Cash released her first single in 1979, a duet with Bobby Bare called "We Don't Need No Memories Hangin' 'Round". Two years later, she had her first country No. 1 (and the biggest commercial hit of her career), "Seven Year Ache". Although Cash was a prominent country star throughout the '80s, alongside fellow decade-defining artists Emmylou Harris, Juice Newton, and Dolly Parton, her music was anything but traditional: She topped the charts with songs written not only by herself, but by her father ("Tennessee Flat Top Box"), John Hiatt ("The Way We Make a Broken Heart"), Tom Petty ("Never Be You") and the Beatles ("I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"), "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me", which won her a Grammy in 1985, and "It's Such a Small World", a 1987 duet with Rodney Crowell on his album Diamonds & Dirt, provided further hits. A sampling of these songs and more are included on the compilation Hits 1979-1989. In 1979, she married Rodney Crowell, who was to produce most of her hit records. Their stormy marriage lasted until 1992; its break-up is chronicled in Cash's Interiors and in Crowell's album Life Is Messy. Cash later married John Leventhal, who produced her albums The Wheel, 10 Song Demo, Rules of Travel, and Black Cadillac.
To date, Cash has had more than twenty top 40 country singles, including eleven chart-toppers, but none since 1990, and she has left Nashville in both spirit and body to pursue her artistic vision. Although she had recorded all of her hits for Columbia Records' Nashville division, she released 10 Song Demo for the pop division of Capitol. Cash resurfaced in 2003 with Rules of Travel. The album features guest appearances by Sheryl Crow and Steve Earle, as well as a tune penned by Joe Henry and the Wallflowers' Jakob Dylan. Cash's latest album, entitled Black Cadillac, was released by Capitol Records in January 2006 to critical acclaim. Many of the songs were written by Cash and address the losses (within a 24-month span) of her step-mother, her father, her step-sister (Rosey Nix Adams) and then finally her mother on Cash's fiftieth birthday.
Modern Blue
Rosanne Cash Lyrics
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I walked the streets of Paris in the pouring rain
I flew across and island in the Northern Sea
And I ended up in Memphis, Tennessee
[Chorus]
I keep my head down, I keep my eyes on you
It's a big wide world with a million shades of modern blue
Everybody round here runs too fast
And it feels so good but it's never gonna last
Everything I have for us what I knew
But I don't have nothing if I don't have you
I keep my head down, I keep my eyes on you
It's a big wide world with a million shades of modern blue
Will you still be there when I round the curve?
Will you hold my hand when I lose my nerve?
Oh I went to Barcelona and my mind got changed
So I'm heading back to Memphis on the midnight train
I keep my head down, I keep my eyes on you
It's a big wide world
I keep my head down, I keep my eyes on you
I keep my head down, I keep my eyes on you
It's a big wide world with a million shades of modern blue
In "Modern Blue," Rosanne Cash talks about her journey around the world and how there is a million shades of modern blue. She talks about how she travels to places like Barcelona and Paris, experiencing life on the go, but the one thing that keeps her grounded is her love for someone special. The lyrics "I keep my head down, I keep my eyes on you" is a declaration of her commitment to the person she loves. She acknowledges that the world is big and complex but her focus remains unchanged.
The song speaks to the idea of how, in our fast-paced world with ever-changing experiences, we need something that keeps us grounded. It also emphasizes the importance of relationships and how they can provide stability in an otherwise unpredictable world. The lyrics "Will you still be there when I round the curve? Will you hold my hand when I lose my nerve?" shows a vulnerability and a need for support, reassurance, and security.
Line by Line Meaning
I went to Barcelona on the midnight train
I escaped my old life and went on an adventure to Barcelona
I walked the streets of Paris in the pouring rain
I braved the bad weather to experience the romantic streets of Paris
I flew across an island in the Northern Sea
I explored a remote island in the north despite the challenges of travel
And I ended up in Memphis, Tennessee
I returned to my roots in Memphis, where my heart truly belongs
I keep my head down, I keep my eyes on you
You are my focus and my center amidst the chaos of the world
It's a big wide world with a million shades of modern blue
The world is vast and complex, but we have each other to navigate it
Everybody round here runs too fast
People are too busy and caught up in their lives
And it feels so good but it's never gonna last
This fast pace and thrill is temporary and fleeting
Everything I have for us what I knew
I know what I need to sacrifice and let go of for the sake of our relationship
But I don't have nothing if I don't have you
You are everything to me and without you, I have nothing
Will you still be there when I round the curve?
I fear the uncertainty of the future, but I need to know that you will be by my side
Will you hold my hand when I lose my nerve?
I will need your support and comfort when I feel anxious and scared
Oh I went to Barcelona and my mind got changed
My perspective and outlook on life shifted during my travels
So I'm heading back to Memphis on the midnight train
I am returning to my roots and to you, where I truly belong
It's a big wide world
The world is vast and full of possibilities
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JOHN LEVENTHAL, ROSANNE CASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind