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.
Language
Suzanne Vega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It would be rushing in
Instead here we are
In a silence more eloquent
Than any word could ever be
These words are too solid
They don't move fast enough
That flies by and is gone
Gone
Gone
Gone
I'd like to meet you
In a timeless, placeless place
Somewhere out of context
And beyond all consequences
Let's go back to the building
(Words are too solid)
On Little West Twelfth
It is not far away
(They don't move fast enough)
And the river is there
And the sun and the spaces
Are all laying low
(To catch the blur in the brain)
And we'll sit in the silence
(That flies by and is)
That comes rushing in and is
Gone (Gone)
I won't use words again
They don't mean what I meant
They don't say what I said
They're just the crust of the meaning
With realms underneath
Never touched
Never stirred
Never even moved through
If language were liquid
It would be rushing in
Instead here we are
In a silence more eloquent
Than any word could ever be
And is gone
Gone
Gone
And is gone
In the first verse of Suzanne Vega’s song Language, she begins by imagining what it would be like if language were a liquid, flowing quickly and easily rather than being solid and stuck. She wonders why instead of this easy flow, here we are, silent and unable to communicate in a way that fully expresses what we mean to one another. She suggests that sometimes, silence can be more powerful than words in conveying emotions, thoughts or ideas we’re finding difficult to articulate verbally. The second verse suggests that words, being solid, are not able to accurately capture the fast-moving thoughts in our brain which often blurs by and is gone before we even have a chance to fully process it.
The chorus repeats the concept of liquid vs. solid in regards to language and how it would be better if people could communicate with each other in a way that is simpler and easier to understand. Vega then proposes meeting someone in a “timeless placeless place that is out of context” where there are no consequences for anything that is said or done. The last few verses explore the idea that words often fall short in conveying the true essence of what is meant due to the layers of meaning they contain, with things being unsaid, unexplored or unexplained. In the end, the song suggests that silence is more profound than words because words can only scratch the surface of what it means to be human.
Line by Line Meaning
If language were liquid
If language could flow freely without obstruction
It Would be rushing in
It would be filling every space and rushing through
Instead here we are
Unfortunately, here we are
In a silence more eloquent
In silence, where words can't communicate as effectively
Than any word could ever be
Silence can speak louder than words ever could
These words are too solid
Words are inflexible and rigid compared to liquid
They don't move fast enough
Words are inadequate for conveying fleeting thoughts and feelings
To catch the blur in the brain
Words can't capture the fleeting thoughts in our minds
That flies by and is gone
Since words can't keep up with our thoughts, they are ineffective
Gone
With each passing moment
I'd like to meet you
I'd like to meet someone
In a timeless, placeless place
In a space that is not bound by time or place
Somewhere out of context
Somewhere without the usual constraints or limitations
And beyond all consequences
Without worrying about the repercussions of our actions or words
Let's go back to the building
Let's change the setting
(Words are too solid)
(Because words are inadequate)
On Little West Twelfth
To a specific location
It is not far away
It is nearby
(They don't move fast enough)
(Words can't keep up with our thoughts)
And the river is there
By the flowing water
And the sun and the spaces
In the bright light and open spaces
Are all laying low
Everything is still and quiet
(To catch the blur in the brain)
(Trying to capture elusive thoughts)
And we'll sit in the silence
And we'll sit quietly
(That flies by and is)
(As thoughts come and go)
That comes rushing in and is
The silence that fills the space is more effective than words
Gone (Gone)
Passes by unnoticed
I won't use words again
I won't use words anymore
They don't mean what I meant
Words are too limiting
They don't say what I said
Words fail to convey my true meaning
They're just the crust of the meaning
Words are just the surface layer of deeper meaning
With realms underneath
Beneath the surface of words are deeper realities
Never touched
Not yet interacted with
Never stirred
Never provoked or aroused
Never even moved through
Never even engaged with
(If language were liquid)
(If only language were more expressive)
(It would be rushing in)
(It would fill every possible space)
(Instead here we are)
(But instead we are stuck with limited words)
(In a silence more eloquent)
(But silence tells a richer story)
(Than any word could ever be)
(More effective than any words)
(And is gone)
(Quickly passes by)
(Gone)
(Fleeting and gone)
(Gone)
(Vanished quickly)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICHAEL VISCEGLIA, SUZANNE VEGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind