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

Fear and Convenience
Thao Nguyen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I have seen fear and convenience
I have never glimpsed a romance
All my riches in the company van
I drove much faster than the rain

Then it hurts you
In a new way
In a new way

In a new way
Then it hurts you
In a new way
In a new way
In a new way

All our senses dry as cotton
Petrified hearts
Let 'em go if you got 'em
And all I can give
Hot water from my shower
My legs on your bed
So i do not think about her

But tell me did he hurt you
In a new way
In a new way
In a new way
Tell me did he hurt you
In a new way
In a new way
In a new way

Did he hurt you
In a new way

In a new way
In a new way

Overall Meaning

The song "Fear and Convenience" by Thao Nguyen delves into the struggles and complexities of love and relationships. In the first verse, the singer expresses her experience of witnessing fear and convenience, indicating the lack of romance in her life. This lack of intimacy and connection is further accentuated by her material wealth being confined to her company van, which also represents her work-centered lifestyle. The driving faster than rain symbolizes her driving away from the emotions she fears.

The chorus, repeating the line "Then it hurts you in a new way," introduces a new perspective on the theme of heartbreak. Rather than a one-time occurrence, the pain of heartbreak can manifest in different ways over time. This is followed up in the second verse, where the lyric mentions "All our senses dry as cotton/Petrified hearts/Let 'em go if you got 'em", indicating that the pain of heartbreak can become stuck and stagnate, leading to a lack of emotion and ability to feel.

The bridge shifts the focus to a specific relationship, as the singer gives comfort to a lover who has been hurt before. The hot water from her shower and her legs on his bed provide a warm, safe space to escape from the thoughts of the past. The final repetition of "Did he hurt you in a new way" illustrates the continuous cycle of hurt and healing in relationships, implying that this is part of the nature of love.

Line by Line Meaning

I have seen fear and convenience
I have witnessed people making choices that prioritize their safety and ease over their true desires and passions.

I have never glimpsed a romance
I haven't witnessed a true, passionate love story in my own life.

All my riches in the company van
I have all my belongings and wealth packed in a van belonging to the corporation I work for.

I drove much faster than the rain
I was in a rush, and drove faster than the rain that was falling.

Then it hurts you In a new way In a new way In a new way Then it hurts you In a new way In a new way In a new way
Experiencing pain in a way that you haven't ever felt before can be overwhelming and difficult to deal with.

All our senses dry as cotton
Our emotions have been numbed, and we feel nothing like dry cotton.

Petrified hearts
Our hearts feel frozen and unable to let anything in.

Let 'em go if you got 'em
If you have some emotions or feelings still left, let them out and don't hold them back.

And all I can give Hot water from my shower My legs on your bed So i do not think about her
The only comfort I can offer you is a warm shower and my presence next to you in bed, helping you forget about someone else on your mind.

But tell me did he hurt you In a new way In a new way In a new way Tell me did he hurt you In a new way In a new way In a new way
I want to know if you've been hurt in a way that is totally new to you, causing extreme pain and discomfort.

Did he hurt you In a new way In a new way In a new way
Asking again if the person causing pain hurt in a totally new and severe manner.

Contributed by Hudson I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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