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.
Trouble
Shawn Colvin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You look so troubled and I think I know
Just when you think you've come around
There you go
Now I know the business of the heart
And it'll get you anyway it can
You need someone to walk with in the dark well
I'm your man
I go to the trouble like a magnet
That's where I'll be
Trouble is just a place to sing
It's what you need
I swear you look like you're in jail
And all at once you're halfway out the door
One foot dancing, one foot nailed
To the floor
Chasing those circles in the ground
The same old shit is still the same old lie
Just when you think you've got it down
Watch it fly
I go to the trouble like a light
Or like a dare
Trouble is just a friend to me, I know
It'll always be there
It's really hard to make your peace
So give me some credit for the hell I've paid
This world's a blessing and a beast
Everyday
So come on baby let me show you how
The less you know the more I comprehend
You don't have to drag me down
I descend
I go to the trouble and I like it
That's where I'll be
Trouble is just like love, if it's half the way
It's all I can see
And it's just what you need
The lyrics to Shawn Colvin's song, Trouble, depict the emotion of introspective self-reflection by the singer to the listener. The song starts with the singer noticing the troubled demeanor of the listener and their inability to shake off the feeling of trouble. The singer relates to the listener, having had similar experiences with the business of the heart that always seems to find a way back to cause trouble. The singer extends an offer to walk alongside the listener to help them navigate the dark times.
The theme of the song revolves around the idea that trouble is inevitable, and we should embrace it instead of running away from it. The singer has found himself drawn to trouble like a magnet, and instead of shying away from it, he accepts it as a friend. The idea that trouble is a place to sing and what you need implies that it helps us grow and learn about ourselves.
The lyrics in the second verse use a metaphor of being stuck in a repetitive cycle, chasing circles in the ground. This cycle of behavior is reflected in the saying, "The same old shit is still the same old lie." The singer is pointing out that unless the listener breaks the cycle of behavior, they will continue to experience the same trouble in their life. The singer embraces trouble like a "light" or "dare." He understands that if he doesn't face his problems head-on, he won't be able to overcome them.
Overall, Shawn Colvin's song 'Trouble' is a powerful song that talks about the inevitability and importance of trouble in our lives. The song highlights the idea that trouble can be a friend if we accept it as part of our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby let me set you down
Allow me to help you ease your worries and talk to you.
You look so troubled and I think I know
You seem very troubled and I believe I might understand what's going on.
Just when you think you've come around
As soon as you feel you've made progress and overcome your troubles.
There you go
You seem to fall back into a negative mindset and are struggling to let go of your worries.
Now I know the business of the heart
I have experience with love and relationships.
And it'll get you anyway it can
Love can be tricky, and it can get the best of you in unexpected ways.
You need someone to walk with in the dark well
You require someone to help support you when times are rough.
I'm your man
I am here for you.
I go to the trouble like a magnet
I tend to seek out and become involved in challenging situations.
That's where I'll be
That's where I feel most comfortable.
Trouble is just a place to sing
Troubles can be a source of material to create music.
It's what you need
It may be necessary for you to experience struggles in order to grow or learn something new.
I swear you look like you're in jail
You appear to be trapped and unhappy.
And all at once you're halfway out the door
You seem to want to leave a bad situation but can't seem to make up your mind.
One foot dancing, one foot nailed
You are struggling to make a decision and are conflicted.
To the floor
You feel stuck in a difficult situation.
Chasing those circles in the ground
Repeating the same mistakes and not making any progress.
The same old shit is still the same old lie
You are still stuck in negative thinking patterns.
Just when you think you've got it down
When you think you have learned from your mistake.
Watch it fly
You see everything slip away and end up back where you started.
I go to the trouble like a light
I tend to be drawn towards conflict and challenges.
Or like a dare
I enjoy taking risks and seeing what will happen next.
Trouble is just a friend to me, I know
I am familiar with troubles and hardships and can handle them somewhat easily.
It'll always be there
There will always be obstacles and challenges to overcome in life.
It's really hard to make your peace
It can seem impossible to find inner peace and happiness.
So give me some credit for the hell I've paid
Recognize and appreciate the struggles that I have been through.
This world's a blessing and a beast
Life can be both wonderful and terrible at the same time.
Everyday
On a daily basis.
So come on baby let me show you how
Allow me to help guide you towards a better mindset and understanding of your troubles.
The less you know the more I comprehend
I have been through struggles and learned from them, so let me share my experience with you.
You don't have to drag me down
You don't have to feel like your troubles are causing me problems as well.
I descend
I will lower myself to your level and be with you through your struggles.
I go to the trouble and I like it
I tend to enjoy challenging situations and grow from them.
That's where I'll be
I feel that I can be most myself and thrive when things are difficult.
Trouble is just like love, if it's half the way
Challenges and hardships can be just as central and important as love in life.
It's all I can see
My vision and perspective is sometimes more focused on the difficulties that life brings.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN LEVENTHAL, SHAWN COLVIN, TOM LITTLEFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ebaylistentomusic
In my darkest days this album was my brightest light...
@CSorickOmaha
Trouble is just a friend to me, I know it will always be there....amazing lyrics in this song. I've adored this song for 20 years now. I love you, Shawn Colvin.
@timmouers7184
This album,this song will always take me back.I love it
@Ryan-wd4hn
Perennial favorite...I come back to this song over and over again....
@martianshoes
One of the best albums of the '90s, any genre'....inspiration outstrips almost everything since Mitchell's Don Juan's Reckless Daughter..
@chalbgewachs1
this is one of the best songs ever ever ever ever written period end of the paragraph it s over
@jeffsyrop
It's true!
@melmccall4850
One foot dancing one foot nailed to the floor........
@daveytrain6494
Such a powerful song
@AngryBeaver60
What a great song! This and Tennessee are my two most favorites by her. Thanks for posting this.