The band's namesake and place of origin is the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood Over-the-Rhine. Karin attended school in Barnesville, Ohio and graduated from Barnesville High School in 1984. She then went to Malone College, located in Canton, Ohio, where she met Linford. Karin and Linford were married in the fall of 1996 in Cincinnati and several years ago relocated to a pre-civil war farm outside of town.
Over the Rhine is now primarily Bergquist (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano) and Detweiler (keyboards, electric bass, vocals) accompanied by complementary musicians on albums and tours. Over the years, they have toured and recorded in many variations. They have shared the stage with a number of fine musicians, including Bob Dylan, John Prine, Adrian Belew, Squeeze, Ani DiFranco, My Morning Jacket, Hem, and toured as "adjunct" members of Cowboy Junkies.
Over the Rhine's new album, _The Long Surrender_ was released nationally on 1/1/11. It recorded on California with Grammy winning producer, Joe Henry and contains a duet with Lucinda Williams on "Undamned" and two songs co-written with Joe Henry.
SPARK
Over the Rhine Lyrics
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It was the air you breathed that fanned the flame
What you think you'll solve with violence
Will only spread like a disease
Until it all comes 'round again
Was John the only dreamer?
And wake up screaming
When we lay our cold weapons down
We'll wake up dreaming
Obsessions with self-preservation
Faded when I threw my fear away
It's not a thing you can imagine
You either lose your fear
Or spend your life with one foot in the grave
Is God the last romantic?
Sleep with one ear close to the ground
And wake up screaming
When we lay our cold weapons down
We'll wake up dreaming
Only love can turn this around
I wake up dreaming
Everything we've lost can be found
We'll wake up dreaming
The lyrics to Over the Rhine's song Spark indicate a sense of social and political commentary on violence and the abuse of power. The lines “It’s not the spark that caused the fire / It was the air you breathed that fanned the flame” signify the notion that violence, conflict, and destruction don't simply occur spontaneously or without context, but is often the result of underlying, systemic issues that provoke and encourage it. Additionally, the refrain, “When we lay our cold weapons down / We'll wake up dreaming / Only love can turn this around” highlights the solution to this problem. The lyrics suggest that instead of using weapons and violence, the only way to move towards a better future is to use love, compassion, and empathy to bring our society together.
The song also touches on the subject of fear and self-preservation, as seen in the lines, “Obsessions with self-preservation / Faded when I threw my fear away / It's not a thing you can imagine / You either lose your fear / Or spend your life with one foot in the grave.” The lyrics suggest that holding onto fear, self-preservation, and ego will ultimately lead to one's destruction, and that the only way to overcome these emotions is to let go of them and open oneself up to the possibilities of love, trust, and empathy.
Overall, the song Spark represents a call to action for society to recognize the root causes of violence and conflict, and to move towards a more compassionate and empathetic world. It encourages listeners to let go of their fears, embrace love, and work towards creating a more peaceful society.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not the spark that caused the fire
The initial problem is not always the only root cause of a situation
It was the air you breathed that fanned the flame
External factors often exacerbate a situation
What you think you'll solve with violence
Violence often creates more problems than it solves
Will only spread like a disease
Violence begets violence
Until it all comes 'round again
Violence perpetuates a destructive cycle
Was John the only dreamer?
Are we the only ones who dream of a better world?
Sleep with one ear close to the ground
Be aware and alert of your surroundings and changes in them
And wake up screaming
Realizing how bad the current reality is can be frightening
When we lay our cold weapons down
When we stop fighting and working against each other
We'll wake up dreaming
Our dreams of a better future will become reality
Obsessions with self-preservation
When we care only about protecting ourselves
Faded when I threw my fear away
When we let go of fear, we can focus on more important things
It's not a thing you can imagine
The experience of letting go of fear is hard to imagine for those who haven't done it
You either lose your fear
To move forward, we must let go of fear
Or spend your life with one foot in the grave
The constant presence of fear can limit our lives
Is God the last romantic?
Is our belief in a better world the last hope?
Only love can turn this around
The only way to break the cycle of destruction is through love
Everything we've lost can be found
We can regain what we've lost when we come together and work towards a common goal
We'll wake up dreaming
Our dreams of a better world will become reality when we work towards making them happen
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANGELA MCCLUSKEY, DAVID M. SHAW SHARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind