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.
Gypsy
Suzanne Vega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With pictures in your eyes
Of coffeeshops and morning streets
In the blue and silent sunrise
But night is the cathedral
Where we recognized the sign
We strangers know each other now
As part of the whole design
Oh, hold me like a baby
That will not fall asleep
Curl me up inside you
And let me hear you through the heat
You are the jester of this courtyard
With a smile like a girl's
Distracted by the women
With the dimples and the curls
By the pretty and the mischievous
By the timid and the blessed
By the blowing skirts of ladies
Who promise to gather you to their breast
Oh, hold me like a baby
You have hands of raining water
And that earring in your ear
The wisdom on your face
Denies the number of your years
With the fingers of the potter
And the laughing tale of the fool
The arranger of disorder
With your strange and simple rules
Yes now I've met me another spinner
Of strange and gauzy threads
With a long and slender body
And a bump upon the head
Oh, hold me like a baby
With a long and slender body
And the sweetest softest hands
And we'll blow away forever soon
And go on to different lands
And please do not ever look for me
But with me you will stay
And you will hear yourself in song
Blowing by one day
Oh, hold me like a baby
Suzanne Vega's "Gypsy" tells the story of two strangers who have recognized each other's uniqueness as part of the universe's grand design. The song's opening line expresses the idea that the person the singer is addressing has come from a distant place, carrying with him or her a vision of a world filled with seemingly mundane yet romantic imagery. The blue and silent sunrise, morning streets, and coffee shops give the listener a sense of peace and beauty. But as night falls, the cathedral becomes the setting for an encounter in which the two strangers recognize something in each other that is timeless and universal. They embrace each other, and the singer hopes to be held and consoled like a baby that will not fall asleep.
The chorus, "Oh, hold me like a baby," repeats throughout the song, suggesting that the singer is seeking comfort from an otherworldly experience. The second verse introduces the male character who is charming, with a smile like a girl's, but is easily distracted by the women he sees. He is perceived as a jester who always knows how to entertain, but only on the condition that he is entertained in return. The third verse describes the elusive nature of the young man, with "hands of raining water," "wisdom on his face," and "strange and simple rules." The singer compares him to a potter, a fool, and an arranger of disorder, alluding to his unpredictable nature.
Line by Line Meaning
You come from far away
You originate from a distance
With pictures in your eyes
Your gaze reflects memories of past experiences
Of coffeeshops and morning streets
You recall the vibe of the city and its beauty
In the blue and silent sunrise
You reminisce about the stillness and serenity of early morning
But night is the cathedral
Nighttime is a sacred space
Where we recognized the sign
We sensed a connection and purpose
We strangers know each other now
As outsiders, we identify with one another
As part of the whole design
We are integral pieces of the grand scheme of things
Oh, hold me like a baby
Embrace me with tenderness and care
That will not fall asleep
So I can feel safe and protected
Curl me up inside you
Hold me closely and lovingly
And let me hear you through the heat
Allow me to feel your breath and heartbeat
You are the jester of this courtyard
You are the entertainer of this space
With a smile like a girl's
Your grin is playful and youthful
Distracted by the women
You are drawn to the ladies around you
With the dimples and the curls
Their charming faces and hair captivate you
By the pretty and the mischievous
You are enamored by both the attractive and playful women
By the timid and the blessed
You are also taken by the shy and fortunate ladies
By the blowing skirts of ladies
You are mesmerized by the movement of their dresses
Who promise to gather you to their breast
They entice you with the prospect of intimacy
You have hands of raining water
Your touch is gentle and refreshing
And that earring in your ear
Your jewelry is a symbol of your unique character
The wisdom on your face
Your demeanor exudes knowledge and insight
Denies the number of your years
Your youthful spirit belies your age
With the fingers of the potter
You possess skilled hands, capable of creating art
And the laughing tale of the fool
You balance humor with intelligence
The arranger of disorder
You are able to structure chaos
With your strange and simple rules
You have a unique yet uncomplicated perspective
Yes now I've met me another spinner
I have encountered another person with creative energy
Of strange and gauzy threads
Who creates art out of ethereal material
With a long and slender body
Their physique is slender and elegant
And a bump upon the head
They have an interesting physical characteristic
With a long and slender body
Their physique is slender and elegant
And the sweetest softest hands
Their touch is gentle, comforting, and loving
And we'll blow away forever soon
We'll leave this place eventually
And go on to different lands
We'll explore other parts of the world and have new experiences
And please do not ever look for me
Don't try to find me after we say goodbye
But with me you will stay
Our bond will remain strong even if we're apart
And you will hear yourself in song
You'll recognize yourself in the music
Blowing by one day
At some point, you'll hear the song again
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SUZANNE VEGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Broken Typewriter
You come from far away
With pictures in your eyes
Of coffeeshops and morning streets
In the blue and silent sunrise
But night is the cathedral
Where we recognized the sign
We strangers know each other now
As part of the whole design
Oh, hold me like a baby
That will not fall asleep
Curl me up inside you
And let me hear you through the heat
You are the jester of this courtyard
With a smile like a girl's
Distracted by the women
With the dimples and the curls
By the pretty and the mischievous
By the timid and the blessed
By the blowing skirts of ladies
Who promise to gather you to their breast
Oh, hold me like a baby...
You have hands of raining water
And that earring in your ear
The wisdom on your face
Denies the number of your years
With the fingers of the potter
And the laughing tale of the fool
The arranger of disorder
With your strange and simple rules
Yes now I've met me another spinner
Of strange and gauzy threads
With a long and slender body
And a bump upon the head
Oh, hold me like a baby...
With a long and slender body
And the sweetest softest hands
And we'll blow away forever soon
And go on to different lands
And please do not ever look for me
But with me you will stay
And you will hear yourself in song
Blowing by one day
Oh, hold me like a baby...
YJ Music
I've been a Suzanne Vega fan from the start (yes, I'm that old ; ). One of the most talented singer songwriters of the last 30 years. She's written and performed so many beautiful songs and this is one of my favorites!
Julian Daniel Jimenez Krause
i'm that old, too. :-)))
also fan of her. also one of my fav songs.
John Holmes
lol , you're young; i still consider her a newcomer
Angela Gak
Yes, her voice is magical. Very unique. One of my faves.
zanzabird
@trsidn yes, this is my favorite : )
zanzabird
@trsidn same. Wow.
Broken Typewriter
You come from far away
With pictures in your eyes
Of coffeeshops and morning streets
In the blue and silent sunrise
But night is the cathedral
Where we recognized the sign
We strangers know each other now
As part of the whole design
Oh, hold me like a baby
That will not fall asleep
Curl me up inside you
And let me hear you through the heat
You are the jester of this courtyard
With a smile like a girl's
Distracted by the women
With the dimples and the curls
By the pretty and the mischievous
By the timid and the blessed
By the blowing skirts of ladies
Who promise to gather you to their breast
Oh, hold me like a baby...
You have hands of raining water
And that earring in your ear
The wisdom on your face
Denies the number of your years
With the fingers of the potter
And the laughing tale of the fool
The arranger of disorder
With your strange and simple rules
Yes now I've met me another spinner
Of strange and gauzy threads
With a long and slender body
And a bump upon the head
Oh, hold me like a baby...
With a long and slender body
And the sweetest softest hands
And we'll blow away forever soon
And go on to different lands
And please do not ever look for me
But with me you will stay
And you will hear yourself in song
Blowing by one day
Oh, hold me like a baby...
Foxtrot Alpha
This song is a true lullaby 👌👌
D. Elaine
Thank you!😊
Simon Cheesemonkey
She's a true poet, which is rare in the world of music, especially these days, unfortunately.