In the 1990s Thomas met Trey Many through mutual friends and began playing shows with Velour 100. They recorded one EP together in 1999 and played a few short tours, during which time she met Damien Jurado and Pedro the Lion. She then moved to Seattle to attend Cornish College briefly before deciding to focus on a solo recording career. Her appearance on the song "Parking Lot", from Damien Jurado's album Ghost of David, brought her to the attention of famed record label Sub Pop who signed her in 2000.
Her debut album When We Were Small was released on 22 January 2001. The album featured Eric Fisher (who Thomas met at performance art school in Seattle) on guitar and keyboards and Andy Myers on drums.
Fisher and Myers returned for 2003's follow-up Only With Laughter Can You Win.
Thomas released her third album, If Songs Could Be Held, in 2005.
Her fourth album These Friends of Mine, was recorded in collaboration with Sufjan Stevens who plays guitar and banjo as well as providing some vocals, and Denison Witmer.
She released a holiday album called A Very Rosie Christmas in November 2008 through her own record label.
Her 2012 album is entitled "With Love". The same year she relocated to New York City from Seattle.
www.rosiethomas.com
Much Farther to Go
Rosie Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the sidewalks are white as snow
The buildings, all the people that pass me by
How the smile on his face says he's in love
I took the train all the way to Brooklyn Heights
I remember when you took it there with me
We sat side by side and held hands for some time
I have much farther to go
Everything is new and so unpredictable
I should just kick my heels together and go home
But I'm not sure where that is anymore
Oh, how I wish I could go back in time
To the night when I heard my mother cry
She held me in her arms and we talked for some time
And I sang a song her mother sang to her and it goes
Something about paper dolls and what men prefer
Something about the cross and how her Jesus died for her
Something about love and how the truth fighting for
I wonder does love like that exist anymore?
And I, I have much farther to go
And I, I'm so confused I know
I should just kick my heels together and go home
But I lost my way when I lost you
Sometimes I cry when it's late at night
And you're not there to lay next to me
Morning breaks and the sun warms my face
How I wish it was you warming me
"Much Farther to Go" by Rosie Thomas is a beautiful and soulful song that evokes a sense of longing and contemplation. The lyrics are full of vivid imagery that brings to life the singer's experiences in New York during winter. She starts by admiring the beauty of the city, with its white sidewalks and diverse people. She mentions a man who passes by with a smile on his face, suggesting that he might be in love, which contrasts with the singer's own mood of uncertainty and loneliness.
The singer reflects on a past experience when she rode the train to Brooklyn Heights with someone she loved. They sat together holding hands, and they saluted the Statue of Liberty. This memory seems to make her nostalgic and hopeful at the same time. She acknowledges that she has much farther to go in life, and that everything is unpredictable. She feels lost and confused, and wishes she could go back in time to a moment when she felt safe and loved.
The song continues with the singer recalling a conversation with her mother, during which they sang a song her grandmother used to sing. The lyrics of the song talk about paper dolls, the cross, and love. The singer wonders if true love still exists in the world. She then repeats that she has much farther to go, that she's confused, and that she lost her way when she lost the person she loved. The song ends with a poignant image of the singer crying alone at night, wishing for the warmth and comfort of her loved one.
Overall, "Much Farther to Go" is a powerful and emotional song that speaks to the human experience of seeking love, loss, and meaning in life. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
New York is lovely in the winter time
The singer thinks of New York as beautiful, especially during winters.
All the sidewalks are white as snow
The sidewalks of New York turn white as snow during winters.
The buildings, all the people that pass me by
The singer observes the buildings and the people on the streets of New York.
How the smile on his face says he's in love
The singer notices a man smiling and assumes he's in love.
I took the train all the way to Brooklyn Heights
The singer traveled to Brooklyn Heights by train.
I remember when you took it there with me
The singer recollects a past event when someone accompanied her to Brooklyn Heights.
We sat side by side and held hands for some time
The singer and a companion sat together and held hands for a while.
We saluted the Statue of Liberty
The singer and a companion greeted the Statue of Liberty, which is located in New York Harbor.
I have much farther to go
The singer feels like she has a long way to go before she overcomes her struggles.
Everything is new and so unpredictable
The future seems uncertain and unknown to the singer.
I should just kick my heels together and go home
The singer contemplates returning to her childhood home.
But I'm not sure where that is anymore
The singer feels lost and confused about the place she once called home.
Oh, how I wish I could go back in time
The singer longs to revisit the past.
To the night when I heard my mother cry
The singer reminisces a time when she heard her mother cry.
She held me in her arms and we talked for some time
The singer and her mother had a conversation while embracing each other.
And I sang a song her mother sang to her and it goes
The singer recalls herself singing a song her mother used to sing to her own mother.
Something about paper dolls and what men prefer
The song lyric contains a verse about paper dolls and men's preferences.
Something about the cross and how her Jesus died for her
The song lyric contains a verse about the crucifixion of Jesus.
Something about love and how the truth fighting for
The song lyric speaks about fighting for love and the truth.
I wonder does love like that exist anymore?
The singer questions if true love exists in this day and age.
And I, I have much farther to go
The singer still has a long way to go and things to overcome.
And I, I'm so confused I know
The singer feels lost and confused.
I should just kick my heels together and go home
The singer considers returning to her childhood home.
But I lost my way when I lost you
The singer feels she has lost her sense of direction after losing someone dear to her.
Sometimes I cry when it's late at night
The singer sometimes cries when she is alone at night.
And you're not there to lay next to me
The singer misses being with someone special.
Morning breaks and the sun warms my face
The morning sun brings warmth on the singer's face.
How I wish it was you warming me
The singer wishes she was with someone special, instead of being alone.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROSIE THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind