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.
Paper Van Gogh
Shelby Lynne Lyrics
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My feelings hardly fit onto the page
Cloudy memories make for darker grays
But blue is how I paint myself today
Like my paper Van Gogh
Aluminum kites
A cold dark sea is warmer than my eyes
Watercolor art
I play my feelings on my
Origami harp
My paper Van Gogh
Oh lessons been passed on down through the ages
Red wine spills out over ivory pages
The looking glass reveals what the strokes display
The greatest fake of all hangs on the wall
My paper Van Gogh
Aluminum kites
A cold dark sea is warmer than my eyes
Paper Van Gogh
Watercolor art
I play my feelings on my
Origami harp
My paper Van Gogh
My paper Van Gogh, you that I see
My paper Van Gogh
Your cold dark sea is warmer than my eyes
You're my paper-thin guru
Aluminium kite
In the song "Paper Van Gogh" by Shelby Lynne, she describes her process of expressing her emotions by creating art on paper. She begins by stating that she threw down colors onto paper in a fit of rage, but the emotions she feels are too complex to be expressed in their entirety through her art. The cloudy memories she has are reflected in the dark grays of her painting, but ultimately, she paints herself in blue. This can be interpreted as her finding some sort of peace amidst the chaos of her emotions.
Shelby then compares herself to Van Gogh, a famous painter who famously struggled with mental illness, and references his "Aluminum kites." This may be a nod to one of Van Gogh's most famous works, "The Starry Night," which features a swirling sky and bright shining stars. She then uses watercolors to create art, emphasizing the fleeting and transient nature of her own emotions. Shelby also refers to playing her "Origami harp," which is likely a metaphor for the fragility of her emotions and how they can be easily bent and reshaped like folded paper.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea of her art being a type of therapy, as she sings about her "paper Van Gogh" being her guru and the "cold dark sea" being a comfort to her eyes. The final line of the song, "you're my paper-thin guru, aluminum kite," brings the song full circle by once again referencing Van Gogh and the idea of fragile emotions that can be caught up in the wind like a flying kite.
Overall, "Paper Van Gogh" is a powerful and introspective song about the connection between art and emotions. It showcases Shelby Lynne's ability to create deep and meaningful lyrics that resonate with listeners on a personal level.
Line by Line Meaning
I threw these colors down in a fit of rage
I expressed my emotions without thinking, recklessly throwing colors onto my canvas.
My feelings hardly fit onto the page
My emotions are complex and difficult to express through art.
Cloudy memories make for darker grays
My unclear memories add a sense of darkness and confusion to my work.
But blue is how I paint myself today
Today, I express myself through the color blue.
Like my paper Van Gogh
My art is like that of Van Gogh, but created on paper instead of canvas.
Aluminum kites
My art incorporates imagery of kites made from aluminum.
A cold dark sea is warmer than my eyes
I feel cold and distant, but the ocean inspires me and brings me some warmth.
Watercolor art
I use watercolor in my art.
I play my feelings on my
My art involves playing the emotions I feel on my
Origami harp
My art incorporates an origami harp, a symbol of creativity and expression.
Oh lessons been passed on down through the ages
Knowledge and wisdom have been passed down to me through time.
Red wine spills out over ivory pages
My art gets messy and spills like red wine over ivory pages.
The looking glass reveals what the strokes display
Examining my art reveals the emotions and feelings that inspired it.
The greatest fake of all hangs on the wall
Sometimes, what people consider to be the best art is actually a forgery, a fake.
Your cold dark sea is warmer than my eyes
The observer's perspective may differ from my own, finding more warmth in my art than I do myself.
You're my paper-thin guru
My paper art teaches me, guiding me like a guru.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind