A friend told me that he just discovered Brandi Carlile, including one of my favorite songs, “The Eye”. This is exciting to me because I love Brandi Carlile and it makes my day that someone else heard her music and had it resonate with them. The reason I love music so much is that when an artist writes lyrics that matter, that mean something to me, I feel like another song has been chosen for my life soundtrack. And when someone else hears it and feels the same way about their own life soundtrack, it means a lot to me.

“The Eye” means something to me for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is I heard it for the first time on a day when I heard a dear friend was going through a very difficult time. A time that I have never fully experienced myself but nearly experienced. It’s one of those times in life that someone just has to live through and work all of the logistics out themselves because it shatters everything they know. I couldn’t help my friend other than be with them as they walk through it.

The lyrics that most resonate are the ones which state, “I wrapped your love around me like a chain. But I never was afraid it would die”. For me, when I am going through a hard time, I imagine those who love me to wrap around their love around me as tight as can be. And even when there is nothing they can do to make the pain or the hardship go away, their love is with me and they are walking with me. This song reminded me at the time of my friend’s sorrow, that I could do this with my friend. Just let her know I was there.

And of course, I love the lyric that “You can dance in a hurricane, but only if you’re standing in the eye”. This lyric sticks with me often. It reminds me to get through something, I have to walk through it. I can’t run away from it. I have to see the peace of the “eye” of the storm in order to get through, to dance again.

Really, I always just need any ol’ excuse to share lyrics of my favorite artist’s music. And even better, it’s an excuse to share through my blog.

“The Eye”
Brandi Carlile

It really breaks my heart
To see a dear old friend
Go down in the worn old place again

Do you know the sound
Of a closing door?
Have you heard that sound somewhere before?
Do you wonder if she knows you anymore?I wrapped your love around me like a chain
But I never was afraid that it would die

You can dance in a hurricane
But only if you’re standing in the eyeWhere did you learn to walk?
Where did you learn to run?
Away from everything you love

Did you think the bottle
Would ever ease your pain?
Did you think that love’s a foolish game?

Did you find someone else to take the blame?

I wrapped your love around me like a chain
But I never was afraid that it would die
You can dance in a hurricane
But only if you’re standing in the eye
You can dance in a hurricane
But only if you’re standing in the eye

I am a sturdy soul
And there ain’t no shame
In lying down in the bed you’ve made
Can you fight the urge to run for another day?

You might make it further if you learn to stay

I wrapped your love around me like a chain
But I never was afraid that it would die
You can dance in a hurricane
But only if you’re standing in the eye
You can dance in a hurricane
But only if you’re standing in the eye