Shindell's songwriting often involves storytelling from a first-person point of view: for example, from an INS officer and illegal immigrant in "Fishing", to a World War II soldier in "Sparrows Point", to a Confederate drummerboy in "Arrowhead", to an Argentine grandmother of Plaza de Mayo in "Abuelita", to a power broker in "Confession".
His first album was released in 1991. Shindell collaborated with Dar Williams, and Lucy Kaplansky to form the group Cry Cry Cry. On their eponymous 1998 album, Cry Cry Cry covered an eclectic mix of songwriters, from the famous R.E.M. to the lesser known folk singer James Keelaghan. The trio toured in support of their album, but later resumed their solo careers. They have not mentioned plans for future recordings, although Shindell and Kaplansky often appear on stage together. Shindell's "The Ballad of Mary Magdalen" (as performed by Cry Cry Cry) was used in the background during an ABC News Nightline report on The DaVinci Code.
Shindell's career received a boost in 1997 when Joan Baez recorded three of his songs ("Fishing", "Reunion Hill" and "Money for Floods") for her album Gone from Danger, and invited him to join her 1997-98 tour.
In 2000, Shindell released Somewhere Near Paterson (Signature Sounds), which quickly became his most successful release to date and established Shindell as one of the premier performing songwriters in popular music.
Somewhere Near Paterson was followed by Courier, the live reprise of many of Shindell’s best-loved songs, in support of which he continues to tour.
Also in 2000, Shindell and his family moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he recorded his latest album, Vuelta, released in 2004. He joined up with an Argentine group, Puente Celeste, to create a unique sound for his newest work.
He released Somewhere South of Delia, a record of cover songs, March 2007.
Discography:
Sparrows Point (1992)
Blue Divide (1995)
Reunion Hill (1997)
Somewhere Near Paterson (2000)
Courier (2002)
Vuelta (2004)
Somewhere South of Delia (2007)
Not Far Now (2009)
13 Songs You May Or May Not Have Heard Before (2011)
Tomorrow You're Going (2015), with Lucy Kaplansky
Careless (2016)
Smiling
Richard Shindell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just a roof and four walls
Where I could wait for the rapture
Where I could ride out the fall
I was keeping a virgil
I was deep in a trance
I was holding a candle
Then I saw you smiling then I saw you smiling
Then I saw you smiling
Like a fool I protested
I need time to prepare
You see I never expected
Something so simple and clear
So I tried to persude you
That I was not what you thought
That I would only disappoint you
That I can't be what I'm not
You stood there smiling
You stood there smiling
You stood there smiling
I looked around for a reference
But there was none I could see
Is there a thread to the sequence
That brought this vision to me
There are larks in the morning
Tracing lines to the lake
Three dimensions of mercy
Three dimensions of grace
You just stand there smiling
You just stand there smiling
You just stand there smiling
The song "Smiling" by Richard Shindell is a beautifully written song that explores the feeling of apprehension and uncertainty when faced with something new and unexpected. The singer is in the desert waiting for the end of the world, and he finds comfort in his solitude and his preparations for the apocalypse. However, everything changes when he sees someone smiling at him. The smile is so simple and clear that he becomes convinced that it is a reference to something greater, something he cannot understand. At first, he tries to resist the change, claiming that he is not ready, that he cannot be what he is not. But ultimately, he accepts the smile and realizes that it represents the three dimensions of mercy and grace that he sees in the world.
The first verse of the song sets the scene and establishes the mood. The singer is alone in the desert, and he describes his place as "just a roof and four walls," which suggests that it is a basic and functional shelter. He is waiting for the rapture, which is a religious term that refers to the end of the world when Jesus is supposed to come and take the saved to heaven. The singer is deep in a trance, keeping a vigil and holding a candle to the palm of his hand. This imagery suggests that he is in a meditative state, focusing his mind and body on spiritual matters.
The second and third verses describe how the singer reacts to the smile he sees. He initially protests, saying that he needs time to prepare and that he cannot be what he is not. He tries to persuade the person that he is not what they think he is, which suggests that he is struggling with his own identity and beliefs. However, despite his initial resistance, he ultimately accepts the smile and realizes that it represents something greater than himself.
Overall, the song "Smiling" is a powerful and poetic exploration of existential themes such as identity, faith, and the human experience. It is a reminder that even in the midst of uncertainty and turmoil, there is still beauty and meaning to be found in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a place in the desert
I had a place with just four walls and a roof in the middle of nowhere.
Where I could wait for the rapture
Where I could wait for the end of the world.
Where I could ride out the fall
Where I could hide out from the chaos that might ensue.
I was keeping a virgil
I was keeping a vigil, watching and waiting.
I was deep in a trance
I was lost in thought or meditation.
I was holding a candle
I was holding a light, either as a symbol or for practical purposes.
To the palm of my hand
To my open hand, as if to protect the flame.
Then I saw you smiling then I saw you smiling
Then I saw you smile, and it happened multiple times.
Then I saw you smiling
Then I saw you smile, and it affected me deeply.
Like a fool I protested
Like a foolish person, I resisted what was happening.
I need time to prepare
I need more time to get ready or to understand this experience.
You see I never expected
I was surprised because I didn't anticipate this happening.
Something so simple and clear
Something so obvious and easy to understand.
So I tried to persuade you
So I attempted to convince you of my position.
That I was not what you thought
That I was different from what you assumed or imagined.
That I would only disappoint you
That I would let you down or fail to meet your expectations.
That I can't be what I'm not
That it's impossible for me to be someone else or to change who I am.
You stood there smiling
You stayed there, smiling at me.
You stood there smiling
You stayed there, smiling at me.
You stood there smiling
You stayed there, smiling at me.
I looked around for a reference
I searched for something to explain what was happening.
But there was none I could see
But I couldn't find anything that helped me understand.
Is there a thread to the sequence
Is there a connection between these events or circumstances?
That brought this vision to me
That caused me to see things in a new or different way.
There are larks in the morning
There are songbirds in the morning.
Tracing lines to the lake
Flying or moving in a path towards the water.
Three dimensions of mercy
Three aspects or qualities of kindness or compassion.
Three dimensions of grace
Three aspects or qualities of beauty or elegance.
You just stand there smiling
You simply stand there, smiling at me.
You just stand there smiling
You simply stand there, smiling at me.
You just stand there smiling
You simply stand there, smiling at me.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CAMPBELL SHINDELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind