Grammy winner and 7 time Grammy nominee Paula Cole has released six solo albums spanning an eighteen year career. She has sold approximately three million albums and has performed with icons in many genres of music from Peter Gabriel to Dolly Parton (and many more.) Cole’s emotionally deep and thrilling performances are a trademark. Poetic and fiercely touching, intelligent writing makes Cole stand apart. Her compositions have been covered by Herbie Hancock, Annie Lennox, Katherine McPhee to name a few. From a small town in Massachusetts Paula Cole was raised in a musical family with whom she and her daughter remain close. Cole is a scholarship alumna from Berklee College of Music with a background in jazz, received her first record deal with a jazz label (which she declined), and has collaborated with many jazz artists. Paula teaches and gives clinics in a spirit of giving back to the circle of music. With a loving allegiance to her fans, she maintains loyal communication online and after her live shows. As the first woman in history to solely produce and receive the best Producer Grammy nomination for her work, “This Fire”, Cole has broken boundaries with a searcher’s spirit. From her top ten hits of the 1990’s to her more recent critically acclaimed albums, Paula Cole continues to write, produce, record and perform heartfelt, meaningful, lasting music that defies categorization.
Chiaroscuro
Paula Cole Lyrics
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Gogan and Vango
Painted light and darkness
Chiaroscuro
Imagine we were a painting
A woman and a man
Two lovers on the canvas
Chorus:
Oh darkness and light will be married tonight in Chiaroscuro
Your body on mine two colors combine in Chiaroscuro
Velmir and Valasqez
Rembrant and Ruso
Painted perfect union
Chiaroscuro
The man and the woman
The knife and the spoon
The zylem and the phloum
The sun and the moon
Chorus:
Oh darkness and light will be married tonight in Chiaroscuro
Your body on mine two colors combine in Chiaroscuro
How we lived a secret life from racist eyes
You said i wouldnt understand you any way i tried
In this moment together
In our secret unity
Our skins become a still life
Our souls epiphany
chorus(2x):
In "Chiaroscuro," Paula Cole explores the concept of light and darkness in art and how it reflects on love and relationships. The song references several historical painters who used chiaroscuro, an artistic technique that uses strong contrasts of light and dark, to create depth and dimensionality in their paintings. Cole asks the listener to imagine themselves as a painting, with two lovers represented in black and white. The chorus describes the blending of these two colors, similar to how light and darkness can become one in the technique of chiaroscuro.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of a secret relationship, one that is hidden from the prejudices of society. Cole expresses the frustration of trying to connect and understand another person when societal barriers stand in the way. But in this moment of unity, represented by the blending of black and white, skin color becomes a "still life" and the souls of the individuals have a moment of epiphany.
Line by Line Meaning
Goya and El Greco
Two famous artists known for their use of Chiaroscuro in their paintings.
Gogan and Vango
Two other famous artists known for their use of light and darkness in their artwork.
Painted light and darkness
These artists used light and darkness to create a sense of depth and contrast in their paintings.
Chiaroscuro
A term used in art to describe the use of light and dark contrasts to create depth and contrast in a painting.
Imagine we were a painting
The singer is using a metaphor where they are comparing their relationship to a work of art.
A woman and a man
The two protagonists of the song.
Two lovers on the canvas
The artwork is a representation of the singers' relationship.
One is white and one is black
They come from different racial backgrounds.
Velmir and Valasqez
More famous artists known for their use of Chiaroscuro.
Rembrant and Ruso
Two other famous artists who used contrasts in their artwork.
Painted perfect union
These artists used contrasts in their work to create a sense of balance and harmony.
Chiaroscuro
The use of contrasts in their artwork.
The man and the woman
The two lovers in the artwork.
The knife and the spoon
Symbols of the two different upbringings of the two protagonists.
The zylem and the phloum
Possible invented objects that represent the differences between the two lovers.
The sun and the moon
Two opposing yet complementary elements of the world represented in the artwork.
How we lived a secret life from racist eyes
Their interracial relationship was frowned upon, and they had to hide it.
You said I wouldn't understand you any way I tried
One of the singers was doubted and rejected by the others' community.
In our secret unity
The couple's relationship.
Our skins become a still life
Their differences become an intrinsic part of the artwork that represents their relationship.
Our souls epiphany
Their love transcends racial differences into a deeper realization.
Oh darkness and light will be married tonight in Chiaroscuro
Their differences will merge into a beautiful representation of their unity.
Your body on mine two colors combine in Chiaroscuro
Their sexual and emotional intimacy merges their differences into one artwork of beauty.
Contributed by Muhammad B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.