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.
Comin' Down
Paula Cole Lyrics
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(Comin' down, comin' down)
Lord make me a Skillsaw to cut through these chains
(Comin' down, comin' down)
Lord give me the clarity to see through this smoke
And salvage the woman comin' down
Lord make me an arrow to pierce through the lies
Lord make me a lens to better see my life
(Comin' down, comin' down)
Lord make me an instrument to sing away the pain
This rushing river comin' down
I'm free, here in the mountains of peace may I be
I see the greatness above and the smallness of me
Lord I'm mistaken in the choices that I made
(Comin' down, comin' down)
I made me a prison that should've been a man
(Comin' down, comin' down)
Lord help me discover the courage to be
To handle these changes comin' down
I'm free here in the mountains of peace may I be
I see the greatness above and the smallness of me
So free, here in garden awake consciously
I see the greatness within, the greatness in me
Lord I'm your instrument, I'll shoulder the weight
(Comin' down, comin' down)
Of feeling emotions in a deeper shade
(Comin' down, comin' down)
I'll be the one who puts them to song
And liberate the heartache comin' down
The lyrics in Paula Cole's song "Comin' Down" speak to the need for intervention and help in someone's life when they are struggling. The repeated phrase "comin' down" is a metaphor that represents someone falling from a high point in their life, coming down from the top. The singer is asking for God to help them with their struggles, to give them the strength to break free from the chains and cut through the smoke that is clouding their vision. The use of musical instruments in the lyrics shows how the singer is using music to release their pain and help them take control of their life.
The verse "Lord help me discover the courage to be" speaks to how difficult it can be for someone to take charge of their life during difficult times. It is a request for help in finding the strength to make the necessary changes to better themselves. The song ends with the singer offering themselves as an instrument to help others who are going through similar struggles. It is a message of hope and redemption, that even when someone is at their lowest point, with the help of others and personal introspection, they can come back stronger than ever.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord make me a lightning bolt to burn off this ring
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The singer is asking for a quick and intense solution to rid herself of a ring that she feels is weighing her down.
Lord make me a Skillsaw to cut through these chains
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The singer is asking for a tool to free herself from the metaphorical chains that are holding her down.
Lord give me the clarity to see through this smoke
And salvage the woman comin' down
The singer is asking for a clear mind to see through the confusion and chaos in her life and find a way to save herself.
Lord make me an arrow to pierce through the lies
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The artist wants a weapon to help her see through the falsehoods in her life.
Lord make me a lens to better see my life
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The artist needs a tool to help her see her life clearly and objectively.
Lord make me an instrument to sing away the pain
This rushing river comin' down
The singer wants to use music and creativity to help heal the hurt in her life.
I'm free, here in the mountains of peace may I be
I see the greatness above and the smallness of me
The singer is finding solace and freedom in the peaceful mountains where she can see the grandeur of the world around her in relation to her own smallness.
Lord I'm mistaken in the choices that I made
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The artist recognizes that she has made poor decisions and is paying for them now.
I made me a prison that should've been a man
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The artist feels trapped by her past mistakes and longs to feel free like her true self.
Lord help me discover the courage to be
To handle these changes comin' down
The artist asks for strength and bravery to face the challenges and changes in her life.
So free, here in garden awake consciously
I see the greatness within, the greatness in me
The singer has found peace and clarity in nature and is recognizing the greatness within herself.
Lord I'm your instrument, I'll shoulder the weight
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The artist acknowledges her role as a vessel for a higher power and is willing to carry the burden that comes with it.
Of feeling emotions in a deeper shade
(Comin' down, comin' down)
The singer is asking for the ability to feel deeply, even if it means experiencing pain.
I'll be the one who puts them to song
And liberate the heartache comin' down
The singer wants to use her music and creativity to express and release the pain she feels and to help others do the same.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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