here giving away
Feeling emotionally drained
More than my body can
Feeling depleted and overwhelmed
Bluffing the whole table
Putting on a facade to mask one's vulnerability
Holding me a pair of threes
Feeling inadequate but trying to persevere
I'm dreaming drinking will fix me
Seeking solace in unhealthy coping mechanisms
Thinking sleeping with you is gonna free me
Believing that romantic connections will solve one's problems
That my smoking won't kill me
Ignoring potential consequences of harmful behaviors
And in the meantime
In the midst of uncertainty and waiting
Look at life out there happening
Recognizing the world around oneself
Come on and carry me
Appealing for divine guidance
Contributed by Jayce M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.