Rory Block was born in Princeton, New Jersey and grew up in Manhattan. Her father, Allan Block, ran a sandal shop in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, and the constant presence of members of the Greenwich Village folk music scene made an impression on the young girl, who studied classical guitar. Around age 14, she began to be fascinated by old Mississippi Delta blues, listening to old albums, transcribing them, and learning to play the songs. At age 15, she left home to seek out the remaining blues giants, such as Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis and Son House, and hone her craft in the traditional manner of blues musicians; then she moved to California where she played in clubs and coffeehouses.
After retiring temporarily to raise a family, Block returned to the music business in the 1970s with middling success until signing with Rounder Records in 1981, who encouraged her to return to her love for the classical blues form. Since then she has carved out her own niche, releasing numerous critically acclaimed albums of original and traditional songs, including many Robert Johnson covers. Block has won four W. C. Handy Awards, two for "Traditional Blues Female Artist" (1997, 1998), and two for "Acoustic Blues Album of the Year" (1996, 1999).
Far Away
Rory Block Lyrics
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Like a cloak of evergreen
Softening the footsteps of the memories
Of our children never seen
Carrying our baggage on a train
Which moves along the shore
Crossing on a pathway where in dreams
Far away, we will fly
Buckled in this cradle
We'll be rocking ever gentle in the wind
Spine-backed rivers rush, never still
Full and rising to the sky
Where pounded gravel, caught in pools
Fine as sandstone travels to the sea
Sea birds peck at bubbles on a wet and
Foaming tide below the wind
And banks of dandelions, thistle canyons
Sweep their edges till they're gone
Far away, we will fly
Buckled in this cradle
We'll be rocking ever gentle in the wind
I love you even though some of your flaws
Make me mad from time to time
I've decided that the perfect mate we search for
Isn't there and can't be found
So I know that I must love you and accept you
With your faults and you with mine
If I can just see through your smokescreen
And you let me get to know you over time
Far away, we will fly
Buckled in this cradle
We'll be rocking ever gentle in the wind
The lyrics to Rory Block's "Far Away" is a reflection on the memories and longing for what could have been. The opening lines, "needles in the black forest are falling, like a cloak of evergreen" sets the tone of the song as one of melancholy and loss. The songwriter is alluding to the pine needles falling from evergreen trees, creating a symbolic cloak of greenery. This reference can be interpreted as hiding or concealing something, in this case, the memories of the children that were never seen. The next stanza describes a train approaching the shore, referencing the passage of time and the singer's journey of reflection. The phrase "crossing on a pathway where in dreams we've met each other from before" suggests a deeper connection and longing for something intangible.
The chorus, "far away, we will fly, buckled in this cradle, we'll be rocking ever gentle in the wind" harkens back to a theme of escape and liberation. The cradle being used as a metaphor for security and protection while being rocked in the wind. The final verse speaks to the idea that love is accepting faults and imperfections, and although some of our flaws make us mad from time to time, accepting them is essential. The song's overall message is encapsulated in the chorus - to escape to a place of peace, comfort, and security.
Line by Line Meaning
Needles in the black forest are falling
The needles of evergreen trees are falling like a cloak in a dark forest
Like a cloak of evergreen
The needles of evergreen trees resemble a cloak in the forest
Softening the footsteps of the memories
The needles muffle the sounds of footsteps as memories are evoked
Of our children never seen
These memories are of the children that were never born or were lost
Carrying our baggage on a train
We're bringing our emotional baggage with us on a train
Which moves along the shore
This train runs parallel to the coast
Crossing on a pathway where in dreams
The train crosses over a path where we've met each other in our dreams
We've met each other from before
Our souls have crossed paths before
Far away, we will fly
We'll soon depart on a journey
Buckled in this cradle
We'll be securely fastened, like in a baby's cradle
We'll be rocking ever gentle in the wind
We'll sway calmly and steadily along with the wind
Spine-backed rivers rush, never still
Rivers with spiky banks flow quickly and continuously
Full and rising to the sky
They're full and swelling up towards the sky
Where pounded gravel, caught in pools
Pebbles that were hit by the flow of water collect in pools
Fine as sandstone travels to the sea
Tiny particles of rock are carried towards the ocean
Sea birds peck at bubbles on a wet and
Birds near the sea are eating bubbles
Foaming tide below the wind
The wind creates waves with foam on top
And banks of dandelions, thistle canyons
The meadows are covered in hills of dandelions and thistles
Sweep their edges till they're gone
Their edges are gradually swept away and disappear
I love you even though some of your flaws
I love you despite your shortcomings
Make me mad from time to time
Even if they sometimes frustrate me
I've decided that the perfect mate we search for
I've realized that nobody is perfect
Isn't there and can't be found
We can't find a perfect mate anywhere
So I know that I must love you and accept you
Therefore, I accept and love you unconditionally
With your faults and you with mine
I'll accept your flaws as well as mine
If I can just see through your smokescreen
As long as I can see past your facade
And you let me get to know you over time
And you allow me to get to know the real you over time
Writer(s): RORY BLOCK
Contributed by Caroline T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.