Born Domenica Costa on 4th June 1972 in Tokyo, Japan, she is relatively unknown in the United States, although she has achieved impressive commercial success overseas, most notably in Australia and Germany. She is the daughter of Don Costa, an arranger and producer of pop music, with whom she recorded several albums as a child, many of which have gone platinum. Frank Sinatra, a close friend of her father's, was her godfather. She is married to her songwriting partner and producer Justin Stanley.
Nikka has released 7 full length albums, 4 as an adult (Butterfly Rocket (1996), Everybody Got Their Something (2001), can'tneverdidnothin' (2005) and Pebble to a Pearl (2008)) as well as one EP PRO★WHOA! (2011).
She also had a career as a young singer starting in the 1980s, releasing 3 albums (Nikka Costa (1981), Fairy Tales (1983) and Here I Am... (1989)).
http://www.nikkacosta.com
So Have I For You
Nikka Costa Lyrics
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And a past to outdo
I don't need a gun
I've got a microphone
And a melody or two
Just like the earth has spent
A thousand years
Making up for what we do
Your seeds of misery have sprouted
And they try to block my way
The worst gets the better of you
And you try to disarm me with an embrace
Just like the heart that's spent a lifetime
Forgiving what is cruel
So have I for you
Well mama you can choose the rain
But I choose the sun
That's all I need to free myself
I am a woman with a mission
And a past to outdo
I don't need a gun
I've got a microphone
And a melody or two
Just like the earth has spent
A thousand years making up
For what we do
So have I for you
I have justified every wave in our ocean
I have covered every range of emotion
And just like the sea has spent eternity
At the mercy of the moon
So have I for you
Well mama you can choose the rain
But I choose the sun
That's all I need to free myself
This bird's gonna fly so high
Watch my sky come undone
Mama you can choose the rain
But I choose the sun
The song "So Have I For You" by Nikka Costa is a powerful and empowering song about a woman on a mission to outdo her past. The lyrics are filled with metaphors comparing the singer to the earth, the ocean, and a bird. She is a woman with a mission and a past to outdo. She is determined to make a difference with her voice and her music. She sings that she does not need a gun; she has a microphone and a melody or two. It is a clear indication that she is fighting with her music, and her weapon is her melody.
The singer talks about the sprouting of the seeds of misery and how they try to block her way. The worst gets the better of some people, and they try to disarm her with an embrace. She compares herself to the heart that has spent a lifetime forgiving what is cruel. She has justifications for every wave in the ocean, and she has covered every range of emotion. She is just like the sea that has spent eternity at the mercy of the moon, and she has done the same for the person she is singing about.
The song is about the singer's will to succeed in the face of adversity. She does not let obstacles block her path, and she prevails over them. In the end, she is free to choose the sun over the rain, and she is ready to soar high like a bird. The song speaks to the strength and resilience of women in the face of challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a woman with a mission
I have a strong determination to accomplish a specific purpose.
And a past to outdo
I have faced challenges in the past and I aim to overcome them.
I don't need a gun
I have no need for violence or force to assert myself.
I've got a microphone
I have a powerful voice and a message to communicate.
And a melody or two
I have a unique way of expressing myself through music.
Just like the earth has spent a thousand years making up for what we do
The earth has tirelessly been compensating for our harmful actions over the years, and I too am willing to put in the effort for someone I care about.
So have I for you
I am willing to go to great lengths for you.
Your seeds of misery have sprouted
The pain you have caused in the past is now being felt.
And they try to block my way
Despite the obstacles in my path, I will not be deterred.
The worst gets the better of you
You are overcome by negativity and it has affected your behavior.
And you try to disarm me with an embrace
You use physical affection as a way to manipulate me and gain control.
Just like the heart that's spent a lifetime forgiving what is cruel
I understand the importance of forgiveness, even when it is difficult.
So have I for you
I have forgiven you and am willing to move forward.
Well mama you can choose the rain
You can choose the path of sadness and despair,
But I choose the sun
But I choose positivity and happiness.
That's all I need to free myself
I am responsible for my own happiness and do not need anyone else to achieve it.
I have justified every wave in our ocean
I have weathered every storm in our relationship and have made peace with them.
I have covered every range of emotion
I have experienced a full spectrum of feelings in my relationship with you.
And just like the sea has spent eternity at the mercy of the moon
The sea has been subject to the forces of nature, and I too have experienced life's unpredictable twists and turns.
So have I for you
I have weathered life's challenges and still stand by you.
This bird's gonna fly so high
I am destined for great things.
Watch my sky come undone
My success will be so bright, it will be awe-inspiring.
Mama you can choose the rain
You can let negative emotions control you.
But I choose the sun
But I choose to embrace positivity and joy.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL LOUIS DIAMOND, ADAM HOROVITZ, ADAM NATHANIEL YAUCH, JOHN ROBERT KING, MICHAEL S. SIMPSON, NIKKA COSTA, JUSTIN MITCHELL STANLEY, MATT DIKE
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