Thao Nguyen is a folk singer-songwriter out of Virginia. She's signed to K… Read Full Bio ↴Thao Nguyen is a folk singer-songwriter out of Virginia. She's signed to Kill Rock Stars and is touring in winter/spring 2008.

Nguyen released her second album, We Brave Bee Stings and All, on Jan. 29, 2008. It is credited to "Thao With The Get Down Stay Down on the spine of the release and marketed as just Thao on the jewel case security label and sticker on front of the release and all material from KRS records."

After picking up her guitar at the age of 12, Thao Nguyen began performing and recording as a pop-country duo with a high school friend. Raised in Falls Church, Virginia with her single mother, she often practiced her songs while working at her mother's laundromat. She often cites Lilith Fair as an inspiration for her desire to become a singer/songwriter. After recording an EP that differed from her initial style, she began performing as a soloist with her acoustic guitar. In 2005 she recorded Like The Linen, her first full-length album.

Nguyen initially toured as a duo with drummer Willis Thompson, but expanded her act to a band of four durng the Kill Rock Stars "Sound The Hare Heard" tour. The band now consists of Nguyen, Willis Thompson, Adam Thompson, and Frank Stewart. The band was named The Get Down Stay Down by a former bassist.

Thao Nguyen continues to perform as a soloist on occasion, including a European tour with Laura Veirs and the Tortured Souls in August 2006.

website; www.thaomusic.com

City Sky
Thao Nguyen Lyrics

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He shone a light and called it a star
Named it after me
Well I didn't stare too hard
Just wanted to see
Your words so sweet
They parch my throat
But so worthy
Because you told me so

Scattered across airports
Leaving thoughts of you
Planting mountains in my wake
And still you cut right through

And you fall upon me
Just like a city sky
All hot on my neck
Easy on my eyes

He shone a light and called it a star
Named it after me
Well I didn't stare too hard
Just wanted to see

Do I crowd the pavement around your place
What about now
As I back pedal away?
Do I crowd the pavement around your place
What about now?
As I back pedal away, away, away away away

I fan your cigarette smoke
I'll wipe your mirrors clean
I am the asshole who falls for your routine

I fan your cigarette smoke
I'll wipe your mirrors clean
I am the asshole who falls for your routine

You don't love me as hard as you could
Well not so bad baby
Don't make it good

He shone a light and called it a star
Named it after me
Well I didn't stare too hard
Just wanted to see

He shone a light and called it a star
Named it after me
Well I didn't stare too hard
Just wanted to see

Just wanted to see
Oh oh I just wanted to see

Overall Meaning

In this song, Thao Nguyen sings about a relationship where the other person calls her light and love "a star" and names it after her. Although she finds the words sweet, they also have the power to hurt her. Throughout the lyrics, she expresses feeling overwhelmed by her thoughts of the other person, even when she's traveling and "scattered across airports." She builds "mountains" in the wake of her travels, but the other person is still able to "cut right through" those thoughts and feelings.

Line by Line Meaning

He shone a light and called it a star
He called something beautiful after me

Named it after me
He gave it my name

Well I didn't stare too hard
I didn't look at it too closely

Just wanted to see
I just wanted a glimpse

Your words so sweet
Your kind words

They parch my throat
They make me emotional

But so worthy
But they are worth it

Because you told me so
Since you said it

Scattered across airports
Traveling through different airports

Leaving thoughts of you
Thinking about you while departing

Planting mountains in my wake
Leaving a trail behind me