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.
Surprise
Rachael Sage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the middle of the blistering sun there's a bliss will hypnotize
And in this magnolia moment we will always be beholden
To the holy dance of acceptance to the love that's in your eyes
Come to in times of trouble
I will be the one to comfort you with sensitivity and ease
Come to me in times of laughter
Every afternoon is precious
There's a princess in the garden with a seashell smile that sparkles
There's a prince who is so charming with an arrow through his heart
He says
Come to me in times of giving
I will give back more than you had ever once imagined of a man
Come to me in times of gladness
I will wipe away your sadness, I will be your castle in the sand
I will be the one to understand
Infinitely I will hold your hand
There's a mermaid in the ocean
On the island of Antigua
There's an angel watching over her
Knitting kisses each sunrise
She says
Shower me with all your sweetness
Let me be your only weakness, I will wipe away your salty tears
Shelter me with soul-protection, I will give you warm affection
I will be your mirror through the years
Symphonies will drown out all our fears
There's a breeze in South Carolina
Always comes as a surprise
In the middle of the blistering sun
There's a bliss will hypnotize
And in this magnolia moment
We will always be beholden
To the holy dance of acceptance
To the love that's in your eyes
In “Surprise”, Rachael Sage sings about moments of joy and acceptance that catch us off guard, just like the breeze in South Carolina that she refers to in the opening line. The song celebrates the details that make life beautiful, from a seashell smile in the garden to a mermaid in the ocean off the island of Antigua. Sage touches on themes of love, comfort, and support, as she promises to be there for her loved ones in times of trouble and laughter. She sings of wiping away sadness, being a castle in the sand, and being an understanding hand to hold onto.
Each verse features different characters or settings that represent the many forms that love and beauty can take. The song invites us to embrace life’s unpredictability and cherish the little moments of happiness that come our way. The final line brings us back to the opening image of the South Carolina breeze, emphasizing the importance of accepting and appreciating life’s surprises.
Overall, “Surprise” is a joyful and optimistic song that celebrates the beauty and love in the world around us, and the importance of being there for each other through both good times and bad.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a breeze in South Carolina always comes as a surprise
Unexpected joys in difficult times, like the pleasant breeze in South Carolina.
In the middle of the blistering sun there's a bliss will hypnotize
Despite difficult times, there are moments of happiness that are so mesmerizing.
And in this magnolia moment we will always be beholden
In big moments of bliss, we should be grateful for them and cherish them forever.
To the holy dance of acceptance to the love that's in your eyes
The acceptance of love is transcendent and should be appreciated.
Come to in times of trouble
Be there for you in dark times.
I will be the one to comfort you with sensitivity and ease
I will provide support in times of trouble with a gentle and empathetic approach.
Come to me in times of laughter
Willing to share joy and happiness.
I will be your morning after every afternoon of precious peace
I will make every day special and unique, and help you find peace.
Every afternoon is precious
Every moment has the potential for joy and should be appreciated.
There's a princess in the garden with a seashell smile that sparkles
A young woman who is charming and radiant, like the sun sparkling off of seashells.
There's a prince who is so charming with an arrow through his heart
A young man who is charming and has been struck by love.
Come to me in times of giving
Willing to help and give of oneself when others are in need.
I will give back more than you had ever once imagined of a man
I will go above and beyond in giving, surprising with what I can provide.
Come to me in times of gladness
Willing to celebrate and share in joy with others.
I will wipe away your sadness, I will be your castle in the sand
I will be a source of comfort and protection when you need it most.
I will be the one to understand
I will listen and empathize, doing my best to understand what you're going through.
Infinitely I will hold your hand
I will always be there for you, supporting you through thick and thin.
There's a mermaid in the ocean on the island of Antigua
A mythical and magical creature, like a mermaid off the coast of Antigua.
There's an angel watching over her knitting kisses each sunrise
A guardian angel who brings comfort and love with each new day.
Shower me with all your sweetness
Asking for someone to share their love and affection openly.
Let me be your only weakness, I will wipe away your salty tears
Offering to be a source of strength and support when things get tough.
Shelter me with soul-protection, I will give you warm affection
Asking for someone to provide emotional safety and in turn they will offer love and affection.
I will be your mirror through the years
I will reflect your inner beauty and personality back to you, providing constant support.
Symphonies will drown out all our fears
The beauty and wonder of life's grand moments will overshadow any fear or doubt.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Rachael Sage
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind