I don't really write story songs, I write about how we deal with life." Tod… Read Full Bio ↴I don't really write story songs, I write about how we deal with life." Todd Thibaud pronounced (Tee-bo) has released his fourth solo record, "Northern Skies" under the 95North label in March 2005.

Raised in Burlington, Vermont, Thibaud moved to Boston in 1987 to master his craft and pursue his dream. "When I first got there, the music scene was mostly alternative rock and more hardcore stuff. I would get mislabeled as a 'Country Act', but by the 1990's it diversified and there was room for more rootsy Americana stuff."

Todd's songs are a slice of what life is really like...the pains and pleasures, love lost and life reborn. Thibaud recorded two critically lauded albums for Doolittle Records, 1998's Favorite Waste of Time (produced by Bostonian musician Kevin Salem) and 1999's Little Mystery. Using songwriters like Elvis Costello, Neil Finn, and John Hiatt for inspiration, Thibaud built a sound that is entirely his own.

Is It Love?
Todd Thibaud Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

once was not enough but twice i nearly died / fate was in my cup and i drank it down /
now inside of this i can't believe my eyes no one's at the door but i heard a sound /

and oh it leads me on / is it love that keeps me here, is it love that keeps me here /
to someday find it gone / is it love that keeps me here, is it love that keeps me here /

i was not the one and how you made it clear that you were not the one and i started falling /
here outside of this i can't believe my ears / somebody's in my way but nobody's calling /

and oh it leads me on / is it love that keeps me
here, is it love that keeps me here / to someday find it gone / is it love that keeps me here,
is it love that keeps me here /

and i can't believe my answers all ran dry and i don't know where i'm going now but i'm not asking why /
here's my problem now i've got it in my head / that i might get through this without even trying /
and here's the one thing that i can't seem to do without / how'd it come to this oh lord tell me now and

oh it leads me on / is it love that keeps me here / is it love that keeps me here /
to someday find it gone / is it love that keeps me here / is it love that keeps me here

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Todd Thibaud's song "Is It Love?" suggest a struggle with the concept of love and its hold over the singer. The opening lines express a near-death experience, possibly alluding to a past relationship or emotional trauma that the singer has faced. The mention of fate in the line "fate was in my cup and I drank it down" suggests a sense of powerlessness in the singer's life, as if their current state is the result of uncontrollable forces beyond their control.

The repetition of the question "is it love that keeps me here?" creates a sense of desperation and confusion within the singer. On one hand, they seem to believe that the presence of love is what holds them in their current situation. But at the same time, they fear that love will eventually leave them, leaving them lost and alone. The line "to someday find it gone" speaks to this fear, as the singer wonders what their life would be like if love were to disappear.

Throughout the song, the singer seems to be struggling with conflicting emotions and a deep sense of uncertainty. The repetition of the phrase "oh it leads me on" suggests a sense of inevitability, as if the singer is being carried along on a path they cannot control. In the end, the singer is left feeling lost and confused, unsure of where they are going or what the future holds.

Overall, the lyrics to "Is It Love?" explore the complex and often confusing nature of love and its effect on our lives. The song suggests that love can be both a source of comfort and security, as well as a source of fear and uncertainty.

Line by Line Meaning

once was not enough but twice i nearly died
I have experienced something intense, life-threatening twice before.

fate was in my cup and i drank it down
I had no control over the situation and accepted it as fate.

now inside of this i can't believe my eyes no one's at the door but i heard a sound
I am in a state of disbelief and confusion as I hear sounds without knowing their source or existence.

and oh it leads me on / is it love that keeps me here, is it love that keeps me here
Something keeps pulling me forward, and I wonder if it is love that compels me to do so.

to someday find it gone / is it love that keeps me here, is it love that keeps me here
I fear that the love that motivates me might disappear someday.

i was not the one and how you made it clear that you were not the one and i started falling
I have been rejected before and was hurt from it.

here outside of this i can't believe my ears / somebody's in my way but nobody's calling
I am trying to move forward, but something is blocking me even though there is no apparent obstacle.

and i can't believe my answers all ran dry and i don't know where i'm going now but i'm not asking why
I feel lost and uncertain about my future, but I am continuing without questioning it.

here's my problem now i've got it in my head / that i might get through this without even trying
I am worried that I may not need to put in any effort to get through my current struggles.

and here's the one thing that i can't seem to do without / how'd it come to this oh lord tell me now
I am acknowledging a crucial aspect in my life that I am unable to live without, and I am questioning how it has come to be.

oh it leads me on / is it love that keeps me here / is it love that keeps me here
Despite my doubts and uncertainties, something is still pushing me forward, and I wonder if it is love that drives me.

to someday find it gone / is it love that keeps me here / is it love that keeps me here
I am still uncertain about the future of the love that motivates me, and I fear that it may disappear someday.

Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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