미국 출신의 여성 록 싱어 송라이터 멜리사 에더리지(Melissa Etheridge)는 10년 전, 음악 인생의 정점에 오르며 유명세를 탄 인물이다. 지난 1994년 MTV를 강타했던 스매시 싱글 'I'm the only one', 'Come to my window'로 최고의 전성기를 내달렸고, 이듬해 그래미상 '최우수 여성 록 가수' 부문을 수상하며 명예도 안았다. 또한 멀티 플래티넘을 획득한 4집 음반 의 메가톤급 히트 이후로는 자신이 레즈비언임을 커밍아웃하며 '이슈 메이커'로서도 화제를 뿌렸다. 허스키 보이스의 걸출한 가창력과 폭발할 듯 터지는 고출력 록 사운드를 품고 있는 그녀의 음악은 아메리칸 로큰롤에 그 뿌리를 둔다. 힘차고 거세다. 꽤나 남성적이다. 때문에 브루스 스프링스틴(Bruce Springsteen)과 존 멜론캠프(John Mellencamp) 같은 베테랑 로커들과 비교되곤 한다. 그뿐만이 아니다. 1990년대 메인스트림 진출에 성공한 세릴 크로우와 엘라니스 모리셋, 메레디스 브룩스(Meredith Brooks), 셀비 린(Shelby Lynne), 리즈 페어(Liz Phair) 등 후배 여성 록 뮤지션들에게도 크나큰 영향을 끼쳤다. '전설적인 여성 록 싱어 재니스 조플린의 90년대 부활'이라는 매스컴의 찬사가 결코 아깝지 않은 이유가 여기에 있다. 멜리사 에더리지가 평단의 호평과 대중적 사랑을 동시에 거머쥔 배경에는 동성연애자라는 사실을 당당히 밝힌 내적 솔직함 때문이다. 음악적으로 한창 물오른 1995년, 7년 동안 연인 사이였던 여류 영화감독 줄리 사이퍼(Julie Cypher)와 결혼식(2000년 이혼)을 올려 세간의 이목을 끌었고, 지난해는 28살의 여배우 타미 린 마이클스(Tammy Lynn Michaels)와 또 한차례 약혼하는 등 기행을 일삼았다. 말이 아닌 행동으로 여성의 권리 신장에 앞장선 그녀는 이 시대의 진정한 '페미니즘 전사'나 다름없다. 그녀의 사생활은 곧 음악을 통해 온전하게 발가벗는다. “난 동성연애자라는 걸 숨기고 싶지 않다. 그런 것들이 노래로 얼마든지 표현 가능하지 않는가?!” 한동안 결혼생활에 집착한 나머지 4집 이후로 그녀는 별다른 음악 활동을 강행하지 않았다. 물론 그간 세 장의 음반을 더 발표했지만 신세대 여성 로커들의 파워에 한껏 밀려나 있어야만 했다. “이제 새로운 사랑을 찾은 만큼 나를 사랑해준 팬들에게 다시 보답해줄 작품을 만들고 싶다!” 불혹을 넘긴 나이에도 불구하고 최근 에더리지는 전작 이후 3년 만에 8집 를 공개하는 열정을 과시했다. 신보는 “조플린과 스프링스틴을 가장 존경한다”는 그녀의 말처럼, 블루스와 로큰롤의 경계에서 꿈틀거리는 생동감 넘치는 록을 구사한다. 중년 록 싱어의 활기차게 솟구치는 경쾌한 로큰롤 에너지와 메시지는 여전히 강렬하고 위풍당당하다. 오프닝을 열어 재치는 'Lucky'를 비롯해서 'This moment', 'Secret agent', 'Giant', 'Kiss me' 등의 트랙에 고스란히 담겨있다. 게다가 요란한 어쿠스틱 록 넘버 'Will you still love me', 건반과 스트링 편곡으로 무장한 애절한 록발라드 'Meet me in the dark', 펑키 그루브감이 매력적인 로큰롤 'Come out tonight' 등도 인상적이다. '여성 브루스 스프링스틴'이라는 말이 그냥 나온 게 아니다. 1995년 5집 , 1999년 6집 에서 작업 파트너십을 가져간 존 생크스(John Shanks)의 세밀한 프로듀싱도 그녀의 신작에 강한 메리트를 제공한다. 멜로디 훅(Hook)이 수려한 리드 싱글 'Breathe'(Greenwheel의 오리지널)은 화려하게 비상하던 10년 전의 전성기를 떠올리게 만든다. 다시 마이크를 잡아챈 40대 아줌마가 들려주는 관록의 로큰롤 음반이다. -수록곡- 1. Lucky 2. This moment 3. If you want to 4. Breathe 5. Mercy 6. Secret agent 7. Will you still love me 8. Meet me in the dark 9. Tuesday morning 10. Giant 11. Come on out tonight 12. Kiss me 13. When you find the one .... ....
Hello, hello this is romeo Calling from a jackpot telephone Shame, shame but i love your name And the way you make the buffalo roam Oh fly, fly i guess this is goodbye Oh you packed up your heart And you left no souvenirs
But if you want me you can call me In the night you know where i'll be Broken lover you can touch me In the dark the innocent can't see You lock it up now hide the key It would mean surrender to let me see Oh brave, brave soldier keep it under cover You fell alone like no other lover Burn the pictures break the records Run far away to a northern town Sell your fear and leave me standing here With no souvenirs
Once, twice i thought it might be nice To come into your kitchen and play Cool, cool just a crazy fool I never saw it any other way Oh wait, wait i guess i'm just too late Oh you made up your mind Love shouldn't be so hard
But if you want me you can call me In the night you know where i'll be Broken lover you can touch me In the dark the innocent can't see You lock it up now hide the key It would mean surrender to let me see Oh brave, brave soldier keep it under cover You fell alone like no other lover Burn the pictures break the records Run far away to a northern town Sell your fear and leave me standing here With no souvenirs
No shirts, no shoes No jackets, no blues You car's for sale You forward your mail You're growing your hair You don't want to know where I'm calling you from Or how come
But if you want me you can call me In the night you know where i'll be Broken lover you can touch me In the dark the innocent can't see You lock it up now hide the key It would mean surrender to let me see Oh brave, brave soldier keep it under cover You fell alone like no other lover Burn the pictures break the records Run far away to a northern town Sell your fear and leave me standing here With no souvenirs
If i could have my way I'd be sleeping in the alley On a couch with a friend and a bottle of gin If i could have my way I'd be runnin' with the circus I would be taming all the lions There'd be no denying i was brave and crazy If i could have my way I wouldn't be dreaming, scheming, screaming Oooh, what am i gonna do About you
I wishes were horses This beggar would ride I'd have my cake and eat it With a little on the side I'd never want for money I'd never want for friends I wouldn't have to make excuses for the shape that i'm in Shaking and crazy Before i saw your eyes I was in control of my soul on the whole Oooh, what am i gonna do About you
Cool as a rule I wouldn't play nobody's fool But i keep on talking Made in the shade I had a perfect cue to fade But i keep on walking
If i could have my way I'd check out right now I'd say out to lunch honey thanks a bunch It wouldn't work out anyhow But this desire's too much It's rented out my brain It's showing previews of your body Driving me insane And that's crazy So all that i can do Is to beg, plead, won't you tell me please What am i gonna do About you
Lying in a city night A million fingers tingling my skin Out thee in the sea tonight I thought i saw you clutching your sin You rolled me over long ago And told me you were strong enough to go You needed more than this lover's dream You need the steel and the concrete beams in your life In your life
We laughed and drank in the jukebox light And we tore the rug in that downtown dive Every saturday night For fifty cents we'd dance all night long And each new tune we said that's our song Oh it felt so right Well ecstasy ain't free But compromise is chance I remember how You used to love to dance
They told me you have found your love You moved in locked up and put out your blues Well all god's children got to grow up And play house make vows to hang up their shoes Do you sit and talk over coffee cups Do headline mornings satisfy and fill you up I kept your eyes and your cigarette kiss You couldn't keep the lies the adrenalin bliss in your life In your life
We laughed and drank in the jukebox light And we tore the rug in that downtown dive Every saturday night For fifty cents we'd dance all night long And each new tune we said that's our song Oh it felt so right Well ecstasy ain't free But compromise is chance I remember how You used to love to dance
I'm gonna go out tonight I'm gonna drive up to the hill I'm gonna dive on into those city lights And i'm gonna dance, dance Dance till i get my fill
We laughed and drank in the jukebox light And we tore the rug in that downtown dive Every saturday night For fifty cents we'd dance all night long And each new tune we said that's our song Oh it felt so right Well ecstasy ain't free But compromise is chance I remember how You used to love to dance
Sometimes i feel like an innocent one To deserve this fate what i have i ever done I know that i made all the rules But time can even change the hopeless ways of fools I love you tonight like i did yesterday I won't think of tomorrow or the price i pay I drink from the well my soul is dry I never know why
All i want is for your love to be all mine But the angels won't have it All i want is just a little peace of mind But the angels won't have it I thought i had a piece of my soul left to sell I guess it's just as well 'cause the angels won't have it
Who's looking after this see-through heart Someone up there isn't doing their part Oh cupid you foolish boy You should take better aim with your brand new toy I love you tonight like i did yesterday I don't think of tomorrow or the price i pay I drink from the well my soul is dry I never know why
All i want is for your love to be all mine But the angels won't have it All i want is just a little peace of mind But the angels won't have it I thought i had a piece of my soul left to sell I guess it's just as well 'cause the angels won't have it
So if i die before i wake The innocent one whose heart could never break Lift me up take me out of this bed Watching the angels shake their heads Don't feel sorry for me baby honey don't you cry You can sell all of my clothes you will forget me by and by I'll be riding that train i'll be singing that song But i won't be gone for long 'cause the angels won't have it
All i want is for your love to be all mine But the angels won't have it All i want is just a little peace of mind But the angels won't have it I thought i had a piece of my soul left to sell I guess it's just as well 'cause the angels won't have it
Come on baby let's get out of this town I got a full tank of gas with the top rolled down There's a chill in my bones I don't want to be left alone So baby you can sleep while i drive I'll pack my bag and load up my guitar In my pocket i'll carry my harp I got some money i saved Enough to get underway And baby you can sleep while i drive
We'll go thorough tucson up to santa fe And barbara in nashville says we're welcome to stay I'll buy you glasses in texas a hat from new orleans And in the morning you can tell me your dreams
You know i've seen it before This mist that covers your eyes You've been looking for something That's not in your life My intentions are true Won't you take me with you And baby you can sleep while i drive
Oh is it other arms you want to Hold you the stranger The lover you're free Can't you get that with me
Come on baby let's get out of this town I got a full tank of gas with the top rolled down If you won't take me with you I'll go before night is through And baby you can sleep while i drive
Morning's hard coffee's cold Pretending that the days mean more than getting old Stale headlines other drenched in pride Marching to their drum with fear standing beside But if i close my eyes and throw back my head I can see his face and i hear the words he said And my memories ache and my senses burn Did he dream too late will we ever learn
I, i want to testify My love still lives and breathes And my soul is screaming why The thoughts won't let me sleep Don't let hearts break And don't let children cry Before it gets too late I want to testify
I take what's said as my daily dread I turn the page and i turn my head I pick i choose on the evening news Cause by cause they fight and one by one they lose Must i live my days in these concrete ways Will the fire break through this smokey haze And i swear tonight i'm gonna find that place It's not the love that dies but the understanding ways
I, i want to testify My love still lives and breathes And my soul is screaming why The thoughts won't let me sleep Don't let hearts break And don't let children cry Before it gets too late I want to testify
Rip through the wire that screens in my window Throw open the shade that covers my mind I'm going to touch i've got to believe The bell tolls for me
I, i want to testify My love still lives and breathes And my soul is screaming why The thoughts won't let me sleep Don't let hearts break And don't let children cry Before it gets too late I want to testify
Am i the snake inside your garden The sugar in your tea The knock upon your back door The twist that turns your key Am i the sweat you feel on your head The shadow on your face The tune inside your head that put you here in the first place Well i don't want to be I don't want to be I don't want to be your sweet temptation I don't want to be your new sensation It's just a delicate distraction With just a hint of satisfaction Look me in the eye and let me know If you can't love me that let me go Let me go Let me go
Do you try to stay suspended In your deepest fantasy After night has ended The scent of mystery The power of suggestion Tangles up your soul A neutral state between love and hate Is bound to take its toll Well i don't think you know I don't think you know I don't think you know about the screaming You don't understand the meaning You could trade it in for laughter To keep your happy ever after Look me in the eye and let me know If you can't love me then let me go Let me go Let me go
Baby in your ivory tower Do you sleep tight dream fight Baby does it wet your appetite Maybe in your darkest hour Am i the keeper of your beast Well i don't want to be I don't want to be So let me go Let me go
When i was a child I dreamed like a child of wonder With my back in the grass My eyes to the sky to see I believed in the stars I knew they cast a spell that i was under With my fingers in the dirt I was part of the earth Every living thing was part of me
But it's gone, it's gone It's gone, it's gone, gone I can't feel it I can't feel it Must've found a way out my back door Must've run away out my back door Because it's gone, gone, gone
Then i fell in love Love gave me a shot of pure desire There was nothing else like this This unimagined bliss this ecstasy Deep inside the night I believed i saw the light ignite a fire And it burned into the dark It burned deep inside my heart I thought it would burn eternally
But it's gone, it's gone It's gone, it's gone, gone I can't feel it I can't feel it Must've found a way out my back door Must've run away out my back door Because it's gone, gone, gone
So i run into the street And i'm shouting into the phone Asking everyone i meet I say have you seen it on my doorstep Did you see it in my car Have you seen it in the alley Was it on the back of some guitar Is it sleeping in the hallway Does it cry all night alone Is it selling itself for money Does it want, does it want to come home
I ain't asking you to keep no secrets My reputation already shot I ain't asking you to commit treason Just tell me if you like it or not Like it or not baby that's they way i want it to be Don't give your heart and soul My love is only skin deep
I'll give you my time and money I'll give you somewhere to sleep But don't ask me for my heart and soul My love is only skin deep My love is only skin deep My love is only skin deep
I ain't looking for no blue-eyed lover That's what stole my baby away I can see your eyes are darker than midnight And that's the time that i want to play I want to play baby that's they way i want it to be Don't give me your heart and soul My love is only skin deep
I'll give you my time and money I'll give you somewhere to sleep But don't ask me for my heart and soul My love is only skin deep My love is only skin deep My love is only skin deep
I'll give you my time and money I'll give you somewhere to sleep But don't ask me for my heart and soul My love is only skin deep My love is only skin deep My love is only skin deep
It's so hard to listen to these trains Outside my window here it comes again And it's calling me begging me Follow me down the track And it moans so dark and low Baby ain't comin' back
I refuse to believe It could happen to me and you It's lonesome and it's hard and it's true
It got this whiskey to take care of my lips I got these long cool steel strings At my fingertips I ain't got nothing to soothe my aching soul Except this screeching and screaming iron To tell me where i ought to go
I refuse to believe It could happen to me and you It's lonesome and it's hard and it's true
I hear the train sigh And idle down below Why your love is so sweet and while Is something i'll never know
It sounds like crying It sounds like letting go Breathing and lying Sinking and dying slow And i watch from my window Touching the cold glass sky As the train rolls down the track I say goodbye
Past the devil's own temptation And beyond where angels sleep To the holy invocation Of a neon city street I feel your hand I hold you Through your eyes I see My love, wherever I go I take you with me
Down the road of my desires To the oceans of my peace Through the fueling of my fires Until my yearnings cease I hear your voice I know you In your arms I sleep My love, wherever I go I take you with me
Even though I've fed my hunger Even though I've named my fear I'll never understand it How the journey led me here But I have made a promise That I intend to keep My love, wherever I go I take you with me
Please baby can't you see My mind's a burnin' hell I got razors a rippin' and tearin' and strippin' My heart apart as well Tonight you told me That you ache for something new And some other woman is lookin' like something That might be good for you
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone Go on believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong But I'm the only one Who'll walk across the fire for you I'm the only one Who'll drown in my desire for you It's only fear that makes you run The demons that you're hiding from When all your promises are gone I'm the only one
Please baby can't you see I'm trying to explain I've been here before and I'm locking the door And I'm not going back again Her eyes and arms and skin won't make it go away You'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow That holds you down today
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone Go on believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong But I'm the only one Who'll walk across the fire for you I'm the only one Who'll drown in my desire for you It's only fear that makes you run The demons that you're hiding from When all your promises are gone I'm the only one
If I wanted to I could do anything right I could dance with the devil on a Saturday night If I wanted to I could turn matches to gold I could smoke drink swear and I would never grow old I wouldn't have to be in love with you If I only wanted to If I only wanted to
If I wanted to I could run fast as a train Be as sharp as a needle that's twisting your brain If I wanted to I could turn mountains to sand Have political leaders in the palm of my hand I wouldn't have to be in love with you If I only wanted to If I only wanted to
I could leave tonight And I would be all right Stop holding on If I wanted to If I only wanted to
If I wanted to I could be as patient as death Fix this hole in my heart leaking into my flesh If I wanted to I could turn sparks into ice There'd never be another woman who could make you think twice I wouldn't have to be in love with you If I only wanted to If I only wanted to
Come to my window Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon Come to my window I'll be home soon
I would dial the numbers Just to listen to your breath I would stand inside my hell And hold the hand of death You don't know how far I'd go To ease this precious ache You don't know how much I'd give Or how much I can take
Just to reach you Just to reach you Just to reach you
Come to my window Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon Come to my window I'll be home soon
Keeping my eyes open I cannot afford to sleep Giving away promises I know that I can't keep Nothing fills the blackness That has seeped into my chest I need you in my blood I am forsaking all the rest Just to reach you Just to reach you Oh to reach you
Come to my window Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon Come to my window I'll be home soon
I don't care what they think I don't care what they say What do they know about this love anyway
Come to my window Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon Come to my window I'll be home soon
Why did you steal the matches From the one room motel Once they gave you answers Now they give you hell They will never understand They wonder where did they go wrong How could you be so selfish Why can't you get along
And as you pray in your darkness For wings to set you free You are bound to your silent legacy
You've seen it in the movies And you've heard it on the street Craving the affection Your blood is full of heat They don't listen to your reasons As original as sin Deny all that you feel And they will bring you home again
And as you pray in your darkness For wings to set you free You are bound to your silent legacy
Your body is alive But no one told you what you'd feel The empty aching hours Trying to conceal The natural progression Is the coming of your age But they cover it with shame And turn it into rage
And as you pray in your darkness For wings to set you free You are bound to your silent legacy
You are digging for the answers Until your fingers bleed To satisfy the hunger To satiate the need They feed you on the guilt To keep you humble keep you low Some man and myth they made up A thousand years ago
And as you pray in your darkness For wings to set you free You are bound to your silent legacy
Mothers tell your children Be quick you must be strong Life is full of wonder Love is never wrong Remember how they taught you How much of it was fear Refuse to hand it down The legacy stops here
So you walked with me for a while Bared your naked soul And you told me of your plan How you would never let them know In the morning of the night You cried a long lost child And I tried on I tried to hold you But you were young And you were wild
But I, I will never be the same Oh I, I will never be the same Caught in your eyes Lost in your name I will never be the same
Secrets of your life I never wanted for myself But you guarded them like a lie Placed up on the highest shelf In the morning of the night When I woke to find you gone I knew your distant devil Must be draggin' you along
But I, I will never be the same Oh I, I will never be the same Caught in your eyes Lost in your name I will never be the same
And you swore that you were bound for glory And for wanting you had no shame But I loved you And then I lost you And I will never be the same
But I, I will never be the same Oh I, I will never be the same Caught in your eyes Lost in your name I will never be the same
She wakes up in the morning With a pain in her jet black head A decaf coffee in her hand And a Marlboro red She drives down to the office In her Japanese car With the radio blasting She dreams of taking it too far But today she'll pay the bills She won't think about the thrills That pass away
She's an all American girl An all American girl And she will live and die in this man's world An all American girl
Her eyes are black as leather And her hair is killer red How could she keep the baby When she can barely keep her head She don't owe nobody nothing And she ain't on the street But these drinks are getting heavy And these lips are getting weak She don't understand Why she can't climb out of the sand And break away
She's an all American girl An all American girl And she will live and die in this man's world An all American girl
Her lover never came home And it's half past three Today her best friend told her He's HIV Something's gotta give somewhere Forcing circles into squares She keeps pushing on
She's an all American girl An all American girl And she will live and die in this man's world An all American girl
In these days and these hours of fury When the darkness and answers are thin Lovers come and check out in a hurry Shallow and hollow again Come lay your body beside me To dream to sleep with the lamb To the question your eyes seem to send
Am I your passion your promise your end I say I am Yes I am Your passion your promise your end Yes I am
Barring divine intervention There is nothing between you and I And if I carelessly forgot to mention Your body your power can sanctify Come feed your hunger your thirst Lay it down the beast will die You can question my heart once again
Am I your passion your promise your end I say I am Yes I am Your passion your promise your end Yes I am
I will stand firm in the tempest I will ride destinys' trail To believe when the truth comes up empty To hold and respect without fail Come and be one in the motion A desire they cannot comprehend Never to question again For I am your passion your promise your end Oh yes I am
The sign says do not enter No trespassing allowed With visions of redemption I walk against the crowd The sun is white with envy Confusion on the ground Breathing soft and holy Temptation's only sound
A demon's day in madness kissed I swear I never had it like this Forbidden yet I cannot resist
Shocked in silent trances Our eyes search just to know What makes flesh and body hunger For another burning soul Conscience quiet pleading In the corner of my eye But seeing is believing All consequences fly
A demon's day in madness kissed I swear I never had it like this Forbidden yet I cannot resist
With fever I persist The rages of your kiss My reckless heart in fist And I cannot resist
A demon's day in madness kissed I swear I never had it like this Forbidden yet I cannot resist
Don't try to call There are some bridges that burn Beyond recognition beyond repair Don't say you've changed There are some forces that turn Beyond recollection beyond my stare When I feel the cold in the dark I know you're there
Long ago I was a woman in pain A woman in need I ran to you Long ago I did not understand You were making me bleed I ran to you When I feel the cold in the dark I know what you do
I will crawl through my past Over stones blood and glass In the ruins Reaching under the fence As I try to make sense In the ruins
I know your heart has held its own fear It's perfectly clear What they did to you In my heart it's the screaming I hear I won't let them come near Since my love knew you When I feel the cold in the dark I remember you
I will crawl through my past Over stones blood and glass In the ruins Reaching under the fence As I try to make sense In the ruins
Night after night I am carving it out I will carry it down to the waterside Night after night I am hearing the sound Of wings that come beating I will not hide When I feel the cold in the dark I will know why
I will crawl through my past Over stones blood and glass In the ruins Reaching under the fence As I try to make sense In the ruins
But if I am to heal I must first learn to feel In the ruins I will crawl
.... 
