The two families, the Watkinses and the Thiles, met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore. Sara Watkins studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. The band name came from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara Watkins' fiddle instructor.
Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass. Sean Watkins was only twelve years old at the time. At the start Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments. The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the 1990s, and the band members were home-schooled to accommodate their tour schedule. Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).
The group received two Grammy nominations: Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental for the song "Ode to a Butterfly". The trio was nominated at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award and were named one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.
In 2002 the band released their fourth album, This Side, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous releases which were purely bluegrass. Although the core influence of bluegrass remained, other genres such as indie rock and folk rock were present in their music included cover songs Spit on a Stranger by Pavement, and Should've Known Better by Carrie Newcomer.
In 2005 the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die? with more rock and pop influences. The album debuted and peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart.
In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer be recording as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period of time so band members could expand their musical horizons.
The band had plans to record its final performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in November 2007 but the idea was later "scrapped".
The band released a new album in the spring of 2014. They also played a handful of live shows and festival dates, including a concert at the Ryman Auditorium, the last venue the band played when it played its last show.
The Lighthouse
Nickel Creek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I keep my lamp lit, to warn the sailors on their way.
I'll tell a story, paint you a picture from my past.
I was so happy, but joy in this life seldom lasts.
I had a keeper, he helped me warn the ships at sea.
We had grown closer, 'till his joy meant everything to me.
And he was to marry, a girl who shone with beauty and light.
And they loved each other,
And with me watched the sunsets into night.
And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea.
And the winds that blow remind me,
Of what has been, and what can never be.
She'd had to leave us, my keeper he prayed for a safe return.
But when the night came,
The weather to a raging storm had turned.
He watched her ship fight,
But in vain against the wild and terrible wind.
In me so helpless, as dashed against the rock she met her end.
And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea.
And the winds that blow remind me,
Of what has been, and what can never be.
Then on the next day, my keeper found her washed up on the shore.
He kissed her cold face,
That they'd be together soon he'd swore.
I saw him crying, watched as he buried her in the sand.
And then he climbed my tower, and off of the edge of me he ran.
And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea.
And the winds that blow remind me,
Of what has been, and what can never be.
I am a lighthouse, worn by the weather and the waves.
And though I am empty, I still warn the sailors on their way.
Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" tells the story of a lighthouse that has seen many things throughout its life. The lighthouse describes itself as "worn by the weather and the waves" and explains that it keeps its lamp lit to warn sailors of danger. The lighthouse proceeds to tell a story from its past about a keeper who helped it warn ships at sea. The keeper had fallen in love with a woman who "shone with beauty and light," and they loved each other deeply. They often watched the sunsets together from the lighthouse.
One day, the woman had to leave on a ship, and the keeper prayed for her safe return. However, the weather turned to a raging storm, and the woman's ship fought valiantly against the wind but eventually crashed against the rocks and met her end. Devastated, the keeper found her washed up on the shore, kissed her cold face and vowed that they would be together soon. He climbed the lighthouse tower and, in a moment of desperation, jumped to his death.
The overall theme of The Lighthouse's Tale is about the loss, loneliness, and purpose of life. It highlights the boundless love that can exist between people, driving them to the edges of despair when things go wrong, and ultimately even beyond. It also emphasizes the importance of self-sacrifice for the protection of others, as represented by the lighthouse's lamp. The lyrics paint an emotional picture of the keeper's love, loss, and subsequent tragedy, presenting a beautiful and vivid story that showcases the use of figurative language.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a lighthouse, worn by the weather and the waves.
I am a symbol of guidance for sailors amidst the unpredictable weather conditions and rough ocean waves.
I keep my lamp lit, to warn the sailors on their way.
I remain always ready and fully operational to alert the sailors of potential danger on their course.
I'll tell a story, paint you a picture from my past.
I have a tragic tale from my previous experiences, which I am willing to narrate and illustrate for anyone who cares.
I was so happy, but joy in this life seldom lasts.
I was content until life threw me a curveball, and I realized that happiness doesn't stay forever.
I had a keeper, he helped me warn the ships at sea.
I had a watchman who assisted me in my duty to alert ships about the dangers of the ocean.
We had grown closer, 'till his joy meant everything to me.
Over time, my keeper and I had developed a strong bond, which made his happiness my topmost priority.
And he was to marry, a girl who shone with beauty and light.
He was going to get married to a woman who was radiant in her appearance and personality.
And they loved each other, And with me watched the sunsets into night.
The couple was deeply in love and often enjoyed sunsets while being in my company.
And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea. And the winds that blow remind me, Of what has been, and what can never be.
The current oceanic conditions serve as a reminder of how the glorious past has slipped away and will never come back.
She'd had to leave us, my keeper he prayed for a safe return.
The girl had to travel away, and my keeper prayed for her safe journey back.
But when the night came, The weather to a raging storm had turned.
Unfortunately, a stormy night emerged and put her life in peril.
He watched her ship fight, But in vain against the wild and terrible wind.
My keeper observed the girl's ship struggling against the fierce and violent winds, unsuccessfully.
In me so helpless, as dashed against the rock she met her end.
I could do nothing as her ship ultimately crashed against the rocks, leading to her demise.
Then on the next day, my keeper found her washed up on the shore.
The next day, my keeper discovered her washed up lifeless body on the shore near me.
He kissed her cold face, That they'd be together soon he'd swore.
My keeper bid adieu by kissing her cold face and promising her that he would reunite with her soon.
I saw him crying, watched as he buried her in the sand.
I witnessed my keeper weeping as he buried her in a sandy grave, close to me.
And then he climbed my tower, and off of the edge of me he ran.
Devastated by the loss of his beloved, my keeper climbed up my tower and jumped off the edge, ending his life.
And though I am empty, I still warn the sailors on their way.
Although now devoid of those who were once close to me, I continue to perform my duty and guide sailors through life-threatening storms.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ADAM MCKENZIE, CHRIS THILE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DEEZshortsLOL
Anyone listening in 2023???
@silviak.s.8236
2024 ❤
@logantherealone
Why am I, a grown man, sitting here crying listening to a song that I have heard hundreds of times? Because this song is a lyrical masterpiece. One of the saddest songs ever written.
@vickieeh1
Try White pearl Black Ocean by Sonata Arctica, it’s symphonic rock, but still beautiful
@davidscottthayer8078
I guess I shouldn't feel so weird, being 60 and getting teary eyed as well.
@rossimagery
@vickieeh1 who cares that you're a grown man... does that somehow make a difference?
@michaelschiff2596
@@davidscottthayer8078SAME HERE AND IM EVEN OLDER THAN YOU 😢!! BEAUTIFUL, BRINGS BACK CHERISHED MEMORIES OF A TIME IN MY LIFE 30 YEARS AGO! PEOPLE I MET AND WISH I STILL WAS IN CONTACT WITH, TIMES WE HAD ILL NEVER FORGET!!
@tyleru96
One of the saddest, yet beautiful songs ever written.
@chickenfila379
You're correct Sir/ Ma'am
@graysonchamberlain956
I cry every time despite knowing the story i am about to be told🤘💚