Shaber took this one step further on February 18th, 2006 when she recorded her new live album, in my bones (live in chicago). Fans from all over the country were encouraged to email requests and the result is a collection of previously unreleased songs that have long been crowd favorites, such as the passionately yearning title track "In My Bones;" If I was alone on a desert island/ I wouldn't be alone/I'm never alone/'cause you're in my bones; the upbeat summer anthem "Jersey to O.C.;" Grab the great unknown/Lean in to every breeze/Unturn every stone/From Jersey to O.C.; and the most requested song, "Cryin' Shame," about a lovesick teenage Scottish boy (complete with accent!); It's a cryin' shame/That you don't even know my name/An' ah swear sometimes it smarts/To feel you breathing down my heart.
There are also some tracks of pure Shaber banter, covering everything from high school crushes to Grey's Anatomy to a dinner party filled with sexually charged guests. Always impromptu, these moments are another large reason people love to see Sam live in concert. She is known for sending the audience from roaring laughter to deep saddness and back again in a matter of minutes. After a recent show, an audience member put it best when she sighed, "That was a work-out." Gene Shay at WXPN-fm in Philadelphia says Shaber is "Stark, raving, great!" Folkweb.com calls her "a riveting performer," and Femmusic.com voted her Top Female Performer.
Touring nationally year 'round, Shaber has won awards in the John Lennon, Billboard, and USA Songwriting Competitions for her driving melodies, smart lyrics, and soaring voice. She also won the ear of Columbia recording artist/producer Shawn Mullins ("Lullabye"), who produced her last album, eighty numbered streets, released in 2003 to great critical acclaim. Said Paste Magazine, "eighty numbered streets is confessional and emotional, but Shaber's salty falsetto and the stark beauty of this CD won't leave you drowning in your own tears." Daughter of late-screenwriter David Shaber (The Warriors, Nighthawks) and artist Alice Shaber, Sam uses her observer's eye and sharp wit. Her strong guitar style and broad voice have won comparisons as diverse as Alanis Morissette, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Wonder. And her passion for showing an audience a good time is never more clear than in this intimate, raw, live release. Because in my bones is put together without pauses, the listener lives an entire show from beginning to end, a true document of one night, one Shaber, in Chicago.
Invisible Woman
Sam Shaber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Invisible woman can't find her pride
A hard outer shell protects her inside
It's like no home she's ever known
Countryside fairgrounds, colored alive
Invisible woman floats ride to ride
She can't hear the music dance and dive
Invisible face with invisible eyes
Invisible laughs and invisible cries
Invisible whole of invisible parts
Invisible loves with invisible heart
Coffee café brews ideas and dreams
Invisible woman gets lost in the steam
She watches the lovers singing their theme
It's like no home she's ever known
Invisible face with invisible eyes
Invisible laughs and invisible cries
Invisible whole of invisible parts
Invisible loves with invisible heart
The lyrics to Sam Shaber's song, "Invisible Woman", tell the story of a woman who feels unseen and unheard by the world around her. The first verse sets the stage by describing her as a seasoned traveler, driving on roads both narrow and wide, yet unable to find her sense of self-worth. She has built a hard outer shell to protect herself, which serves as a barrier between her and the outside world. The second verse describes her experiences at a colorful countryside fair, where she rides the rides but cannot fully immerse herself in the experience. She cannot hear the music, and she cannot dance or dive into the moment. Once again, she feels disconnected, like she is in a place that is "like no home she's ever known".
The chorus repeats the phrase "invisible woman" several times, emphasizing her sense of invisibility and isolation. She is "invisible" not only in her physical appearance, with an "invisible face" and "invisible eyes", but also in her emotions. She experiences "invisible laughs and invisible cries", revealing that her inner world is equally hidden from those around her. She is a "whole of invisible parts", a complete person whose value and worth are not recognized by others. Her loves and joys are "invisible" as well, hidden within her "invisible heart".
The final verse takes place in a coffee café, where the woman gets lost in the steam of her drink. She watches the lovers around her, listening to their music and the love they express through song. Once again, she feels like she is just a spectator, watching from the outside. The final chorus repeats the phrase "invisible woman", underscoring her isolation and lack of connection to the world around her. The song ends on a somber note, leaving the listener with a sense of empathy for this woman who feels unseen and unheard.
Line by Line Meaning
She's driven the roads narrow and wide
The Invisible Woman has traveled far and wide, but still feels lost and directionless.
Invisible woman can't find her pride
The Invisible Woman feels as though her confidence and self-esteem are missing.
A hard outer shell protects her inside
The Invisible Woman puts up a tough exterior to protect herself from getting hurt.
It's like no home she's ever known
Despite all of her travels and experiences, the Invisible Woman still feels like she doesn't belong anywhere.
Countryside fairgrounds, colored alive
The Invisible Woman is at a carnival or fair, but feels as though she is just observing it from the outside.
Invisible woman floats ride to ride
The Invisible Woman is going through the motions of life, but doesn't fully experience or feel anything.
She can't hear the music dance and dive
The Invisible Woman is emotionally disconnected and unable to fully engage with the world around her.
Invisible face with invisible eyes
The Invisible Woman feels unseen and unnoticed by the people around her.
Invisible laughs and invisible cries
The Invisible Woman's emotions and experiences go unnoticed and unacknowledged by those around her.
Invisible whole of invisible parts
The Invisible Woman feels like she is missing key pieces of herself that make her whole.
Invisible loves with invisible heart
The Invisible Woman's love goes unnoticed and unreturned by those around her, leaving her feeling invisible and unimportant.
Coffee café brews ideas and dreams
The Invisible Woman is in a coffee shop, but seems lost in her own thoughts and unaware of her surroundings.
Invisible woman gets lost in the steam
The Invisible Woman becomes lost and disconnected while lost in thought.
She watches the lovers singing their theme
The Invisible Woman observes other couples, but doesn't engage in similar romantic experiences herself.
It's like no home she's ever known
The Invisible Woman feels like she doesn't belong anywhere, even in a coffee shop where others seem at home.
Contributed by Callie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.