With some mild success with singles during the mid-late 1960s, Bunyan released the LP, Just Another Diamond Day, in 1970. This consisted of songs written while traveling in a horse drawn gypsy cart. Critics panned the album and a discouraged Vashti soon disappeared from the music scene. However, by the 2000s her work had finally been finding an audience among contemporary artists and fans of folk music.
In 2002, she was invited by Piano Magic musician Glen Johnson to sing guest vocals on his song "Crown of the Lost", her first recording in over 30 years. After guesting on Piano Magic's album 'Writers Without Homes', she released her critically-acclaimed second album, Lookaftering, 35 years after its predecessor.
In 2006 she collaborated with Adem and began to tour for the first time, accompanied by various musicians including Jo Mango and Gareth Dickson. She collaborated with Animal Collective on the Prospect Hummer EP. Vashti also sang with Devendra Banhart on his album Rejoicing in the Hands.
Bunyan's cover of the late John Martyn's "Head and Heart" appeared on the 2011 tribute album, Johnny Boy Would Love This...A Tribute to John Martyn.
Across the Water
Vashti Bunyan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And wake at the back of noon
Drift through the hours as the sun gets lower
Till the days are lit by the moon
Every day is every day
Can′t tell one from the other
Wait to fall at the end of it all
Lived on wit, got away with it
Hummed a universal tune
Found a thread away in the head
Followed it over the moon
Every day is every day
One foot in front of the other
Learn to fall with the grace of it all
As stones skip across the water
The Vashti Bunyan song "Across the Water" is a poignant exploration of the cyclical and often repetitive nature of daily life. The opening lines set the scene, inviting the listener to imagine falling asleep just as the sun is rising, only to wake up hours later, at the peak of midday. The lyrics suggest a sense of drifting aimlessly through the hours, as if time is slipping away without any real sense of purpose or direction. The phrase "drift through the hours as the sun gets lower" captures this feeling of ennui, as the singer of the song watches the daylight fade into darkness.
Despite this aimlessness, there is also a sense of acceptance at play in the song. The line "every day is every day" suggests that each day is just like any other, with no real sense of distinction between them. This can be read as a comment on the monotony of modern life, or as an attempt to find some sort of meaning or significance in these everyday experiences. The repeated imagery of "stones skip across the water" evokes the idea of life as a series of small moments that accumulate over time, like the ripples created by a stone cast into a pond. Ultimately, the song seems to suggest that even in the midst of this cyclical, sometimes frustrating existence, there is still beauty to be found in the simple act of moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Fall into sleep as the sun comes up
Drift off to sleep as the sun rises in the sky
And wake at the back of noon
Wake up in the afternoon, well after midday
Drift through the hours as the sun gets lower
Move lazily through the day as the sun begins to set
Till the days are lit by the moon
Continue through the night, guided by the light of the moon
Every day is every day
Every day seems the same as the one before it
Can't tell one from the other
It's difficult to distinguish between the different days
Wait to fall at the end of it all
Anticipate the end of the day with the hope of rest
As stones skip across the water
Like the smooth skipping of stones across water, implying a sense of peace
Lived on wit, got away with it
Lived through life using one's intelligence, and succeeded without being caught out
Hummed a universal tune
Sang a melody that anyone could recognize and relate to
Found a thread way in the head
Discovered a train of thought deep within the mind
Followed it over the moon
Pursued that train of thought through every twist and turn, much like following a winding path over the moon's surface
One foot in front of the other
Taking life moment by moment, and not trying to rush through it
Learn to fall with the grace of it all
Accept life's inevitable setbacks with poise and dignity, much like the grace shown when skipping stones across water
As stones skip across the water
Repeated again as a reminder of the peaceful, graceful imagery that underscores the song's message
Writer(s): Jennifer Vashti Bunyan
Contributed by Mia K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gabrielys Martínez
Fall into sleep as the sun comes up
And wake at the back of noon
Drift through the hours as the sun gets lower
Till the days are lit by the moon
Every day is every day
Can't tell one from the other
Wait to fall at the end of it all
As stones skip across the water
Lived on wit, got away with it
Hummed a universal tune
Found a thread away in the head
Followed it over the moon
Every day is every day
One foot in front of the other
Learn to fall with the grace of it all
As stones skip across the water
Gabrielys Martínez
Fall into sleep as the sun comes up
And wake at the back of noon
Drift through the hours as the sun gets lower
Till the days are lit by the moon
Every day is every day
Can't tell one from the other
Wait to fall at the end of it all
As stones skip across the water
Lived on wit, got away with it
Hummed a universal tune
Found a thread away in the head
Followed it over the moon
Every day is every day
One foot in front of the other
Learn to fall with the grace of it all
As stones skip across the water
Andrew Peak
This song proves that the electric guitar can be as warm and intimate as any other instrument.
evepv
who said it couldnt?
styrofoam pony
this is 1 of the most beautiful songs iv ever heard in my life i fall every time i hear it
Cameron Lenox
same
SuperFlashDriver
The first song that I've heard from Vashti Bunyan back in the good old days of soundcloud (before it became shit in August 2015). This was one of the songs I found in the singer songwriter category and I wasn't disappointed. I loved it so much that I serached for her first album "Just Another Diamond Day" and I wasn't disappointed, I was actually liking her first album as much as this one. Although her songs on Just another diamond day was more enjoyable to listen to a couple of the songs compared to this album. Only one I liked and it was this one. That's it. =3 I hope she makes another album in the future if she decides to. =3
Kylie Smith
a few years ago, i listened to this song through my earbuds in a friend's sunroom. many of my friends were having a sleepover and i was the first one to wake up the next morning. being surrounded by my peacefully sleeping friends while listening to this and watching the sunrise was one of the purest experiences of my life. i'm in uni now and i really miss those days.
HeyAtlantis
Eğer ağlıyorsan gözyaşların daha yavaş akacak. Sık sık aldığın nefesler ve hızla inip kalkan göğsün yavaşlayacak ve sakinleşeceksin. Şarkı huzur veriyor:')
simon block
Just heard this on BBC R6 - what a gem. Is there an album to buy for those of us who like to have something tangible rather than just in the digital ether ? Is she playing in England anytime soon ?
Cortina City
Simon, same here, heard it on radio 6 music, nice song