Though born in California, Vega has lived most of her life in New York City. There, she attended the High School of the Performing Arts (the school seen in the feature film musical Fame), where she studied modern dance. Vega realized that her talent in dance was not sufficient to make her living. While pursuing a degree in English at Columbia University, she penned many songs, and performed in college and community coffeehouses inside and outside the New York City area.
She was discovered in 1984, releasing her eponymous debut the following year. However, it was not until her 1987 sophomore effort, Solitude Standing, that Vega entered the U.S. mainstream with the lyrically unlikely hit Luka. Three years later, a remix of the album's opening track "Tom's Diner" became an American and European hit for "DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega."
Having continuously built and maintained a loyal fanbase since her fame's peak, Vega has a prolific catalogue, and in 2003 she released a retrospective collection. Beauty & Crime, her seventh album, was released in 2007. Inspired by the city where Vega grew up and still currently resides, Beauty & Crime revolves around her experiences in New York.
Vega has a daughter, Ruby Froom, with her ex-husband Mitchell Froom. In early 2006, Vega remarried to a man named Paul Mills.
For additional information, including photographs, visit Suzanne Vega's official website, www.SuzanneVega.com.
Anniversary
Suzanne Vega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crowd the day with unrelated histories
Each year leaves its unresolving fantasies
To hang around each corner
Hang around each street
Thick with ghosts, the wind whips round in circuitries
Do they intrude upon your private reveries?
As they meet you on each corner
Meet you on each street
Watch for daily braveries
Notice newfound courtesies
Finger sudden legacies
As they clean up every corner
Wash down every street
Mark the month and all its anniversaries
Put away the draft of all your eulogies
Clear the way for all your private memories
As they meet you on each corner
Meet you on each street
Make the time for all your possibilities
They live on every street
The lyrics of "Anniversary" by Suzanne Vega are poetic and filled with imagery. The song reflects on the passing of time and the memories that come with it. The opening lines, "Fall and all attendant memories, crowd the day with unrelated histories," paint a picture of a crowded mind, overflowing with memories that may not necessarily be connected. The following line, "Each year leaves its unresolving fantasies," adds to the weight of nostalgia and unfulfilled desires.
The chorus of the song carries a haunting quality, as the singer speaks of ghosts and strangers exchanging pleasantries. The words, "Hang around each corner, meet you on each street," suggest a feeling of being haunted by the past, unable to escape the memories that linger in every nook and cranny. The verses continue with a call to notice the daily braveries and newfound courtesies, to finger sudden legacies, and make time for all possibilities.
The song is a reflection on the passing of time and offers a bittersweet reminder to cherish every moment, to notice the small things and appreciate the memories we create along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Fall and all attendant memories
The memories of the past keep coming back as the fall season begins.
Crowd the day with unrelated histories
The memories of different times of the year mix together, making it difficult to differentiate them.
Each year leaves its unresolving fantasies
Each year brings new dreams and hopes that may not come true and stay unresolved.
To hang around each corner
The memories and fantasies are so vivid they feel like they are physically present everywhere.
Hang around each street
Every street has memories and fantasies related to it.
Thick with ghosts, the wind whips round in circuitries
The wind carries memories from different places, just like ghosts do.
Carrying words as strangers exchange pleasantries
The wind also carries words exchanged between strangers, interactions that are not related to the person's memories and fantasies.
Do they intrude upon your private reveries?
Do these words and actions of strangers disturb the personal memories and fantasies of the artist.
As they meet you on each corner
The strangers' actions and words can meet the artist on every street corner, stimulating their private memories and fantasies.
Meet you on each street
Strangers' actions and words are present in the artist's memories related to every street.
Watch for daily braveries
Notice the brave actions of others in everyday life.
Notice newfound courtesies
Notice the new acts of kindness and politeness observed in everyday life.
Finger sudden legacies
Take note of the unexpected things that people leave behind when they are gone.
As they clean up every corner
People will clean up every inch of the city.
Wash down every street
Every street will be washed clean of the past.
Mark the month and all its anniversaries
Celebrate the memories and moments that happened in different months of the year.
Put away the draft of all your eulogies
Stop preparing for the worst and celebrating heroes when they are still around.
Clear the way for all your private memories
Make room for your own private memories and fantasies that only you can cherish.
Make the time for all your possibilities
Make space for unseen, new memories and possibilities.
They live on every street
There are new memories, new beginnings and new possibilities on every street.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SUZANNE VEGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@garydunn3037
Only Suzanne could take such a delicate subject like 911 and make such a hauntingly
beautiful song in memory of all those who lost their lives that day. Love you Suzy, and
your music. I listen to alot of different genres of music, but out of them all, its Suzanne's
soothing vocal that appeals to me more than just about every other artist I listen to.
Best wishes Suzy on your up-coming Birthday from a big big fan from the UK.
@keebearfull
Read the poetry apart from the music. Haunting. It puts you on the streets. . . again. THOSE streets, not these we walk today. I'll not walk from here to there, look over, look up. And not hear these words, haunting me. Meeting me on every corner, whispering along each street. Thanks for the song [and post] Suzanne.
@garydunn3037
Thinking of all those who died on this, the 15th Anniversary of that catastrophic day.I remember seeing Suzanne in concert quite some years back, and she related to theaudience how this song came to be written. She told of how the city felt exactly oneyear on from that day. She said an eerie wind was blowing around the city that day,which lead to her writing this touching song in memory of those who lost their livesthat sad day.
@strafe777
9/11/2019 and played this. So powerful.
@vikingfin
Nice posting. Keep up the good work and thank you.
@peteramodio
Sad song for a sad day, never to be forgotten.....
@scotthefler6170
I get teared-up EVERY time I play this song.
@scotthefler6170
Happy (sad) 15th Anniversary NY WTC
@Steamer1956
My favorite song by SV. I like to think the background singers are all my friends and relatives who are no longer with us.
@kerrgal
I just discovered this one, wow, this is more evocative and it's me harder than "It Hits Home".