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

Turn Century
Thao Nguyen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We're so close
So close a call
Too close to call
We call it a draw

But babe you tease
With spears from your sleeve
I catch with my teeth

With my teeth
And I am not a bargain driver
My wrist don't have that spin
I am not a fast talker
Fast enough to talk you in

And we turn century
And we wait, we wait
We turn century,
We wait, we wait

Look at you like I have a right
To those hands
On the small
And the big
The in between
Of my back

Does it sit right with you
To have me
To have me

And when you call home
Do you call me
Love love instead

And did you mean to hold on
When you slid off the silk of my bed

Overall Meaning

In Thao Nguyen's song, "Turn Century," the lyrics describe a relationship that is complicated and uncertain. The first verse describes the closeness of the relationship, which is too close to call a victory. Despite this closeness, the second verse reveals that there is still a power dynamic at play, with the singer describing their partner as someone who "teases" with "spears from [their] sleeve." The singer catches these spears with their teeth, indicating a willingness to take on challenges in the relationship, but also acknowledging that they are not a "bargain driver" or a "fast talker."

The chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "turn century" twice, adds to the sense of uncertainty and waiting that permeates the lyrics. The line "look at you like I have a right" suggests that there may be a sense of possessiveness or jealousy in the relationship, particularly around physical intimacy. The final lines of the song describe a moment of intimacy between the singer and their partner, but also raise questions about whether or not the partner is fully committed or sincere.

Overall, "Turn Century" is a complex and thoughtful exploration of a relationship that is both close and fraught with tension and uncertainty. Through its vivid metaphors and evocative imagery, the song captures the emotional complexity of human relationships and the difficulties of navigating their many twists and turns.

Line by Line Meaning

We're so close
We are in a state of extreme intimacy

So close a call
Our situation is dangerously close to causing problems

Too close to call
The outcome of our situation cannot be determined yet

We call it a draw
Neither one of us has won or lost, it's a tie

But babe you tease
You play with my emotions and desires

With spears from your sleeve
You use cunning tricks to test my reactions

I catch with my teeth
I am skilled at avoiding your traps

And I am not a bargain driver
I will not settle for less than I deserve

My wrist don't have that spin
I am not manipulative or cunning

I am not a fast talker
I am honest and straightforward, not a smooth talker

Fast enough to talk you in
I can't persuade you to do something you don't want to do