Colvin's formative years were spent in the town of Carbondale, Illinois, where she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She learned to play guitar at the age of 10. Her first public concert was at age 15 at the University of Illinois campus. Colvin cites Joni Mitchell as a primary influence on her music, and her initial performances closely mirrored Mitchell's inflections and guitar tunings.
Colvin began working in the music scene in earnest in the late 1970s, first in Austin, Texas and then nationally. She met music partner John Leventhal during this time; Leventhal would go on to be Colvin's producer on several albums. Colvin often lends her talent to contemporaries in the music business - she can be heard singing the backing vocals on the Suzanne Vega hit, "Luka" from 1987. Vega returned the favor, singing backup on Colvin's, "Diamond In The Rough", from her debut album, "Steady On". Colvin, again can be heard singing backing vocals on Mary Chapin Carpenter's, "The Hard Way" and "Come On Come On" and Mary Chapin returns the favor on Colvin's, "Climb On (A Back That's Strong)", from Colvin's "Fat City" album.
Colvin's first several albums were met with critical acclaim, but did not sell in substantial numbers. After several albums of original work, Colvin released "Cover Girl", a collection of cover songs, but the work was a departure for her and was not well received.
Colvin experienced breakthrough success with "A Few Small Repairs" in October of 1996. The single "Sunny Came Home" reached the US Top Ten, and won Grammy Awards for Song and Record of the Year. She has released several subsequent albums that were nominated for Grammys, and has also released a greatest-hits album and a collection of Christmas music.
A new album from Colvin, entitled "These Four Walls", was released on September 12, 2006.
She was the guest vocal artist on the Lisa Loeb single "Falling in Love" as well as appearing at various Lilith Fair music festivals. She also has been featured on the popular live music show Austin City Limits and played at the 2003 Austin City Limits Music Festival. She also appeared in a tribute to her idol Joni Mitchell in 2001 that was broadcast on the cable network TNT.
She has made two guest appearances on The Simpsons as Rachel Jordan, lead singer for a Christian rock band. She first appears in "Alone Again, Natura-diddly," where Rachel wins Ned Flanders' heart after the untimely death of his wife, Maude. Later, in the episode "I'm Going to Praiseland," Ned dates Rachel, only to scare her off when he tries to turn her into a version of Maude.
Colvin lives with her daughter, Caledonia, and husband, Mario Erwin in Austin, Texas, and still participates in the Austin music scene.
Diamond In The Rough
Shawn Colvin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a little stone in my hand
And it would shimmer and sing
And I knew everything
In a little while I got steeped in authority
Heaven only knows what when wrong
When there is nothing so cruel
And I'm gonna find it
You're shining, I can see you
You're smiling, that's enough well
I'm holding onto you, like a diamond in the rough
Like a diamond in the rough
Ever now and then I can see that I am getting somewhere
Where I have to go is so deep
I was angry back then, and you know I still am
I have lost too much sleep and I'm gonna find it
You're shining, I can see you
You're smiling, that's enough well
I'm holding onto you, like a diamond in the rough
Like a diamond in the rough
Snake's in the grass better step on the gas
In my dreams I go down by the water
With a little girl in my arms and we shimmer and sing
And we know everything
As a little girl I came down
You're shining, I can see you
You're smiling, that's enough well
I'm holding onto you, like a diamond in the rough
Like a diamond in the rough
The lyrics of Shawn Colvin's song "Diamond In The Rough" poignantly captures the feeling of searching for something precious that was lost or buried in our past. The singer reminisces about her childhood memories of going to the water with a little stone in her hand. The stone would shimmer and sing, and in that moment, she knew everything. However, as she grew older, she got steeped in authority, and something went wrong. She feels cruelly robbed of her jewel, as if it was taken from her when it was hers all along. She vows to find it once again.
As she searches for this lost treasure, the singer realizes she has made progress and is getting somewhere, even though she knows the journey is deep and it's difficult to reach the destination. Her anger from before is still present, and she has lost sleep over this diamond in the rough. However, she perseveres in her quest to reclaim it, and reminds herself that it is shining and smiling, giving her enough hope to continue to hold on.
In the final verse, there is a sense of urgency as the singer warns of snakes in the grass and the need to step on the gas. In her dreams, she goes back to the water with a little girl in her arms, and they both shimmer and sing, knowing everything. It is a reminder that the diamond in the rough is not simply an object to be found but a state of being and a connection to a purer and more innocent time.
Line by Line Meaning
As a little girl I came down to the water
As a child, I used to visit the water body with a stone in hand
With a little stone in my hand
I carried a tiny rock in my hand
And it would shimmer and sing
The stone sparkled vibrantly and produced a soothing sound
And I knew everything
At that moment, everything felt perfect and clear
In a little while I got steeped in authority
Eventually, I was overpowered by someone in control
Heaven only knows what when wrong
I can't explain what went wrong despite my efforts
When there is nothing so cruel
It is heartbreaking to lose something so valuable
Than to bury that jewel when it was mine all along
It is even more painful to know that I had the lost treasure all along
And I'm gonna find it
But I am determined to rediscover it
You're shining, I can see you
You, my diamond in the rough, shine bright even in difficult times
You're smiling, that's enough well
Your smile is comforting and gives me hope
I'm holding onto you, like a diamond in the rough
I cherish you like a precious gem despite your imperfections
Ever now and then I can see that I am getting somewhere
Occasionally, I realize that I am making progress
Where I have to go is so deep
But the path ahead is still challenging
I was angry back then, and you know I still am
I used to be furious in the past, and some of that anger still persists
I have lost too much sleep and I'm gonna find it
My search for the lost gem has caused me great distress, but I won't give up
Snake's in the grass better step on the gas
To avoid any obstacles, I must accelerate my efforts
In my dreams I go down by the water
In my dreams, I revisit the water body
With a little girl in my arms and we shimmer and sing
I hold a little girl while we admire the sparkling water and sing joyously
And we know everything
We feel a sense of clarity and knowledge in that moment
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN LEVENTHAL, SHAWN COLVIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cristianlauga9551
As a little girl I came down to the water
With a little stone in my hand
And it would shimmer and sing
And I knew everything
In a little while I got steeped in authority
Heaven only knows what when wrong
When there is nothing so cruel
Than to bury that jewel when it was mine all along
And I'm gonna find it
You're shining, I can see you
You're smiling, that's enough well
I'm holding onto you, like a diamond in the rough
Like a diamond in the rough
Ever now and then I can see that I am getting somewhere
Where I have to go is so deep
I was angry back then, and you know I still am
I have lost too much sleep and I'm gonna find it
You're shining, I can see you
You're smiling, that's enough well
I'm holding onto you, like a diamond in the rough
Like a diamond in the rough
Snake's in the grass better step on the gas
In my dreams I go down by the water
With a little girl in my arms and we shimmer and sing
And we know everything
As a little girl I came down
You're shining, I can see you
You're smiling, that's enough well
I'm holding onto you, like a diamond in the rough
Like a diamond in the rough
@arthurshepherd8757
Christmastime 2023 - For my eternal blessed sacred holy good and wise soul
Shawn Colvin
Here's another one Shawn while at Kerrville Folk Festival in 2008
Breathe Into Me Shawn Colvin
Posted in Uncategorized on June 29, 2008 by blackshepherd
Breathe Into Me (title now is 'Goddess Of The Deep' and I'm recording it for the first time today 12-10-23)
Goddess of the deep
do you see me lying here
with the other souls you keep
on the bottom of this sea
do you see that I’m not breathing
of the air
and my eyes are open wide
as I stare
at the vision
that took me down
to this place
this angel town
far beneath what
I ever will see
my goddess won’t you breathe
into me
oh please my love
breathe just once into me
I want only to breathe now
no need to rise above
I’ll lie here with you
no more dreams of the dove
or soaring flights to the moon
I promise love
no more flying
just breathe into me
and I’ll keep trying
to live in this deepest sea
I’ll lie still
if you’ll just breathe into me
I’ve surrendered my will
that you might breathe into me
end
With eternal affection gratitude and love for the Goddess of my dreams. Shawn Colvin. Kisses. Michelle
@arthurshepherd8757
Private: Our Last Dream Kiss - For my beloved blessed holy beautiful graceful wise sacred and good eternal soul Shawn Colvin
Posted in Uncategorized on October 26, 2023 by blackshepherd
January 10, 2023 – Austin - Happy Birthday Shawn Colvin
Our Last Dream Kiss
That kiss,
our last kiss
in a dream
do you recall
on the precipice
before my fall
above the abyss
the mining fields
if you insist
where we said goodbye
wondering how far we could fly
I’d found you sleeping
in a corner of my sky
deep in my soul
long and long ago
you’d found a stone
just lying there
deep as deep can be
a shimmering stone
had caught your eye
long before you’d grown
it was the stone you’d remember me by
until we could atone
under a tangerine sky
I was thinking of that kiss
and of how time
has worn all of this
in your hand to shine
my love
how you have polished this remembrance
I see you shining
I see you smiling
and I know you were mine
how that diamond does shine
once a shimmering stone
to be held until we atone
for our wish to fly alone
but now it is not the stone
that I miss
it is the kiss
end
My darling. My blessed beautiful eternal soul Shawn, I'm wishing You every good thing this Christmas and forever. I am forever 'with' You in all things. Love. Kisses. Michelle
@brandonmoore7497
Shawn Colvin Diamond In The Rough is one of my personal favorite song
@schwartzenheimer1
By far her most moving performance of this, one of her best songs (among many great ones)...
@KaraFrances-il8mi
so good low key just heard it again 4 the first time in over 20 yrs wow makes an impact
@TheYobo1016
I just saw Amanda Marshall perform two weeks ago. Amazing show. She sang this song a capella(spelling?) as a tribute to a member of her crew who passed away some time ago. I might have been one of a couple dozen people in the audience to recognize this great song.
@Shadowboro2
Given the great bass and electric guitar work from John Leventhal, the wonderful job Suzanne Vega does on backing vocals (probably to repay Shawn Colvin for her great backing vocals on Vega's "Luka" superhit) and the general mystery and celtic undertones of this song, it is indeed a mystery to me why this song wasn't a hit at the time and it remains underrated to this day (much like most of Shawn Colvin's output). Definitely one of my favourites from Colvin's debut album.
@reglagirl5802
Thanks for sharing that info about Luka!
@reglagirl5802
Also both favorites of mine…
@bobprovost5046
Agreed. No reason why this song shouldn't have won a Grammy. Or, at least charted in the top 10. She'd have to wait 7 more years for a solo song Grammy for "Sonny Came Home", to me an inferior song to "Diamond in the Rough", or even "Shotgun Down the Avalanche", also from the same album.
@WiskyDuck
There isn’t a mediocre song on the entire album. I remember the first time I listened… I was floored and bought my own copy that day along with everything she’s released that I can acquire. Every song on Steady On is a precious gem.
@steelpodmusic
I found this tape by chance in a music shop in Manukau City Centre, and it was a revelation. Helped me get through undiagnosed bipolar. 超感謝です。❤