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.
China Doll
Suzanne Vega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The bells of heaven ring
Tell me what you've done it for
No, I won't tell you a thing
Yesterday, I begged you
Before I hit the ground
All I leave behind me
If you can abide it
Let the hurdy-gurdy play
Stranger ones have come by here
Before they flew away
I will not condemn you
Nor yet would I deny
I would ask the same of you
But failing will not die
Take up your china doll
It's only fractured
Just a little nervous
From the fall
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
The opening lines of the song "China Doll" by Suzanne Vega are highly evocative and ambiguous at the same time. The image of a pistol shot at 5 o'clock followed by the bells of heaven ringing hints at a sudden unexpected event that has profound consequences. It is unclear whether the persona in the song is the shooter or the victim, and the reason for the gunshot remains a mystery. When the persona is asked what they've done it for, they refuse to answer, suggesting a sense of guilt or shame. The second verse introduces a sense of desperation, with the persona begging before hitting the ground, implying some sort of fall, either literal or metaphorical. All that the persona leaves behind is what they've found, which also feels cryptic and tantalizingly vague.
The refrain "Take up your china doll, it's only fractured" seems to offer a glimmer of hope, a way to salvage something from the wreckage. This line is open to interpretation, but it could suggest that even though something precious has been broken or damaged, it is still worth holding on to. The repeated "la la la" evokes a sense of mournfulness and wistfulness that lingers even after the song ends, like a sad refrain that echoes in the mind.
Line by Line Meaning
A pistol shot at 5 o'clock
A sudden and unexpected event has occurred
The bells of heaven ring
The consequences of this event are reverberating
Tell me what you've done it for
An appeal for an explanation
No, I won't tell you a thing
A refusal to provide an explanation in return
Yesterday, I begged you
A reference to a previous request for help or mercy
Before I hit the ground
An implication of dire consequences if that request was not fulfilled
All I leave behind me
A reference to the things that define us
Is only what I've found
An acknowledgement that our legacy is limited by opportunity and circumstance
If you can abide it
An expression of conditional trust
Let the hurdy-gurdy play
An invitation to enjoy the beauty of the moment
Stranger ones have come by here
A recognition of the transience of human interaction
Before they flew away
A reminder of loss and missed opportunities
I will not condemn you
A declaration of forgiveness
Nor yet would I deny
An acknowledgement of shared responsibility
I would ask the same of you
A request for reciprocal understanding
But failing will not die
A recognition of personal resilience
Take up your china doll
A call to embrace one's vulnerability
It's only fractured
An assurance that the damage is reparable
Just a little nervous
An acknowledgement of the anxiety and uncertainty that follows trauma
From the fall
A reminder that recovery requires awareness of the cause of one's affliction
La la la la la la la
A refrain that underscores the universality of the human condition
La la la la la la la
A refrain that underscores the universality of the human condition
La la la la la la la
A refrain that underscores the universality of the human condition
Contributed by Liam W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Norman Reed
My parents would always skip this track, but I loved every second of it. Thanks for sharing this.
Chris Brisson
Some parents choose to toss a fractured china doll, so no reminder of the fall.
Norman Reed
@Chris Brisson chills
Tom P
I felt the same way. It’s kind of magical
Bruce Bowman
same
이새봄
무척 듣고 싶었던 곡입니다. 정말 오래간만에 어렵게 찾아서 들었습니다. 감사합니다~~Thank you^^
Wesley Wooten
Bujor, thanks for posting this. This was one of my favorite albums from the early 90's.
Bujor Voinea
I'm pleased!
Tom
Beautifully done
Jane Seamore
Love Grateful Dead and Suzanne Vega