Lynne's first recording for Epic was a duet with George Jones, "If I Could Bottle This Up", which became a top-50 hit in 1988. In 2000 she won a Grammy award for "Best New Artist", despite the fact that she had been recording and releasing records for more than ten years
With Tears, Lies, and Alibis the follow-up to 2008's Just A Little Lovin' and the first release on her own label, Everso Records, Shelby Lynne affirms her position as a visionary, iconoclastic artist who deftly weaves country, soul, rock, blues, pop and folk influences to forge her own unique style. Like Identity Crisis (2003) and Suit Yourself (2005), this sparse, unguarded collection was produced by Lynne, who evokes a live-in-the-studio vibe from a stellar group of musicians. Born in Quantico, VA, she grew up in Jackson, AL and headed to Nashville at an early age. At 18, Lynne s demos landed her an appearance on TNN s Nashville Now series, which led to a Top 50 duet ( "If I Could Bottle This Up" ) with George Jones and a record deal. Following the release of the critically acclaimed I Am Shelby Lynne in 2000, she won the GRAMMY® for Best New Artist. She made her acting debut in 2005, playing Johnny Cash's mother in the Fox Searchlight motion picture Walk the Line.
I'm Alive
Shelby Lynne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't hear your voice no more
And living isn't worth the fear of dying
Wrapped up package torn up clothes
Empty days and deep dark holes
The only thing that keeps a man from crying
Oh if I don't get you back I'll fall upon a railroad track
Oh if I don't get you back I'll cover up my bloody tracks
With sorrow hopes and hide my dying pride
Oh cause I'm alive
Whispers in a losers dream
Holding on to not a thing
Cause these arms now are paralyzed without you to hold
Bold with crazy have no fear
Children cry and then I hear
The message my lies tell me in my dreams
Oh if I don't get you back I'll fall upon a railroad track
And let the steel wheels cut right through my bones
Oh if I don't get you back I'll cover up my bloody tracks
With sorrow hopes and hide my dying pride
Oh cause I'm alive
Maybe if I caught the rain
In pails that filter out the pain
I'd realize why you had to go
Days of lightning show the way
And night time creeps and holds at bay
The missing you, the mean, the cold, the ugly
Oh if I don't get you back I'll fall upon a railroad track
And let the steel wheels cut right through my bones
Oh if I don't get you back I'll cover up my bloody tracks
With sorrow hopes and hide my dying pride
Oh cause I'm alive
The song "I'm Alive" by Shelby Lynne is a powerful ballad about heartbreak and the struggle to move on. Through vivid imagery, the lyrics paint a picture of a man who is lost without his love and would rather die than continue living without her. The opening lines set the scene of noise and chaos, with the engines revving and trumpets blaring, but the absence of the woman's voice is felt acutely by the singer. He contemplates the emptiness of his life without her, represented by the "wrapped up package torn up clothes" and "deep dark holes," and acknowledges that only his pride is keeping him from breaking down completely.
The chorus is a declaration of the man's desperation to win back his love, even if it means sacrificing his own life. He imagines throwing himself in front of a train or covering up his tracks with false hopes and sorrow just to ease the pain of his loss. But despite the heartache, the singer affirms that he is still alive and carrying on, even if he is holding onto nothing but a dream. The line "bold with crazy have no fear" hints at a reckless determination to win back what he's lost, even though it seems impossible.
Overall, "I'm Alive" is a testament to the power of love and the intensity of the emotions it can evoke. Through its haunting lyrics and passionate delivery, it resonates with anyone who has suffered from heartbreak and struggled to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Engines rev and trumpets roar
The world around me moves on, but I can't hear or enjoy it without you.
I don't hear your voice no more
The absence of your voice symbolizes the hole in my life without you.
And living isn't worth the fear of dying
Without you, life is empty, and death no longer seems frightening.
Wrapped up package torn up clothes
My life is a mess, and everything I thought I knew is now destroyed.
Empty days and deep dark holes
My days are empty, and I feel stuck in a deep, dark hole of sorrow.
The only thing that keeps a man from crying
The only thing that keeps me from breaking down is the thought of getting you back.
Oh if I don't get you back I'll fall upon a railroad track
Getting you back is so essential to me that if I don't achieve it, I'd rather die.
And let the steel wheels cut right through my bones
The imagery of dying by a railroad track is violent and graphic.
I'll cover up my bloody tracks
If I can't get you back, I'll try to hide the pain, sadness and hurt I feel inside.
With sorrow hopes and hide my dying pride
Through all this sadness, I still have hope that things will be okay, and I'm trying to keep my dignity.
Whispers in a losers dream
In my sad reality, all I can hear are taunting whispers from my doubts and insecurities.
Holding on to not a thing
I cling to nothing, trying to make sense of a life without you.
Cause these arms now are paralyzed without you to hold
Without you in my life, I feel powerless and lost.
Bold with crazy have no fear
Despite my grief, I try to be brave and fearless.
Children cry and then I hear
Even the tears of children remind me of my own sorrow and pain.
The message my lies tell me in my dreams
My dreams are filled with lies, telling me that everything is okay when it's not.
Maybe if I caught the rain
I wish I could catch something as seemingly intangible as rain to help me cope with my pain.
In pails that filter out the pain
I want to store my tears in a place where they can’t hurt me anymore.
I'd realize why you had to go
If I could understand the reason for your leaving, maybe it would hurt less.
Days of lightning show the way
Even in a storm, there is a way forward and a path to follow.
And night time creeps and holds at bay
Nighttime brings its own fears, but I try to keep them at bay.
The missing you, the mean, the cold, the ugly
I can't escape the pain of missing you and the harsh reality of my situation.
Oh cause I'm alive
Despite everything I'm going through, I'm still alive and fighting for a better tomorrow.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF LYNNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind