"...a songwriting, accordion playing, harmony singing, storytelling,
hand drumming, banjo strumming, soul stirring,
two woman tour-de-force."
With award-winning songwriting and musicianship, Wishing Chair, "never fails to create that exhilarating sense one gets when great melodies, strong harmonies, and superb execution come together," says The Performing Songwriter Magazine. The 6th CD and latest offering from this roots/folk duo is no exception. Produced by Grammy nominated producer Mark Hallman, Underdog is "folk to the core," (Lexington Herald-Leader) delivering a rich collection of stories and clear-eyed diatribes, outlaw weddings, love songs, and an anti-Bush circus for good measure.
Since 1995, the folk and soul partnership of multi-instrumentalist Miriam Davidson and songwriter Kiya Heartwood has become well regarded for their engaging performances, passionate activism, stirring harmonies and award winning songs. With any subject being fair game, they have earned high honors from Kerrville (Political Songwriting Finalist 2003), Falcon Ridge (Emerging Artist Finalist 2002), Outmusic (double Winner 2003, Finalist 2004) to The South Florida Folk Festival (double Winner 2003).
Throughout the U.S and Canada, they have won over audiences and presenters alike performing in venues ranging from The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville to The Ark in Ann Arbor, Uncle Calvin's in Dallas and Club Passim in Cambridge, and at festivals including the National Women's Music Festival, the Kerrville Folk Festival, the Clearwater Folk Festival, the South Florida Folk Festival and the Philadelphia Folk Festival.
now
Wishing Chair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The power and the glory
She's a growing girl
She can't swim but she'll hold you down
Stand on your head
So she won't drown
It's just me, me, me, all the time
Now
She wants it now
It's been like this as long as you can remember
She's your good friend till she finds something better
With the latest car or the latest gear
Someone who'll tell her what she wants to hear
It's just me, me, me, all the time
She's got to get to the front of the line
Now
She wants it now
Give it to me
NOW
You do the work
She takes the credit
The golden rule
She's never read it
It's a competition
What can you do
When your head's that big there's no room for two
Now
She wants it now
The song “Now” by Wishing Chair seems to be about a person (most likely a woman) who is very self-centered and always wants everything “now”. She desires all the toys in the big wide world, the power and the glory, and is a growing girl. The lyrics imply that the person can be quite manipulative, as she may get someone else to do the work for her and then take the credit. It appears that this person has been this way as long as others can remember, and she will be a good friend until she finds something better, such as the latest car or gear or someone who’ll tell her what she wants to hear.
The chorus continuously emphasizes the person's “me, me, me” attitude and how they are willing to stand on someone’s head figuratively (or perhaps even literally) to get what they want. The song also includes striking metaphors such as comparing the person’s head to a large size where there's no room for anyone else. Overall, the song seems to be about a person who is very self-absorbed and selfish, and the singer expresses their dissatisfaction with this person's behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
She wants all the toys in the big wide world
She desires to have everything and anything the world has to offer in terms of material possessions and objects.
The power and the glory
She craves recognition and admiration from others, and seeks to obtain something to symbolize her importance.
She's a growing girl
She is still maturing and learning, therefore her desires and priorities may change rapidly without notice.
She can't swim but she'll hold you down
She lacks the ability to navigate difficult situations, but will burden others with her problems without consideration of their well-being.
Stand on your head
She expects others to make sacrifices and bend over backwards to satisfy her demands and priorities, even if it compromises their own comfort or sense of self.
So she won't drown
She requires constant attention and validation from others to survive, as she fears being left alone without anyone to feed her ego.
It's just me, me, me, all the time
She is self-centered and lacks empathy for others, prioritizing her own needs and desires over anyone else's.
You're a stepladder and she has to climb
She sees others as mere tools to help elevate her status and get what she wants, without any consideration for their own needs or concerns.
Now
She wants everything immediately, and will not stop until she gets what she desires.
She's your good friend till she finds something better
She is only loyal to others when it benefits her, and will not hesitate to discard them when a better option presents itself.
With the latest car or the latest gear
She uses material possessions as a means of projecting her status and importance to others, and will go to great lengths to obtain the latest and greatest gadgets or toys.
Someone who'll tell her what she wants to hear
She seeks validation and approval from others, and will only surround herself with people who cater to her ego and affirm her beliefs and desires.
She's got to get to the front of the line
She feels entitled to be first and receive preferential treatment, regardless of the needs or desires of others.
Give it to me
She expects to be given what she wants without having to work for it, and will not take 'no' for an answer.
You do the work
She delegates tasks and responsibilities to others, expecting them to carry out her wishes without question or complaint.
She takes the credit
She does not acknowledge the contributions of others or give credit where it is due, preferring to bask in the glow of her own achievements.
The golden rule
She lacks basic compassion and does not abide by the principle of treating others the way she would like to be treated, only looking out for her own self-interest.
She's never read it
She does not recognize the importance of empathy or consideration for others, believing that self-centeredness is the only path to success.
It's a competition
She sees life as a zero-sum game, in which the success of others detracts from her own potential for success and therefore must be minimized or eliminated.
What can you do
She views compromise or collaboration as a weakness, believing that the only way to get what she wants is to exert her will and impose her priorities on others.
When your head's that big there's no room for two
She is so preoccupied with her own ego and desires that there is no space left for anyone else, leading her to prioritize her own wants over anyone else's needs or concerns.
Contributed by Christian W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Don.
The song was recorded ny Martin Cathy in 1976