Susie Suh (born in Los Angeles, California) is a Korean American alternativ… Read Full Bio ↴Susie Suh (born in Los Angeles, California) is a Korean American alternative/folk-rock singer-songwriter.

In 2003, Suh signed with Epic/Sony; she ended up working with Glen Ballard, a well-known producer/songwriter/arranger.At first, Ballard only agreed to produce a few songs for Suh, but he was so impressed with her work that he ended up producing her entire debut album (a self-titled CD that Epic released in April 2005).

With the album completed, Suh reflects on the making of her debut: "My mission has always been to create music that transcends boundaries, to make music that is universal."

Although Suh has lived in the United States her entire life, both of her parents are immigrants who moved to southern California from Korea in the '60s. Suh's involvement with music began when she was only eight and joined a Korean children's choir, whose repertoire ranged from traditional Korean songs to American pop. At 13, Suh left Los Angeles for New Hampshire, where she attended a boarding school and did her share of songwriting during her adolescent years; Suh was around 17 when she recorded a six-song EP, pressed 1,000 copies onto CDs, and managed to sell about 700 of them to her schoolmates.

After reaching adulthood, Suh attended Brown University in Rhode Island (where she obtained a degree in English), but spent as much time as she could visiting New York City and performing in Lower Manhattan clubs. A career in music is not something that Suh's ambitious parents encouraged — in fact, they tried to talk her out of it and encouraged her to go into a more stable, less volatile line of work. Music, they asserted, should be nothing more than a hobby for Suh. But her parents' lack of support didn't discourage the L.A. native; if anything, it inspired her to persevere and work even harder at having a career in music. "Your Battlefield," one of Suh's songs, was inspired by her career-related disagreements with her parents.

Light On My Shoulder
Susie Suh Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's easier to fall and harder to stand
It's easier to cry and harder to laugh,
And I don't know how, I don't know why
But you're the light on my shoulder
When I'm tired

It's easier to run and harder to be still
It's easier to think and harder to feel,

And I don't know how, I don't know why
But you're the light on my shoulder
When I'm tired

It's easier to hide and harder to trust
It's easier to hate and harder to love
And I don't know how, I don't know anything

But you're the temper in my voice
When I sing

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Susie Suh's song "Light On My Shoulder" explore the concept of balance and the contrast between opposing emotions and actions. The singer acknowledges that it is easy to give in to negative feelings and behaviors, such as falling, crying, running, thinking, hiding, and hating. However, it is harder to stand, laugh, be still, feel, trust, and love. Despite the difficulty of the latter, the singer highlights the presence of a person or perhaps an inner voice that is constantly guiding and supporting her. This entity is described as the "light on my shoulder" that shines in the darkness and fatigue, offering comfort and hope. In the final stanza, the singer adds a new layer of meaning to the metaphorical light by hinting at the transformative power of music. The person or voice that brings the light is likened to the temper in her voice when she sings, implying that singing can be cathartic and healing.

Overall, "Light On My Shoulder" is a reflective and introspective song that delves into the complexities of human emotions and relationships. It reminds the listener that even in the darkest moments, there is always a source of light and that balance can be achieved through perseverance and the support of loved ones.

Line by Line Meaning

It's easier to fall and harder to stand
Falling down is a less challenging task than standing back up again, but you give me the strength to stand firm when I stumble.

It's easier to cry and harder to laugh,
Tears come easily when we're sad, but laughter is a rare commodity. You bring joy to my life, making me laugh even when things seem tough.

And I don't know how, I don't know why
I can't explain or understand why you have such a profound impact on my life, but I'm grateful for it.

But you're the light on my shoulder, When I'm tired
You are my beacon of hope, helping me navigate through the darkness when I feel exhausted.

It's easier to run and harder to be still
Running away from your problems can seem like the easiest thing to do, but I've learned that being still and facing them head-on is much more courageous. You give me the courage to stay and fight.

It's easier to think and harder to feel,
Sometimes, it's easier to overthink things than to allow yourself to feel emotions. You allow me to feel every word and make me understand better than the most profound explanation.

It's easier to hide and harder to trust
Hiding away from the world seems like the easiest thing to do, but trusting people is harder. You show me how to trust and never hide behind covers.

It's easier to hate and harder to love
Hating is an effortless emotion to express, whereas love takes courage and vulnerability. You guide me towards the emotion of love, making it effortless in its own way.

And I don't know how, I don't know anything
Even in my moments of doubt and confusion, you lend me your guiding hand, teaching me everything about life and love that I never knew.

But you're the temper in my voice, When I sing
You add some edge to my voice, making me sing better than ever before, and giving me the conviction to express myself with a touch of class.

Lyrics © CAK MUSIC PUBLISHING, INC
Written by: SUSIE SUH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS