She has been dancing for most of her life and has appeared in such shows as "Cats" and "A Chorus line."
Ms. Henshall has recorded three albums, 'Love is Here to Stay, ' a tribute to the music of the Gershwins and two others entitled 'Pilgrim' and 'The Ruthie Henshall Album.'
This multi-talented star of the stage can sing from a low belt to a high soprano. She also is an excellent actress who effortlessly moves audiences to tears.
Ruthie Henshall has played Ellen in "Miss Saigon, " Fantine in "Les Miserables, " Nancy in "Oliver, " and both Velma and Roxie in "Chicago." She and Michael Ball received the Theatregoer's Club of Great Britain Award for Most Popular Musical Stage Actor and Actress. Ruthie made her debut on Broadway in "Putting it Together."
She is married to Canadian-born, UK based singer (lead singer for the UK based band Van Tramp) and actor Tim Howar. They have two daughters.
Both Sides Now
Ruthie Henshall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And feathered canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun they rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done, but clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's cloud's illusions I recall
Moons and Junes and ferris wheels the dizzy dancing way you feel
When every fairy tale comes real, I've looked at love that way
But now it's just another show, you leave 'em laughin when you go
And if you care don't let them know, don't give yourself away
I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud, to say, "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I've looked at life that way
But now old friends are acting strange they shake their heads, they say
I've changed
But something's lost but something's gained in living every day
I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all
Ruthie Henshall's song "Both Sides Now" is a nostalgic and contemplative anthem about the complexities of life and the different ways of seeing things. The song starts with the imagery of clouds as a representation of a youthful and innocent perspective. The singer viewed clouds as something beautiful and inspiring, like angel hair and ice cream castles, and as a symbol of all the exciting possibilities that life has to offer. However, as the song progresses, the clouds begin to represent obstacles and challenges that come with adulthood. The singer seems disillusioned by the fact that clouds can block the sun, rain, and snow on everyone. The clouds represent the challenges that come with life: things that stop her from living the life she wanted to live, the choices she could have made, and things she wished she could have done differently. However, despite facing these challenges, the singer still somehow holds on to illusions of possibilities.
The song's second verse focuses on the theme of love. Like the clouds, the singer used to view love as something magical and full of possibilities. However, with time, love has become more complex and complicated. The singer suggests that love is full of nuances that need to be carefully navigated to prevent giving oneself away. The song acknowledges that love can be tough and leaves one disillusioned. Love could be a double-edged sword that's full of surprises.
The song's final verse is about life itself, reflecting on the past with a sense of loss, but also acknowledging what has been gained in living every day. The singer remembers the way she used to party with old friends and had dreams and schemes. However, with age, things have changed, and she has gained a new perspective of life. She has come to understand that life is full of illusions, and the more she thinks she knows, the less she probably does. In essence, it is a reminder that while life may not always be easy, it’s worth taking note of just how far we've come.
Line by Line Meaning
Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air
Seeing the beauty in everything and having an optimistic view of life
And feathered canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way
Seeing clouds as anything you want them to be and not as they actually are
But now they only block the sun they rain and snow on everyone
Having a negative outlook on clouds, seeing them as obstacles rather than something beautiful
So many things I would have done, but clouds got in my way
Feeling like the negativity in life is preventing you from reaching your goals and full potential
It's cloud's illusions I recall
Reflecting on how you used to see clouds as beautiful illusions and how they have since lost their magic
I really don't know clouds at all
Feeling like you don't understand the true nature of clouds and how they can be both beautiful and negative
Moons and Junes and ferris wheels the dizzy dancing way you feel
Romanticizing love and having unrealistic expectations of what it should be
When every fairy tale comes real, I've looked at love that way
Seeing love as a fairytale where everything is perfect and happy endings are guaranteed
But now it's just another show, you leave 'em laughin when you go
Feeling like love is something that comes and goes, and not taking it as seriously as you used to
And if you care don't let them know, don't give yourself away
Keeping your emotions guarded and not letting others know how much you actually care about them
It's love's illusions I recall
Reflecting on how your idealized version of love has changed and how it differs from reality
I really don't know love at all
Feeling like you don't fully understand the complexities of love and how it affects your life
Tears and fears and feeling proud, to say, "I love you" right out loud
Experiencing the full spectrum of emotions that come with being in love and having the courage to express your feelings
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I've looked at life that way
Having big dreams and seeing life as an exciting adventure full of possibilities
But now old friends are acting strange they shake their heads, they say I've changed
Feeling like you have grown and changed as a person, and not everyone will understand or accept this
But something's lost but something's gained in living every day
Acknowledging that while things may have changed, there have also been positive aspects of growth and development over time
It's life's illusions I recall
Reflecting on how your perception of life and its possibilities has changed over time, including the illusions that you once held about it
I really don't know life at all
Feeling like you don't fully understand what life is or how to navigate its complex realities
Writer(s): JONI MITCHELL
Contributed by Mason J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
* STAR *
@***** Hi ! BETWEEN your first paragraph & second paragraph is about 280 lines of computer info that I'm sure you'll want to delete. It makes no sense to me why it's all there. I'm not computer savvy, however I suspect you accidently hit a key that sent all that computer jibber jabber along for the ride.
You mentioned that people have described you as cold, pessimistic & paranoid. That's very tough to believe, considering that your replies to me (and everyone else ) are so warm, friendly & upbeat. You must've been kidding! Right?
Anyways, though it's easy to see why it could be virtually impossible sometimes to match images to lyrics, you gave a PERFECT explanation, & I appreciate the effort & thought you put into trying to match images to the " interpretive" lyrics. It's also easy to see how some lyrics are easier to match to images BECAUSE the words are so descriptive.
Speakin' of DESCRIPTIVE lyrics, so glad you're creating a video for "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Eva Cassidy! Her voice was GOLDEN. So rare that I prefer a cover over the original, however Eva's cover beats Judy's by a mile, & makes me misty~eyed every time. Main reason for the mist is because I feel sad for Eva. In case you don't know....her music career was just starting to take off when cancer took her. It's a cryin' shame. There's a touching video about her on YouTube titled "The Eva Cassidy Story ~ ABC Nightline" posted by wroenn. Eva must've been an ANGEL, & God took her back 'cause he missed her. At least we (the world) had her for a short time....thank God.
Again, I'm glad you're creating a video for " Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Eva. I'm so lookin' forward to THAT video. No doubt it will be a masterpiece! Just take your time....DON'T rush it. Even if it takes a year, it'll be well worth the wait ! Don't forget to notify me as soon as you post it ! Happy summer, happy life, happy creating! :)
* STAR *
LOVE the beautiful, breathtaking images with clouds! Also, love the scene from "Sleeping Beauty"....it matched the lyrics PERFECTLY ! Though many other images don't quite match, I still like them....& love the moving Moon, the revolving Ferris wheel, & the flying swings!
Ruthie Henshall does a good cover, however I prefer Joni Mitchell's original studio version on her "Clouds" album (1969). Love your work, & would love to see a video by you for "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Eva Cassidy. No doubt you'd do an awesome video for that song! Cheers! :)
RomanticTunes
Thank you, and it's all fixed. I never had problems like this before, just today, and I'm guessing it's the YouTube JavaScript sticky mess that caused it. It happened on my other channels, too, so I'll wait till YT fixes it.I tried to answer to you via Personal Messages earlier, but it couldn't be sent because of your contact lock. I can't say much about me in public because I have both a stalker and several haters. I can't afford to let them know that I am me. Weird, huh. I never believed online stalking was a threat until I encountered one myself. Only you can add me as a contact, which will allow personal correspondence. :-} My YT friends call me P. (as in PhDinRomance, my main channel).
RomanticTunes
All fixed now, thank you. I tried to reply on another page, but it doesn't give me the option to edit or remove, so I have to come on the video directly (and add my own view count to it, which I try to avoid). Thank you. :-}
* STAR *
@***** Hi ! BETWEEN your first paragraph & second paragraph is about 280 lines of computer info that I'm sure you'll want to delete. It makes no sense to me why it's all there. I'm not computer savvy, however I suspect you accidently hit a key that sent all that computer jibber jabber along for the ride.
You mentioned that people have described you as cold, pessimistic & paranoid. That's very tough to believe, considering that your replies to me (and everyone else ) are so warm, friendly & upbeat. You must've been kidding! Right?
Anyways, though it's easy to see why it could be virtually impossible sometimes to match images to lyrics, you gave a PERFECT explanation, & I appreciate the effort & thought you put into trying to match images to the " interpretive" lyrics. It's also easy to see how some lyrics are easier to match to images BECAUSE the words are so descriptive.
Speakin' of DESCRIPTIVE lyrics, so glad you're creating a video for "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Eva Cassidy! Her voice was GOLDEN. So rare that I prefer a cover over the original, however Eva's cover beats Judy's by a mile, & makes me misty~eyed every time. Main reason for the mist is because I feel sad for Eva. In case you don't know....her music career was just starting to take off when cancer took her. It's a cryin' shame. There's a touching video about her on YouTube titled "The Eva Cassidy Story ~ ABC Nightline" posted by wroenn. Eva must've been an ANGEL, & God took her back 'cause he missed her. At least we (the world) had her for a short time....thank God.
Again, I'm glad you're creating a video for " Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Eva. I'm so lookin' forward to THAT video. No doubt it will be a masterpiece! Just take your time....DON'T rush it. Even if it takes a year, it'll be well worth the wait ! Don't forget to notify me as soon as you post it ! Happy summer, happy life, happy creating! :)
RomanticTunes
Dear Star - THANK YOU SO MUCH for watching and sharing your thoughts. I am very grateful for your special attention to details on my videos.
It is very gratifying to know that fans/friends are interested in what
"I" say. :-} Very true that some of the images don't quite match the lyrics, but those words are so abstract and I can never get them right (and I shouldn't even try to guess what they mean to Joni, Ruthie, or you and folks - particularly on the 'love' and 'life' parts). That's the beauty and freedom of interpretation of dynamic things such as words - and then they're modified by personal experiences. :-}For the sake of conversation, here are the reasons behind my choices of the images:On 'love' - "You leave 'em laughing when you go. And if you care, don't let them know. Don't give yourself away." - I see breakdown of love and how separation/divorce is always juicy gossip for others, etc, which is made worse by all these social networks and superficial quick chats. Love's illusion, to me, is its false security of permanency
On 'life' - I interpret the lyrics in connection with love and take it to include family and career with rosy hopes and dreams. Circus crowds are today's people in our real life and social networks. Every decision in life is truly a gamble when you will either win or lose.People have described me as 'cold, pessimistic, and paranoid,' so maybe everything is reflected in my interpretation of Joni's poem? :-D
Like you, I also love the classic Joni version. This Ruthie version is on her 2013 album which I received as a birthday present, and so to add to Joni's and Ruthie's glory, this video simply offers Ruthie's and the arranger's interpretation to the song's archive.
I gladly take your request of the Eva Cassidy version of Over The Rainbow and will start working on it. When it's done, I'll send it to you.Again, thank YOU very much, dear Star, for taking the time to watch and share and for this exchange. Your consideration means a great deal to me. Thank you. Have a fabulous week. :-}
* STAR *
So glad you're creating a video for "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Eva Cassidy! Her voice was GOLDEN. So rare that I prefer a cover over the original, however Eva's cover beats Judy's by a mile, & makes me misty~eyed every time. Main reason for the mist is because I feel sad for Eva. In case you don't know....her music career was just starting to take off when cancer took her. It's a cryin' shame. There's a touching video about her on YouTube titled "The Eva Cassidy Story ~ ABC Nightline" posted by wroenn. Eva must've been an ANGEL, & God took her back 'cause he missed her. At least we (the world) had her for a short time....thank God.
Again, I'm glad you're creating a video for " Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Eva. I'm so lookin' forward to THAT video. No doubt it will be a masterpiece! Just take your time....DON'T rush it. Even if it takes a year, it'll be well worth the wait ! Don't forget to notify me as soon as you post it ! Happy summer, happy life, happy creating! :)
RomanticTunes
@* STAR *
Dear Star - Your video is finished. I'm wondering if I can upload for you on another channel for preview. I have two videos coming back to back this Saturday and Sunday, so I should postpone uploading your video for public till next Sunday. (I usually spread out my uploads just to keep the channel alive and folks engaged. LOL) What I'll do is I'll upload it as a private video and send it to you. We have to add each other as a contact first. Here is how: on your Compose page, click on "Address book," then "Add new," and put these two channels in the username box: "RomanticTunes" and "RomanticLounge." I'll accept your Contact in both channels. Then I'll upload on RomanticLounge and send you the link to the Eva video. How does this sound to you? :-} I'll go upload on RomanticLounge now.
RomanticTunes
Oops, I'm sorry. I've just unlocked it. Please. I'm almost ready with your video.
* STAR *
@***** Hi, P ! Tried sending you a personal message via your Romantic Tunes channel, however you still have the contact lock on! :)
RomanticTunes
Dear Star - Would you do the honor of choosing several photo images for "And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true" for the video? You can send me their links via a personal message at this channel, and I'll try to fit them in. Thank you. Have a lovely evening.