Buckley often regarded his tenor voice as an instrument, a talent most noticeable on his albums Happy Sad, Lorca, and Starsailor. His first marriage was to Mary Guibert, with whom he had a child, musician Jeff Buckley. They divorced in 1968 and after this Buckley would meet with his son only once more. Buckley married second wife Judy Brejot Sutcliffe in 1970 and adopted her son, Taylor.
Born in Washington DC, Buckley,an Irish-American, lived for 10 years in Amsterdam, New York, before moving to southern California, initially to Bell Gardens and later settling in Anaheim in 1965. His experiences with music were through his family, artists such as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland being particular favorites in the household. During his childhood, Buckley was a fan of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Nat King Cole and Miles Davis, although country music was his foremost passion. Reflecting this, at the age of 11 Buckley learned how to play the banjo, an instrument which his mother had bought to occupy him following a bout of mumps. He attended Loara High School in Anaheim, California, and, amongst others, made friends with Don Gordon, Larry Beckett, Jim Fielder (original member of Blood, Sweat & Tears) and future wife, Mary Guibert. He was an accomplished high school athlete, becoming a quarterback for the school team in addition to getting a place on the baseball team. During this period playing as quarterback, Buckley broke the first two fingers on his left hand but they never fully returned to normal and made guitar playing more difficult. At the age of 15, Buckley abandoned the banjo and moved on to the guitar, playing with Princess Ramona & The Cherokee Riders, a country and western band. However, the lead singer saw Buckley was uninterested and instead suggested he apply himself to the emerging 1960's folk scene.
Buckley's career began with his 1966 debut Tim Buckley, its mix of pop and folk rock drawing on popular influences of the time. His popularity peaked with second album Goodbye and Hello, a more mature record with avant-garde influences and political sentiments. In the three years that followed Buckley was at his most prolific and experimental, producing four albums of varying styles. Happy Sad and Blue Afternoon showed Buckley's folk roots while Lorca veered to more avant-garde styles. The final album of this period, Starsailor, is a mix of jazz, funk and avant-garde styles, representing his continual evolution in genre. This period, while garnering some critical success, proved disastrous for his record sales as the disparity of his styles caused his fan-base to all but disappear.
Following this Buckley changed genres again, with 1972 release Greetings from L.A., which incorporated the funk, rhythm and blues and soul sounds of the early 1970s in to his music. However, this release and the following album Sefronia did not match up to the success of his previous work. In 1974, having alienated much of his fan-base and squandered money made at his peak, Buckley released Look at the Fool, which was neither well received by the public nor the majority of critics. By this point Buckley had grown disillusioned with the music industry and his drug abuse of the past seven years had affected him.
In spite of this, in early 1975, desperate for musical recognition and an escape from poverty and obscurity, Buckley dropped his drug dependencies and engaged the musical press regarding a live album comeback. Buckley began performing material drawn from his whole career as a response to the desires of his audience, desires he had always spurned in the past. However, Buckley relapsed and on June 28, 1975, he overdosed on heroin. His wife Judy, having earlier put him in bed, was unable to rouse him and paramedics pronounced him dead on arrival. He was 28 years old and was survived by his wife and adopted son Taylor, and his biological son, Jeff (who also died at a young age).
Love From Room 109 at The Islander
Tim Buckley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You came into my hotel life
You made my room a home
Ah now, mama, don't you know what you done
Ah, you made the sunshine in the city
Oh, you warmed my heart
You changed an old man filled with pity
Ah now, mama, can't you see what you done
So tell me darlin' if the feeling's wrong
Don't waste another day
Lord, the saddest thing I've ever known
Was to watch it die away
Ah now, mama, don't you lie don't you lie
Oh, how can my giving find the rhythm and the time of you
Unless you sing your songs to me
The smell of your sweet skin does entangle my dream
Oh may I stand here awhile living your smile
Oh, how could you ever know what you've done
You warmed my heart when I was so all alone
But all I have to give
Are my dreams of coming and going forever
Inside the rivers of time you'll find me waiting
For you to find peace in your mind
So we can love again
I feel what you feel,
If you feel what you feel,
And I see what you see,
If you see what you see,
So it goes on and on
On it goes, on and on
It's my heart and your heart,
It's our hearts together,
You sing and I'll bring,
We'll both love together,
And all I know is let it grow
All you'll find is peace of mind.
The song Love From Room 109 at The Islander by Tim Buckley is a beautiful tribute to the transformative power of love. The song starts with a somber tone as the singer talks about being lost without a song and melody in his life. However, the mood changes as he talks about meeting someone who changed everything for him. This woman made his hotel room feel like a home, made the sunshine in the city and warmed his heart. With her, he goes back to feeling like a child again, full of life and joy. The singer is grateful for meeting her and tells her she can see what she has done for him.
The second verse talks about the need for communication to keep the love alive. The singer asks his partner not to lie to him and to express themselves even if the feeling is wrong. He emphasizes that the saddest thing he's ever experienced is watching love die away. The bridge suggests that the singer needs the woman to share more about herself and her feelings if they are going to stay together. He emphasizes the importance of her singing her songs to him, which will help him find the rhythm and time to be with her. It concludes with a final verse that talks about peace of mind and waiting for this woman to find peace in her mind so they can love again. The song has a hopeful tone, with an emphasis on the transformative power of love and the importance of communication.
Line by Line Meaning
I was lost without a song without a melody
I was feeling directionless and empty without anything to give me joy or purpose in life.
You came into my hotel life
You entered my existence and made a meaningful impact in my life, despite the transient nature of our encounter.
You made my room a home
You transformed my temporary and impersonal lodging space into a cozy and welcoming abode where I felt safe and comfortable.
Ah now, mama, don't you know what you done
You don't realize the significant and positive effect you have had on my life, and the gratitude I feel for you.
Ah, you made the sunshine in the city
You brought joy and light to a dreary and urban environment, making everything around us brighter and more beautiful.
Oh, you warmed my heart
You filled me with love and affection, and made me feel whole and valued.
You changed an old man filled with pity
You helped me to overcome my struggles and negative outlook, and transformed me into a happier and more optimistic person.
Back to a child again
You made me feel young at heart and carefree, like a child who has not yet been burdened by the worries of the world.
Ah now, mama, can't you see what you done
I hope that you can recognize the incredible impact you have had on my life, and how much you mean to me.
So tell me darlin' if the feeling's wrong
Please be honest with me and let me know if our love is misguided or inappropriate, so that we can avoid causing any harm or pain to ourselves or others.
Don't waste another day
Let's not let any more time pass us by without being honest with ourselves and each other about our feelings and intentions.
Lord, the saddest thing I've ever known
The most heartbreaking experience I can imagine is watching a love that could have been beautiful and fulfilling fade away or be untimely cut short.
Was to watch it die away
It is unbearable to see a relationship that once held so much promise wither and fade away into nothingness, leaving us feeling empty and alone.
Ah now, mama, don't you lie don't you lie
I plead with you to be honest with me and not hide your true feelings or motivations from me, as that will only lead to confusion and heartbreak for both of us.
Oh, how can my giving find the rhythm and the time of you
I feel a deep desire to connect with you and match my own expressions of love and generosity to the pace and style of yours.
Unless you sing your songs to me
I need you to open up and share your own innermost feelings and desires with me, so that we can create a harmonious and fulfilling relationship.
The smell of your sweet skin does entangle my dream
Your scent and touch are deeply ingrained in my subconscious, and they fill me with a sense of comfort and peace, even when we are apart.
Oh may I stand here awhile living your smile
The sight of your smiling face fills me with a sense of wonder and awe, and I feel blessed to be in your presence, even if only for a brief time.
Oh, how could you ever know what you've done
I don't think you can fully comprehend the profound effect you have had on me and my life, and how much I cherish and admire you.
You warmed my heart when I was so all alone
When I was feeling isolated and despondent, you provided me with the warmth and comfort I needed to carry on and believe in myself again.
But all I have to give
I don't have much to offer you in return but my own dreams and aspirations, which I hope to share with you and create a brighter future for us both.
Are my dreams of coming and going forever
My dreams are a fleeting and ephemeral thing, but they are all I have to offer you in this moment, and I hope they will bring us closer together.
Inside the rivers of time you'll find me waiting
Even if we are separated by time and space, I will always be here waiting for you, with my heart full of love and my soul full of hope.
For you to find peace in your mind
I wish for you to find a sense of calm and contentment within yourself, so that you can live your life to the fullest and pursue your own dreams and goals.
So we can love again
I hope that we can rekindle our love and find a way to make it work, despite any obstacles or challenges that may arise along the way.
I feel what you feel
I have a deep sense of empathy and understanding for you, and I can relate to the emotions and experiences you have gone through.
If you feel what you feel
If you are willing to share your own feelings with me, we can create a deeper connection and understanding between us.
And I see what you see
I am able to look at things from your perspective, and I understand where you are coming from in terms of your own needs and desires.
If you see what you see
If we are able to communicate openly and honestly with each other, we can build a stronger relationship based on mutual trust and respect.
So it goes on and on
Our love and connection will continue to endure and thrive, even in the face of adversity and change.
On it goes, on and on
As we journey through life together, we will face many ups and downs, but our love will remain constant and unwavering through it all.
It's my heart and your heart
Our relationship is built on the strong foundation of our shared emotions and feelings, which bind us together and make us stronger as a couple.
It's our hearts together
Together, we can create a beautiful and fulfilling relationship that nourishes our souls and brings us both joy and inner peace.
You sing and I'll bring
I am here to support and uplift you, to be your partner and ally in all things, and to work together with you to overcome any challenges that come our way.
We'll both love together
Our love is mutual and reciprocal, and we both contribute to its growth and vibrancy in our own unique ways.
And all I know is let it grow
I believe that as long as we nourish and care for our love, it will continue to flourish and become even stronger and more beautiful over time.
All you'll find is peace of mind.
By embracing our love and committing to growing and nurturing it, we will find a sense of calm and fulfillment in our lives that nothing else can provide.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: TIM BUCKLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind