Phillips began her musical career as a vocalist in the early 1980s, singing background parts for Christian artists such as Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill, and others. After a short time, Phillips was signed to a solo contract with Myrrh Records (under her given name) where she went on to record four Christian pop albums: Beyond Saturday Night, Dancing with Danger, Black & White in a Grey World, and, The Turning, which teamed her with producer and future husband T-Bone Burnett. Throughout the Myrrh period, Phillips wrote more and more of her own songs and several were Top 10 singles on Christian radio.
Since Cyndi Lauper was popular at the time and also had an high-pitched, idiosyncratic vocal style, Myrrh insisted on promoting her as "the Christian Cyndi Lauper." Phillips was never comfortable with this image, and it was a bone of contention between her and the label. She began using the name "Sam" professionally in 1988 when she left Myrrh Records and signed with Virgin Records, partially in order to distance herself from her somewhat embarrassing Myrrh-imposed persona.
Like many Christian artists before her, she expanded into more secular content at the new label. She released The Indescribable Wow, which featured the orchestrations of Van Dyke Parks. Cruel Inventions, which was released in 1991, included a guest appearance from close friend Elvis Costello, and she (with her husband) supported Costello on his 1991 tour. 1994's Martinis & Bikinis was widely praised by music critics and was even nominated for a Grammy Award; this was Phillips' first nomination.
In 1995, Phillips made her silver screen debut in the Bruce Willis blockbuster Die Hard With a Vengeance, in which she played a mute terrorist. She was originally supposed to have a speaking part in the film but it was decided that her character would be silent, since it made her appear much more imposing and lethal, although it also placed her in a more stereotypically femme fatale role at the same time.
In 1996, Phillips released Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop), which was more experimental musically and ended up being her worst-selling album to date. After releasing a contractual obligation "best-of" album for Virgin in 1999, the label dropped Phillips from their roster.
In 2001, Phillips signed with Nonesuch Records and released a stripped-down acoustic album called Fan Dance, which featured some of the most critically acclaimed songwriting of Phillips' career. Van Dyke Parks contributed string arrangements for a track or two. Phillips also began writing music for and scoring the television series Gilmore Girls, and even appeared on-screen during the final episode of season six, performing Taking Pictures. In 2004 she released A Boot and a Shoe, another collection of acoustic cabaret songs in the same vein as her previous album.
Sam returned with a new album don't do anything in 2008. In October 2009 Sam launched Long Play, an exclusively web-based membership site which promised subscribers 5 digital EPs and 1 full-length digital album over the course of about one year. A physical "best of" compilation of Long Play songs, titled Solid State, was released in June 2011.
Where Are You Taking Me
Sam Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Giving in was your escape
We only had one chance to say no
But it's too late
Take me out the back
Alley blind and struck by a star
We've lost where we are
Where are you taking me
As you slide
Where are you taking me
Down inside
I've always wanted more
Like the whore who poured perfume on his feet
Diamonds in the street are just like glass
When they cut your feet
Where are you taking me where love escapes
Your movie screen
The same scene you always run
With a different woman and the same son
The song Where Are You Taking Me by Sam Phillips is an introspective piece that explores the themes of escape, weakness, and love. The first verse talks about how giving in can be a form of escape, even though we only have one chance to say no. The singer is addressing someone who was lucky to be weak and could escape the situation easily. The second verse talks about being in a situation where one feels blind and struck by a star, lost and unable to find their way back. The singer suggests that between them, there is no near or far, indicating that they are lost together.
In the chorus, the singer asks where they are being taken as they are sliding down inside. The imagery of sliding down inside suggests that they are going deeper into the unknown, and they don't know where they will end up. The second part of the chorus repeats the question, emphasizing the uncertainty and the need for clarity.
The final verse suggests that the singer has always wanted more, similar to how the whore poured perfume on a man's feet. This comparison introduces the idea of love, and how sometimes, it can be expressed in unconventional ways. The reference to diamonds in the street being like glass helps to suggest that even things that are precious can hurt us. The image of the movie screen suggests that the singer is trapped in a never-ending cycle of the same scene playing out, with different women and the same son. This suggests that they are still searching for something that they haven't found yet.
Line by Line Meaning
Lucky you were weak
It was fortunate that you lacked the willpower to resist.
Giving in was your escape
Succumbing to temptation was your way out of a difficult situation.
We only had one chance to say no
Our opportunity to decline was limited to a single instance.
But it's too late
Unfortunately, that time has already passed.
Take me out the back
Lead me away from here through the rear exit.
Alley blind and struck by a star
The darkness of the alley is illuminated by a distant celestial body.
We've lost where we are
We have become disoriented and no longer know our location.
Between us there's no near or far
The physical distance between us is irrelevant to our connection.
Where are you taking me
What is your intended destination for us?
As you slide
While you smoothly move or maneuver.
Where are you taking me
To what extent will our journey go?
Down inside
Into the depths of something, possibly the artist's psyche.
I've always wanted more
The singer has consistently desired a greater quantity or quality of something.
Like the whore who poured perfume on his feet
Drawing a comparison to a biblical story where a prostitute anoints Jesus's feet with fragrant oil.
Diamonds in the street are just like glass
Expensive jewels in the midst of poverty hold no real value and can be easily shattered.
When they cut your feet
Metaphorical injury that comes from the pursuit of material possessions.
Where are you taking me where love escapes
To a place where affection cannot flourish.
Your movie screen
Referring to the other person's imagination or perception of the world and relationships.
The same scene you always run
A recurring pattern of behavior, especially in romantic situations.
With a different woman and the same son
Regardless of the partner, there is a child involved in the artist's past relationships.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kiéki David
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