1) The Choir were a ro… Read Full Bio ↴There have been two bands known as The Choir:
1) The Choir were a rock band in the mid-1960s from Cleveland Ohio, best known for the oft-covered song "It's Cold Outside". With the addition of singer Eric Carmen, they became The Raspberries in 1970. The band consisted of Dann Klawon on rhythm guitar, Dave Smalley on vocals & rhythm guitar, Wally Bryson on vocals, lead guitar, & bass, and Jim Bonfanti on vocals & drums.
2) The Choir (originally The Youth Choir) is an atmospheric alternative Christian rock band, led by Derri Daugherty on guitar and vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums -- who also writes most of the band's lyrics -- and Dan Michaels on lyricon, electric flute and saxophone. Originally formed in Southern California in the early 1980s, the band members moved to the Nashville, Tennessee area in the 1990s. Past members include guitarist Marc Byrd and bass guitarists Michael Sauerbrey, Robin Spurs, Bill Batstone, and the late Tim Chandler.
Each band member also has a depth of musical history outside of The Choir. Hindalong produced four successful City On A Hill albums, writing the well-known song "God of Wonders" with Marc Byrd. Daugherty has been a member of the Christian-alterna-pop-supergroup The Lost Dogs since it started in 1991, and Hindalong joined the group in 2006. Chandler was the bass player for years for Daniel Amos and that band's alter egos The Swirling Eddies, and passed away in 2018. Byrd was a member of Common Children, recorded with his wife Christine Glass as Glassbyrd, and is currently half of the post-rock duo Hammock. Michaels has been a Senior Vice President of Fair Trade Services (formerly INO Records) since 2000.
Gripped
The Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She saves me so
She saves me so
She brushes true love with thistle
Her garden grows
Her garden grows
Oh, she grips my heart
Anytime she cries
She grips, she grips my heart
She wrings it out in her hands
She makes me moan
She makes me moan
She mingles madness with goodness
When we're alone
When we're alone
Oh, she grips my heart
Anytime she smiles
Anytime she cries
She grips, she grips my heart
Anytime she laughs
Anytime she sighs
She grips my heart
She grips, she grips my heart
She grips my heart
She strangles it...
She strangles joy with her eyes
She kills me so
She kills me so
She tangles misery with flowers
Her garden grows
Her garden grows
Oh, she grips my heart
Anytime she smiles
Anytime she cries
She grips, she grips my heart
Anytime she laughs
Anytime she sighs
Oh, she grips my heart...
The Choir's song "Gripped" is a haunting and captivating love song. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery that portrays a beautiful, yet tortured relationship. The song opens with the lines "She touches grief with her kiss, she saves me so" which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is in love with someone who is both a savior and a destroyer. They feel trapped and helpless in this relationship, held captive by the powerful grip that their lover has on their heart.
The imagery in the song is both dark and beautiful. The line "She strangles joy with her eyes, she kills me so" is particularly striking. It speaks to the idea that the singer's lover is both the source of their happiness and their pain. The line "She tangles misery with flowers, her garden grows" also stands out as an example of the beautiful yet twisted imagery that runs throughout the song.
Overall, "Gripped" is a deeply emotional and introspective song that explores the complexities of love and relationships. The lyrics are powerful and poetically crafted, making it a standout track in The Choir's body of work.
Line by Line Meaning
She touches grief with her kiss
When she kisses me, I feel the pain of my sorrows.
She saves me so
Her love and presence brings me comfort and salvation.
She brushes true love with thistle
Despite her love being pure and true, there are obstacles and difficulties that come with it.
Her garden grows
She nurtures and cultivates her environment, which could represent her emotions and relationships.
Oh, she grips my heart
Her impact on my emotional state is powerful and undeniable.
Anytime she smiles
Even the simplest expression of happiness from her affects me deeply.
Anytime she cries
The sight of her pain and tears also grips my heart.
She wrings it out in her hands
She has control over my heart and my emotions, and she can manipulate them.
She makes me moan
Her touch and presence elicits strong emotional responses from me, both positive and negative.
She mingles madness with goodness
Her inner workings are complex and enigmatic, blending both positive and negative aspects together.
When we're alone
Our relationship and connection is a private affair, hidden from the outside world.
She strangles joy with her eyes
Even when she is happy, there is a sense of melancholy or restraint present that affects me.
She kills me so
Her impact and influence on me can be overwhelming to the point of being unbearable.
She tangles misery with flowers
Even amidst sorrow and hardship, there is still beauty and growth to be found, embodied in her presence.
Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.