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.
Headshots
Suzanne Vega Lyrics
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And that was all,
A picture of a boy
And a number you could call,
Two eyes in the shade
A mouth so sad and small,
It's strange the way a shadow
Can fall across the wall,
In what you see
Ah...
He's just a poster, but
He's everywhere,
A face under a street lamp
Ripped and hanging in the air,
Turn the corner
And he's still there,
Watching all the people
Who are passing unaware,
Is there a judgment
In what he sees?
Ah...
On a day
As cold
And gray
As today...
The sign says "Head shots"
It's all I see,
A boy becomes a picture
Of guilt and sympathy,
And so I think of you
In memory
Of the days we were together,
And I knew that you loved me
That was the difference
In what we see,
But that's history...
Ah...
The song "Headshots" is a melancholic reflection on a past love and the power of images to evoke memories and emotions. The lyrics describe a poster on a wall with the words "Head shots" and a picture of a boy, representing guilt and sympathy. The image of the boy's sad and small mouth and two eyes in the shade create a mood of sadness and contemplation. The song reflects on how a shadow can fall across a wall and make a difference in what we see, portraying the idea that life is about perspective and interpretation.
The poster of the boy is everywhere and under a street lamp, reminding the singer of the past, and the people passing by are unaware of the memories evoked by the image. The song questions if there is a judgment in what the boy sees and suggests that the poster represents the memories, thoughts, and feelings that the singer is holding onto nostalgically. The song's final verse remembers the past love and compares it to the poster, highlighting the differences between what was and what is now history. The song's mood is contemplative and melancholic, evoking feelings of nostalgia and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
The sign said "Head shots"
The sign displays the message "Head shots"
And that was all,
That was the only thing present on the sign
A picture of a boy
A photo of a young male is depicted on the sign
And a number you could call,
There is a contact number provided on the sign
Two eyes in the shade
The boy's eyes are partially obscured
A mouth so sad and small,
The boy's mouth is downturned and appears small
It's strange the way a shadow
The effect of a shadow is curious
Can fall across the wall,
It can cast over the entire wall
And make the difference
It can transform the way things are perceived
In what you see
In one's perception of reality
Ah...
An exclamation expressing contemplation
He's just a poster, but
Although he's just a paper advertisement
He's everywhere,
His image is widely spread
A face under a street lamp
His face is illuminated by a street lamp
Ripped and hanging in the air,
The poster is damaged and suspended in the air
Turn the corner
Moving onto another street
And he's still there,
Even then, the boy's image is still displayed
Watching all the people
Observing passersby
Who are passing unaware,
Those individuals who are passing without noticing him
Is there a judgment
Is there an assessment being made?
In what he sees?
In what he observes
Ah...
A sigh of pensiveness
On a day
During one particular day
As cold
When the temperature is low
And gray
When the sky appears dull
As today...
On that current day
The sign says "Head shots"
The sign displays the message "Head shots"
It's all I see,
It's the only thing visible to the artist
A boy becomes a picture
A young male is transformed into a photograph
Of guilt and sympathy,
The image portrays feelings of guilt and compassion
And so I think of you
The singer is reminded of a certain individual
In memory
Remembering something or someone
Of the days we were together,
Reminiscing about past times that were shared
And I knew that you loved me
The artist was aware of the affection coming from that individual
That was the difference
That was the variation between that experience and the present reality
In what we see,
In how the situation is perceived
But that's history...
But that cannot be changed now
Ah...
An exclamation expressing melancholy
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SUZANNE VEGA, MITCHELL FROOM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind