For Sage, who is also a poet, actor and visual artist as well as a longtime record label owner (she founded MPress Records in 1996), music has always been her primary form of self-expression. By the age of three she had taught herself to play the piano, and by her teens, she’d won the ASCAP Pop Songwriting Contest. Upon hearing Sage’s winning entry, legendary producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex) told her she was “extremely talented” and offered to produce her demo. While her parents pressed her to go to Stanford University instead, it was an encouraging moment that gave her the confidence to self-produce her first record, MORBID ROMANTIC.
On the milestone of her tenth album, Sage admits, “I started writing songs to make sense of being bullied in school. I never envisioned music taking me around the world, or that one day I’d play the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Being part of the indie community is humbling though…it keeps you grounded.” Sage, who has collaborated with Phil Ramone and shared stages with Judy Collins, Marc Cohn, The Animals, Shawn Colvin and Sarah McLachlan, has had a prolific career both as a musician and entrepreneur. This year Sage produced the fourth volume of MPress' annual charity compilation series, NEW ARRIVALS, benefiting homeless youth, while her label had its first Billboard charting and Grammy® nominated releases.
HAUNTED BY YOU was tracked with members of Sage’s touring band The Sequins: Quinn (drums), Dave Eggar (cello), Russ Johnson (trumpet), and also features guitarists James Mastro (Patti Smith), Mark Bosch (Ian Hunter) and Jack Petruzelli (Rufus Wainwright); bassists Todd Sickafoose (Ani DiFranco) and Mike Visceglia (Suzanne Vega); mandolin player David Immergluck (Counting Crows); and drummer Doug Yowell (Duncan Sheik). Singer-songwriters Dar Williams, Lucy Woodward, Katie Costello, Ryan Hommel and Seth Glier – as well as actor/director Joshua Leonard – also make guest appearances; John Shyloski (Johnny Winter) and Kevin Killen (Elvis Costello) engineered.
Unlike Sage’s previous albums, including 2009’s critically acclaimed DELANCEY STREET, much of HAUNTED BY YOU was composed on guitar. “I pushed myself to pick up guitar to write this record because I was scared of it and took that as a cue.” The title track, along with “Abby Would You Wait”, “Invisible Light”, “Hey Nah” and “Everything”, were all penned by Sage on a 1966 Martin acoustic inherited from an ex. “I gave myself a pass to try something brand new, and to make mistakes that would hopefully yield something more visceral.”
Sage wrote the dozen songs on the album after separating from her boyfriend of four years, whom she describes as “the kindest, most balanced person I’ve ever dated. He was much more traditional than me though…touring slowly took its toll." Alone, reflecting on her breakup, the 3-time Independent Music Award winner found herself suddenly prolific. “California”, “The Sequin Song” and “Confession” show a more vulnerable, raw side of the singer, reckoning with her newfound freedom, as well as inevitable loneliness.
“After my breakup I had an intense affair with someone I met overseas. I was swept off my feet…but it was an impossible situation.” Strained by long-distance, Sage eventually felt pressured to break off what had become a tumultuous wave of cross-continental phone calls and emails. “Soulstice”, featuring Counting Crows’ David Immergluck on mandolin, “captures that moment where I was as happy as I’ve ever been, even though it was fleeting.”
The concept of soul-mates reappears throughout the record. Sage wrote the Americana-inspired “Abby Would You Wait” about someone with whom she shared one long conversation after a gig, but with whom she “connected so strongly that I saw an entire future.” Likewise, the lush, acoustic guitar-based “Everything” celebrates the shameless joy of a new attraction, “when all you can see is shimmering possibility.”
“Invisible Light”, which both opens and closes the album in two very different musical arrangements (one featuring Dar Williams on guest vocals), is Sage’s favorite song on the record. “I wrote ‘Invisible Light’ while fantasizing about someone who just effortlessly ‘gets’ me and lets me in completely. I’m definitely ready to have my mind blown by that kind of love.”
Upcoming tour highlights include official showcases at SXSW (Austin, TX), Hotel Café (Los Angeles, CA), Joe’s Pub (New York, NY) and Lincoln Center’s ‘Meet The Artist’ series (New York, NY). In addition, Think Coffee will be presenting Sage’s first art show in a decade at their Bowery & Bleecker location, from May 6-June 3rd. HAUNTED BY YOU is due out in the U.S. in May 2012.
Footsteps
Rachael Sage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I want to give love too
And I know it’s hard
To believe someone so scarred...
I’m afraid to drive too fast
Don’t be surprised if I should ask
You to take me to where I need to go
You to take me to where
Hate the way I depend on you
Love the way that your love comes through
Hate the way I never know best
Love to lean up against your chest
Hate the way that I let you down but I
Love the way that your footsteps sound
Love the way that your footsteps sound
You’re crazy ‘bout the way I sing
So you ask me to sing you lullabies
And the angels above
Will take you far, far away...
You know I get so lost sometimes
And you lead me by my broken trust
To the great looking glass
Where it grieves me to ask why I
Hate the way I depend on you
Love the way that your love comes through
Hate the way I never know best
Love to lean up against your chest
Hate the way that I let you down but I
Love the way that your footsteps sound
Love the way that your footsteps sound
Love the way that your footsteps sound
It isn’t fair that you love me
No matter what I deserve
Wish I could hold myself deeper
Without needing to desert
The island that is you and me...
All of our collective dreams
Why do I need to abandon
To realize who I am?
I am not as strong as you
But I want to give love too
And I know it’s hard
To believe someone so scarred...
I’m afraid to drive too fast
Don’t be surprised if I should ask
You to take me to where I need to go
You to take me to where
I should be going alone
Hate the way I depend on you
Love the way that your love comes through
Hate the way I never know best
Love to lean up against your chest
Hate the way that I let you down but I
Love the way that your footsteps sound
Love the way that your footsteps sound
Love the way that your footsteps sound
It isn’t fair that you love me
No matter what I deserve
Wish I could hold myself deeper
Without needing to desert
The island that is you and me...
All of our collective dreams
Why do I need to abandon
To realize who I am?
"Footsteps" by Rachael Sage is a heartfelt song that explores the complex emotions of dependence and love in a relationship. The lyrics delve into the singer's feelings of inadequacy and fear, juxtaposed with their desire for love and connection. The singer acknowledges their own weaknesses and scars, recognizing that they may not be as strong as their partner. However, they long to give love and be loved in return, despite their insecurities.
The first verse reveals the singer's vulnerability and their reluctance to take risks. They express their fear of driving too fast, symbolizing their hesitation to move forward on their own. They rely on their partner, asking them to guide and support them as they navigate their journey. This vulnerability is further emphasized in the chorus, where the singer confesses their mixed feelings of hating how they depend on their partner but loving the reassurance and love that they provide. The sound of their partner's footsteps becomes a comforting presence in their life.
In the second verse, the singer acknowledges the ways in which their partner loves and supports them. They appreciate how their partner values their singing and asks them to sing lullabies, creating a sense of security and nurturing. Despite feeling lost at times, the singer finds solace in their partner's guidance and the feeling of being led by their broken trust. They yearn to understand the reasons behind their own emotional struggles and turn to introspection.
The bridge of the song addresses the unfairness of how their partner loves them regardless of what they may deserve. The singer expresses a desire to rely less on their partner, to be able to hold themselves up emotionally without needing to retreat or abandon their relationship. They question why they feel the need to detach from the "island" of their relationship to discover their true selves.
Overall, "Footsteps" is a poignant exploration of the complexities within a relationship, highlighting themes of dependence, insecurity, and the struggle for self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
I am not as strong as you
I acknowledge that I am not as resilient or powerful as you are
But I want to give love too
Despite my limitations, I have a strong desire to express love and affection
And I know it’s hard
I understand that it can be difficult
To believe someone so scarred...
To have faith in someone who carries emotional wounds and experiences pain
I’m afraid to drive too fast
I have a fear of moving too quickly and taking risks
Don’t be surprised if I should ask
Please don't be shocked if I request your assistance
You to take me to where I need to go
I need your guidance to reach my destination
You to take me to where
I rely on you to lead me towards
I should be going alone
The path I should be taking independently
Hate the way I depend on you
I dislike how much I rely on you
Love the way that your love comes through
However, I adore the way your love shines through and reaches me
Hate the way I never know best
I dislike my inability to make the right choices or decisions
Love to lean up against your chest
Yet, I find comfort in leaning against your chest
Hate the way that I let you down but I
I feel regret for disappointing you, but at the same time
Love the way that your footsteps sound
I truly appreciate the sound of your footsteps, signifying your presence
You’re crazy ‘bout the way I sing
You are deeply enamored with my singing voice
So you ask me to sing you lullabies
As a result, you request me to sing you soothing melodies
And the angels above
In the presence of heavenly beings
Will take you far, far away...
They will transport you to a distant place
You know I get so lost sometimes
You are aware that I often feel confused and disoriented
And you lead me by my broken trust
You guide me based on the fragile trust I have left
To the great looking glass
Towards a significant reflection or realization
Where it grieves me to ask why I
In this situation, it brings me sorrow to question why I
It isn’t fair that you love me
It seems unjust that you love me
No matter what I deserve
Regardless of what I may or may not be worthy of
Wish I could hold myself deeper
I yearn to have a stronger sense of self and connection with myself
Without needing to desert
Without the impulse to abandon or distance myself
The island that is you and me...
The unique and intimate bond that exists between us
All of our collective dreams
Including all the aspirations we share as a unit
Why do I need to abandon
Why must I discard or forsake
To realize who I am?
In order to discover my true identity?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Rachael Sage
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind