Reg then moved on to form the quintessential roots band, The Flamingos featuring ex-Graham Parker guitarist, Martin Belmont, Bob Loveday from the Penguin Café Orchestra & Bob Geldof's Band and Alison Jones of The Barely Works. They recorded the album Arrested in 1991 In recent years, Reg also toured, until Spring 2009, with Hank Wangford & The Lost Cowboys as a member of the band and also as a solo artist with Hank on the No Hall Too Small tours.
It was in 1996 that his first solo album, The Goodbye Hat was released to critical acclaim, being nominated for several music awards, including best song for 'Ring Around The Roses'. His subsequent albums include The Goodbye Hat (1996), Short Stories (2004), Still (2006), Dragonfly (2008), All This Longing (2010), and The Dreamed and the Drowned (2011).
Website www.regmeuross.com
The Shoreline and the Sea
Reg Meuross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't just close the door and go
And if you shed a tear for me
Turn your face and let me see
I want to hold you oh so much
I need love that i can touch
Love that will wash over me
Like the shoreline and the sea
I knew a man who lived alone
I met him by my fireside
He watched the dying flame and moaned
"I can't recall when last i cried
I know i had a lover once
She used to come and go with me
And we were happy in the dance
Like the shoreline and the sea"
I'm not asking for the moon
Its light is all i need
And i'm not asking for the sun
Just let it shine on me
I knew a girl whose heart was broken
She brought it out to show to me
Her hands were warm her lips were cold
She sat all day and watched the sea
Oh save me from a fate so cruel
Speak your mind be straight with me
Love be constant love be true
Like the shoreline and the sea
In Reg Meuross's song "The Shoreline and the Sea," the singer pleads with his lover to communicate with him honestly and directly. The first verse calls out the need for genuine affection and love, which cannot be expressed through a mere closing of the door. The second verse tells a story of a man who admits to feeling lonely and abandoned. He recalls a time when he and a girl were happy together, like the connection between the shoreline and the sea. In the third verse, the singer states that he is not asking for much, just the light of the moon and the warmth of the sun in his life. Finally, the song ends with a reference to another lost and broken-hearted character who longs for genuine and constant love, like that between the shoreline and the sea.
The lyrics of the song may be interpreted in a few different ways, but one common theme is the need for honesty and direct communication in relationships. Rather than hiding behind a façade, the singer wants his lover to be straightforward with him. The metaphor of the shoreline and the sea is used to describe the ideal relationship. The two elements are inherently connected yet distinct, both strong and powerful. The song suggests that a healthy partnership is one that recognizes and maintains the duality of independence and interdependence, with each partner holding their own unique qualities while supporting and complementing the other.
Line by Line Meaning
If you love me let me know
Don't keep me guessing, tell me the truth about your feelings
Don't just close the door and go
Don't leave me without any explanation or closure
And if you shed a tear for me
Show me your emotions and let me offer comfort
Turn your face and let me see
Don't hide your feelings, let me see your true self
I want to hold you oh so much
I deeply desire physical closeness and intimacy with you
I need love that i can touch
I crave a tangible expression of love, not just empty words
Love that will wash over me
I seek the kind of love that has the power to heal and renew
Like the shoreline and the sea
A love that is as constant and powerful as the ocean's tide
I knew a man who lived alone
I once met a solitary man with a sad story to tell
I met him by my fireside
This man came to me seeking warmth and comfort
He watched the dying flame and moaned
He was melancholic and regretful as he reflected on his past
"I can't recall when last i cried
He struggles to remember the last time he was vulnerable enough to show emotion
I know i had a lover once
He remembers a past relationship that brought him joy and companionship
She used to come and go with me
This lover was not a permanent fixture in his life
And we were happy in the dance
Despite its impermanence, this relationship brought joy and fulfillment
Like the shoreline and the sea"
Their happiness was akin to the steadfastness of the ocean and its shoreline
I'm not asking for the moon
I don't want the impossible or unattainable
Its light is all i need
A little bit of positivity, hope and love is all I require to feel fulfilled
And i'm not asking for the sun
I don't need grand gestures or big displays of love and affection
Just let it shine on me
Show me love in the little things and moments
I knew a girl whose heart was broken
I met a woman who was hurting deeply from a lost love
She brought it out to show to me
She shared her pain and vulnerability with me
Her hands were warm her lips were cold
Though she appeared strong, she was struggling internally
She sat all day and watched the sea
She sought solace and peace from the vastness and beauty of nature
Oh save me from a fate so cruel
Don't let me suffer the same fate of heartbreak and loneliness
Speak your mind be straight with me
Be honest and straightforward with me, don't hide your true feelings
Love be constant love be true
May love be steadfast and true, not fleeting and insincere
Like the shoreline and the sea
May love endure and persevere despite the ebb and flow of life
Writer(s): Reginald Lawrence Meuross
Contributed by Olivia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@BigEarRadio
Such a beautiful song and magical picking. The recording is lovely, warm and inviting. Impossible not to enjoy.
@johnwinntheoldtroubadour
When I listen to Reg I hear echos of what William Butler Yeats and Dylan Thomas might have sounded like had they been singers. His artistry washes over me like spring blossoms in the wind.
@grahamrothwell8236
Why have I only just heard this guy. AMAZING.
@eddrdr
+1
@adrh47
I first heard him in 1993, Graham, when he was a sideman in Hank Wangford's 'Lost Cowboys' - he sang two songs of his own composing: 'Prisoner Song' and 'Birmingham Hotel' - he still sometimes performs the latter (as does Phil Beer.) I agree with you: his is the art which conceals art. If you haven't seen him live yet, I would urge you to make it a priority!
@corneliapfeiffer-meinelied6176
So schön! Dankeschön!
@robhuijsman4635
beautiful Great song this man is very good