Slean recorded her first EP Universe (1997) at the age of nineteen. Since then she has completed a series of albums including: Blue Parade (1998), Night Bugs (2002), and Day One (2004), The Baroness (2008) and the double album Land & Sea (2011).
Night Bugs was her first major label album, co-produced by Slean and Hawksley Workman, and released by WEA in Canada and Atlantic Records in the United States. It was heavily inspired by cabaret music.
In September 2004, Slean released her fourth album, Day One. Here Slean's piano takes a less important spot for the first time in her career. The focus is more on beats, rhythms and guitar, which shines through in the album's first single "Lucky Me". The up-tempo title track "Day One", and "Mary", a song about Slean's grandmother, were released as the second and third singles.
In October 2006, Slean released a mostly-live album, Orphan Music, which consists of songs recorded live at Toronto's Harbourfront Theatre and the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Other new tracks featuring Slean and the piano were recorded at DNA Recording Facility in Toronto and Kensaltown Studios in the UK.
Also in 2006, she contributed two tracks ("Us and Them" and "Comfortably Numb") to Pink Floyd Redux, a modern 12-track tribute to Pink Floyd.
Her sixth album The Baroness was released March 2008. An EP with outtakes from the album, entitled The Baroness Redecorates, was released in December of the same year.
Another set of B-sides was released in December 2010. For Beauty Lives, fans could vote for their favourite previously unrecorded track. The ten top songs were recorded especially for the collection.
Slean released the double album Land & Sea in September 2011. It is a concept album, where the songs on Land represent grounded topics and are generally more poppy, while the songs on Sea are more ethereal in subject matter and feature classical arrangements.
Slean released Metaphysics in 2017.
For photos and additional information check out Sarah Slean's official website, www.SarahSlean.com.
Vértigo
Sarah Slean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pearls that keep the highway bright
And it feels like being born, night driving
The moon hangs a dangerous height
Terrible calm, terrible cold
This dream I have, it's gold
Easier now, a place to go
The faces drop like flies their memory fades
Into the rushing road below
I can take this night and any night
Just try to tell me no
Terrible calm, terrible cold
This dream I have, it's gold
Easier now a place to go
Vertigo
I am full of love and consequence
Merciful the sky of coal
The beauty of the cars, electric light
The speed with which their destinies glow
Terrible calm, terrible joy
This dream I have, it's gold
Easier now a place to go
Vertigo
Vertigo
Vertigo
The song Vertigo by Sarah Slean is a beautiful yet haunting song about driving alone at night. The first stanza sets the stage for the song as the singer describes the red and white lights on the highway that feel like a rebirth. However, the moon hanging dangerously high creates a sense of unease and danger. The use of color imagery in this stanza creates a vivid visual image of the scene.
The next stanza speaks to the singer's dream, which is described as "gold." This dream provides a place to go, a sense of direction and purpose. The singer finds comfort and solace in this dream. The use of the word "terrible" in this stanza creates a juxtaposition between the comfort of the dream and the chaos of reality. The sense of calm and cold, joy and fear, create an atmosphere of confusion and uncertainty.
The final stanza speaks to the beauty of the night and the singer's place in it. The cars glowing with electric light symbolize the destinies of the people driving them, while the singer is full of both love and consequence. The repetition of "Vertigo" at the end of the song gives us a sense of the vertiginous feeling the singer experiences while driving alone at night.
Overall, the song Vertigo explores the themes of rebirth, uncertainty, and the beauty of the night. The vivid imagery, juxtaposition of emotions, and use of repetition create a powerful and emotional experience for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
The heavens dropped a bag of red and white lights
The sky is decorated with bright lights that make the highway easier to see
Pearls that keep the highway bright
The lights on the highway are like pearls that shine in the night
And it feels like being born, night driving
Driving at night is like a new beginning, a fresh start
The moon hangs a dangerous height
The moon is high in the sky, creating a thrilling and dangerous atmosphere
Terrible calm, terrible cold
Despite the calmness of the night, there is a sense of danger and persistent coldness
This dream I have, it's gold
The feeling of freedom and adventure that driving at night brings is worth its weight in gold
Easier now, a place to go
Driving at night provides a destination, a sense of purpose
Vertigo
The dizzying sensation that comes with driving at high speed in the night, creating a thrilling experience
The faces drop like flies their memory fades
The faces of people encountered along the road quickly fade into the background, becoming a fleeting memory
Into the rushing road below
Memories of people fade into the background as they disappear into the moving road ahead
I can take this night and any night
I feel invincible, able to take on any challenge the night brings
Just try to tell me no
I refuse to be held back or told what I can't do
Terrible calm, terrible cold
Despite the calmness of the night, there is a sense of danger and persistent coldness
This dream I have, it's gold
The feeling of freedom and adventure that driving at night brings is worth its weight in gold
Easier now a place to go
Driving at night provides a destination, a sense of purpose
Vertigo
The dizzying sensation that comes with driving at high speed in the night, creating a thrilling experience
I am full of love and consequence
I am filled with emotion and awareness of the importance of my actions
Merciful the sky of coal
The dark and mysterious sky seems to offer comfort and protection
The beauty of the cars, electric light
The modern and sleek design of cars is accentuated by the bright electric lights
The speed with which their destinies glow
The fast-moving cars seem to have a life of their own, creating a sense of destiny and fate
Terrible calm, terrible joy
Despite the calmness of the night, there is a sense of danger and thrilling joy
This dream I have, it's gold
The feeling of freedom and adventure that driving at night brings is worth its weight in gold
Easier now a place to go
Driving at night provides a destination, a sense of purpose
Vertigo
The dizzying sensation that comes with driving at high speed in the night, creating a thrilling experience
Vertigo
The dizzying sensation that comes with driving at high speed in the night, creating a thrilling experience
Vertigo
The dizzying sensation that comes with driving at high speed in the night, creating a thrilling experience
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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