"...an artist of such raw talent, ambition and good will... Phillips' main attraction is still his voice. Reedy and flexible, with a remarkable falsetto, it is a potent dramatic instrument. " that's what Rolling Stone Magazine had to say about Shawn Phillips, a musician whose work literally fits into no category.
Shawn Phillips has almost twenty albums to his credit (of which millions have been sold) and a host of associations with some of the most respected names in the industry including Donovan, Paul Buckmaster, J Peter Robinson, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood and many others, yet he is virtually forgotten except by his cadre of loyal fans. The Texas-born singer/songwriter was called "The best kept secret in the music business," by the late rock impresario Bill Graham.
Beginning in the 1960s, Phillips made noteworthy contributions to popular music. He performed at the "Isle of Wight" festival and was cast to play the lead in the original production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" (he had to withdraw due to his heavy recording and touring schedule.)
Throughout the 60s Phillips worked the folk music scene in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury, New York's Greenwich Village, and London. In 1967 Phillips moved to Positano, Italy, where he remained throughout the 1970s, writing some of his most well known work. This period produced the albums 'Contribution', 'Second Contribution', 'Collaboration' and 'Faces".
Four of his albums "Faces," "Bright White," "Furthermore" and "Do You Wonder" made it into the Billboard Top 100. In addition, the singles, "Lost Horizon," "We" and "Woman" made Billboard's top 40. One of the most sought after Christmas songs is Phillips' 1970 45rpm release of "A Christmas Song" on A&M 1238. The track is now available on the re-issue of Faces.
His latest album, 'No Category' featuring his longtime collaborators Paul Buckmaster and Peter Robinson was released in 2002.
Today Shawn lives in Port Elizabeth, South Africa dividing his time between writing, touring, and his work as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and firefighter.
Official Shawn Phillips website : www.shawnphillips.com
Shawn Phillips Merchandise can be purchased here: http://www.zazzle.com/shawnphillips_emh
City To City
Shawn Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
City to city, we're on the road
And we don't know where we're bound
We just bringing you music lovers
The sound there is around
And when we come into your town
You can bet we will astound
We will fill your life with sound
We will sing you a song
We will do you no wrong
We will brighten up your day
We will make you a king with an eloquent ring
We will serenade your queen
White line flashin' and the wheels are roarin'
And the country's rollin' by
From the snow capped Rockies to the Midwest plains
We will stop and tell you 'hi'
And if you want to hear our story
We will never bring you down
And we will play you all we've found
We will fill your life with sound
We will sing you a song
We will do you no wrong
We will brighten up your day
We will make you a king with an eloquent ring
We will serenade your queen
From New York City to the angel town
We will always come again
We will bring you a storm or a summer's day
But right inside your head
So when we come into your town
You must bring your folks around
We will play you all we've found
We will fill your life with sound
We will sing you a song
We will do you no wrong
We will brighten up your day
We will make you a king with an eloquent ring
We will serenade your queen
The lyrics of "City To City" by Shawn Phillips speaks of a traveling band journeying from one place to another, bringing their music to different cities and towns. The song promises their audience a delightful experience through their music, insisting that when they come into town, they will bring nothing but good vibes and immense talent. The band travels through various regions of the country, from the snow-capped Rocky Mountains to the Midwest Plains, meeting people and sharing their story.
The song also emphasizes that the band's sound isn't limited to a specific genre or style; they play everything they've found, and whoever their audience is, they can count on experiencing something they'll enjoy. The song expresses the band's love for traveling and performing, stating that they will always return to the places they've been, bringing with them the memory of the city or town they've visited through their music. In a way, the lyrics allude to the power of music, its ability to connect people despite their differences, and the joy it brings to both the listener and performer.
Line by Line Meaning
City to city, we're on the road
We travel across various cities without an exact destination.
And we don't know where we're bound
We have no predetermined or fixed plans.
We just bringing you music lovers
We entertain people who love music and provide them an experience.
The sound there is around
We create and spread music wherever we go.
And when we come into your town
Upon arriving at a new place, we are ready to perform without any delay.
You can bet we will astound
Our performance is spectacular and will leave an impression.
We will play you all we've found
We offer to play all the music we have discovered on our travels.
We will fill your life with sound
We enrich people's lives by bringing music to their ears and hearts.
We will sing you a song
We promise to perform a song for you.
We will do you no wrong
We ensure our performance will not have any negative impact on you.
We will brighten up your day
We aim to bring happiness and positivity into your day with our music.
We will make you a king with an eloquent ring
Our music will elevate you to a status of importance and bring a certain aura to you.
We will serenade your queen
We dedicate music to the powerful woman in your life.
White line flashin' and the wheels are roarin'
We drive at high speeds and cover a lot of distance quickly.
And the country's rollin' by
We travel through the countryside and experience various landscapes.
From the snow capped Rockies to the Midwest plains
We traverse different regions of North America.
We will stop and tell you 'hi'
We are friendly and keen to interact with our audience.
And if you want to hear our story
We are willing to share our experiences and insights on our travels.
We will never bring you down
Our performance will never disappoint and discourage you.
From New York City to the angel town
We perform in various major cities on our journey across North America.
We will always come again
We repeat our performance in places where we are well-received.
We will bring you a storm or a summer's day
Our vibrant and diverse music genre will make you have different feelings or emotions.
But right inside your head
Our music will have a considerable effect on you and remain on your mind.
So when we come into your town
We remain prepared and excited to perform at any place we visit.
You must bring your folks around
Our performance will be a great experience to share with family and friends.
We will play you all we've found
We vow to entertain the audience with all our discovered music.
We will fill your life with sound
Our performance will leave you feeling fulfilled with the addition of music to your life.
Contributed by Lucas H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mynamedontfi
The glow
Around your face
When you see
The lightning race
I know
I'm very near
And I can hear
The thunder
A woman
Of perplexity
A woman
For eternity
A woman
Of the land
A woman
For a man
I'm down
On my knees
And I'm saying
Please believe me
It's hard
To fall out
Of love
Completely
It's harder
To find a way
To come back
Discreetly
To speak
Of things anew
To weep
In quiet blue
Brocade
Upon your bed
Memories should fade
At least of you
A sceptre
Of ice and fire
A spectre
Of my desire
A girl-child
Of such loveliness
The woman
Of my emptiness
A woman
Of famed renown
A woman
Who kicks the clown
A woman
Of the land
A woman
For a man
@cathyduda5298
I just saw the Japanese skaters skating at the 2022 Olympics and I was stunned to hear Shawn Phillips!! So many memories of the 70's. I saw him in Chicago and again in Phoenix. What an amazing musician!! I have missed him and his music!!
@cyndigrotte2217
I was also stunned to hear this song and had to call my son immediately. I was introduced to his music while I was in college by my sister who just recently passed away and it brings tears to my eyes because she is the one I wanted to call. He came to Minot State University in Minot ND to play at a homecoming concert. I don't remember the exact date. I was so thrilled because I had listened to his music several times. I have two of his albums. Hadn't listened to them in awhile but am listening now.
@lauriewhincup5635
Where did you hear him???
@lauriewhincup5635
@Cyndi Grotte what song and where did you hear it? So curious now💜
@cyndigrotte2217
It was at the Minot auditorium in Minot, North Dakota.
@lauriewhincup5635
@Cyndi Grotte oh THANKYOU!!!! THOUGHT IT WAS OLYMPICS. MISREAD SOMETHING SOMEWHERE.
@rogerblair9958
I worked on audio equipment for a living back in the 70 and for the next 50 years. One day "Woman" came on the radio and it hit me like a brick. I had to find out who this guy was. That was the beginning of the fascination with Shawn Phillips music. I have listened to everyone and have mixed sound for some of the greats. He keeps me occupied still 50 plus years later. I met him and he was a gentleman. Thanks, Mr. Phillips
@shadowdancer1358
Roger Blair lucky you to meet him. My brother did after a concert in Chicago. I saw him 3 times and now...never again.
@idaausburn3550
Yes, mine started as yours one song was Woman as well. But then I ran out as we did in the past 70s and got the 8 tracks and the Album's. met him in Arlington, Tx. Enjoy. I have it set in Utube ready all the time
@jennyhawkins3265
I fell in love w/his music in the 1970's. I've been fortunate to have seen him play 2x. The Japanese pair skaters just now skated to 'Woman' & are in 1st place.