"...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
I'm Tired
Shawn Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometime's I feel that the world isn't mine
It feeds on my hunger and tears on my time
And I'm tired,
Yes, I'm tired
Every face on the street is as cold the air
As hard as the pavement moves 'neath my feet
Yes, I'm tired
Sometimes I stop and ask to myself
Oh why should I be so alone
It comes and it goes
And nobody knows
For they're blind with a pain all their own
So I start out again with a smile on my face
To hide all the empty and search for a friend
And I'm tired
Yes, I'm tired
Sometimes I stop and ask to myself
Oh why should I be so alone
It comes and it goes
And nobody knows
For they're blind with a pain all their own
So I start out again with a smile on my face
To hide all the empty and search for a friend
And I'm tired
Yes, I'm tired
And I'm tired
Yes, I'm tired
The lyrics of the song "I'm Tired" by Shawn Phillips evoke a sense of weariness and loneliness. The opening lines convey a feeling of alienation and a sense of being disconnected from the world. Phillips sings that "Sometimes I feel that the world isn't mine/It feeds on my hunger and tears on my time." This suggests a feeling of impotence and a sense that the world is indifferent to his struggles.
As the song progresses, the sense of loneliness becomes more profound. Phillips sings, "Every face on the street is as cold the air/As hard as the pavement moves 'neath my feet/And I'm tired." The imagery of the cold, unfeeling faces and the hard pavement emphasizes the feeling of isolation and the sense of being trapped.
Despite his exhaustion and loneliness, Phillips tries to maintain a positive outlook. He sings, "So I start out again with a smile on my face/To hide all the empty and search for a friend." This suggests that he is trying to find connections and to build relationships despite the difficulties that he faces.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometime's I feel that the world isn't mine
At times, it seems like the world is not meant for me, and it only adds to my problems.
It feeds on my hunger and tears on my time
The world takes advantage of me and consumes my every moment and desire.
And I'm tired,
Yes, I'm tired
The exhaustion and fatigue that I feel is overwhelming, and I cannot ignore it anymore.
Every face on the street is as cold the air
Every person I meet outside is as indifferent and unfeeling as the environment around us.
As hard as the pavement moves 'neath my feet
The ground is harsh and relentless beneath me as I walk, which represents the difficulties of life.
Sometimes I stop and ask to myself
Oh why should I be so alone
I pause and question why I have to experience such loneliness and isolation in my life.
It comes and it goes
And nobody knows
For they're blind with a pain all their own
Emotional pain is something that ebbs and flows, but others are unaware of it since they have their own struggles to deal with.
So I start out again with a smile on my face
To hide all the empty and search for a friend
I put on a happy face to conceal my loneliness and emptiness, and I keep searching for someone to connect with.
And I'm tired
Yes, I'm tired
The repetition of this line emphasizes the extreme exhaustion and weariness the artist is feeling.
And I'm tired
Yes, I'm tired
This final repetition reiterates the artist's extreme fatigue, implying that the cycle of feeling lonely and searching for companionship is never-ending.
Contributed by Blake D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@debbieswanson6057
WOW!!!!! Never heard Sean from waay back! A friend turned me onto him in 75.
LBallad was first album of his I purchased....
@dannyboy6114
I've just got this lp for next to nothing in mint condition.
@MrDanielphenix
This album is fantastic!
@yukonnoka
thanks for uploading this...its super hard to find!
@utzuckz
@athegriz1 -- do a YouTube search and you'll find others from the same album, which is one of the early 60's folk classics -- every track sparkles!
@syaifinnuha7304
Well, I've sat 'neath the shade of an old apple orchard
And watched the big trucks rolling by
I've shared a grape soda with a man from Dakota
And seen a June bug in July
I'm a drifter, oh Lord, I'm a loner
And I've seen every village and town
I've passed by here and, oh Lord, I'll die here
Then some stranger will lower me downWell, I've slept in your rains and I've slept in your hails
I've screamed out my hurt while I've slept in your jails
I've heard the lone wail of a slow eastbound freighter
Then wished I could die to go meet my saviour
I'm a drifter, oh Lord, I'm a loner
And I've seen every village and town
I've passed by here and, oh Lord, I'll die here
Then some stranger will lower me downWell, I've been lead the ships that sail out of your harbors
I've shared silent thoughts with your children and barbers
I've sung to the stars while a jukebox was playin'
And fought back the tears that come when I am sayin'
I'm a drifter, oh Lord, I'm a loner
And I've seen every village and town
I've passed by here and, oh Lord, I'll die here
Then some stranger will lower me downI've made love in your cities to the poor and the pretty
Then thought myself lucky and smart
And then ended up lonely with nothin' but only
A song and a half broken heart
I'm a drifter, oh Lord, I'm a loner
And I've seen every village and town
I've passed by here and, oh Lord, I'll die here
Then some stranger will lower me down
(final verse added by Shawn Phillips)
Well, I've played basketball through the hoop of a barrel
And struggled to learn how to swim
And once was a baby sometimes I think maybe
I only pretend I was him
I'm a drifter, oh Lord, I'm a loner
And I've seen every village and town
I've passed by here and, oh Lord, I'll die here
And then some stranger will lower me down
Down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down
@MikeBridges88
Anyone have the chords for this song? Cannot figure it out for the life of me
@debbieswanson6057
What year is this from?