Vienna Teng — Between
Album: Waking HourAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 544
Length: 3:28
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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We are not together here
Though we lie entwined
To make room for the other presence
We both draw back in our minds
I have a prophecy
Threatening to spill into words
This growing certainty
Of Over
There once was a time I was sure of the bond
When my hands and my tongue and my thoughts were enough
We are the same but our lives move along
And the third one between replaces what once was love
Freedom is being alone
I fear liberation
But something more alive than silence
Swallows conversation
No pleasing drama
In subtle averted eyes
The swelling fermata
As the chord dies
There once was a time I was sure of the bond
When my hands and my tongue and my thoughts were enough
We are the same but our lives move along
And the third one between replaces what once was love
There's no denying we feel the third one
We do
I'm tired of hiding and so are you
There once was a time I was sure of the bond
When my hands and my tongue and my thoughts were enough
We are the same but our lives move along
And the third one between replaces what once was love
Though we lie entwined
To make room for the other presence
We both draw back in our minds
I have a prophecy
Threatening to spill into words
This growing certainty
Of Over
There once was a time I was sure of the bond
When my hands and my tongue and my thoughts were enough
We are the same but our lives move along
And the third one between replaces what once was love
Freedom is being alone
I fear liberation
But something more alive than silence
Swallows conversation
No pleasing drama
In subtle averted eyes
The swelling fermata
As the chord dies
There once was a time I was sure of the bond
When my hands and my tongue and my thoughts were enough
We are the same but our lives move along
And the third one between replaces what once was love
There's no denying we feel the third one
We do
I'm tired of hiding and so are you
There once was a time I was sure of the bond
When my hands and my tongue and my thoughts were enough
We are the same but our lives move along
And the third one between replaces what once was love
Comments (97)add comment
The arrangements are sometimes not that innovative, but her crystal clear lovely sensuous voice is a wonderful thing.
Come on Bill, how about some music instead of poetry. There is a whole world of music out there without it being overpowered by the human voice!
I really like her voice, but the lyrics here are just really depressing. She's describing a situation that doesn't have to be that awful; a little effort to maintain a relationship can go a long way, even with a "between".
Does she have a sister named Poona?
Getting close to the busking folk singer here (smelly cat et al).
I still dig her though, she has the voice to pull it off, so why not try the style...once?
I still dig her though, she has the voice to pull it off, so why not try the style...once?
mattt wrote:
Hm. Linus and Lucy is neither new age nor whiny, predictable only through familiarity, just maybe commercial by now, but in no way drivel.
So I don't get your point.
Good Grief! You'da thought that I backed over Snoopy.
The comment about whiny, predictable, new age drivel rubbed me the wrong way. I've seen Vienna Tang live and was really impressed with her music and her performance.
We all have our own tastes and that is what makes the world go around. But ituners harsh criticism of VT yet rating L & L a 10? How can one take that seriously? When did Ronald McDonald become a food critic!! oooooooooops, sorry!!
Hm. Linus and Lucy is neither new age nor whiny, predictable only through familiarity, just maybe commercial by now, but in no way drivel.
So I don't get your point.
Good Grief! You'da thought that I backed over Snoopy.
The comment about whiny, predictable, new age drivel rubbed me the wrong way. I've seen Vienna Tang live and was really impressed with her music and her performance.
We all have our own tastes and that is what makes the world go around. But ituners harsh criticism of VT yet rating L & L a 10? How can one take that seriously? When did Ronald McDonald become a food critic!! oooooooooops, sorry!!
felix_the_man wrote:
This comment coming from someone that gave Linus and Lucy a 10?
I gave the same rating, and love Linus. I wonder about someone that grew up with the Peanuts, not loving that song.
felix_the_man wrote:
This comment coming from someone that gave Linus and Lucy a 10?
Hm. Linus and Lucy is neither new age nor whiny, predictable only through familiarity, just maybe commercial by now, but in no way drivel.
So I don't get your point.
I really just can't stand this. I have tried. Something about her voice and the imagery she paints makes me want to turn it off.
*cringe*
Finding this so cloying and Celine Dionish.
This reminds me a little of Renaissance vocalist Annie Halsam.
excellent album! Another great discovery thanks to RP! 
felix_the_man wrote:
This comment coming from someone that gave Linus and Lucy a 10?
I'd rather listen to the joyous piano playing of Vince Guarldi's "Linus and Lucy" any day of the week than sitting through this.....Guaraldi's music is instantly recognizable and fresh....Vienna just makes me shrug my shoulders and go,"Eh..."
raulman1 wrote:
Annie Haslam of Renaissance.
Another one of my favorite female voices!
this is enough to make me slit my throat, good thing I turned it off....
There's a Disney movie soundtrack out there just waiting for this song.
felix_the_man wrote:
This comment coming from someone that gave Linus and Lucy a 10?
iTuner wrote:
New age whiny predictable commercial drivel.
This comment coming from someone that gave Linus and Lucy a 10?
ouch...
New age whiny predictable commercial drivel.
saw her in seattle, she is goood!!
Vienna Teng came to my state...but I was in Ohio that weekend....Boo Hiss.
I would have loved to see her in person.
seriously haters... girl has some real song writing skills and a great voice.
StuBotNYC wrote: Hilarious!
gosh, I feel my ovaries hum on this song- and I'm a 36 yo male!
Hilarious!
gets worse with every listening
She is awesome. 
Cuts through me like a knife. A blunt, rusty knife.
Beastie wrote:
...
I like this song and I will hear more from her, as per my fellow RP listener's advice. If she's the writer, she's got some serious talent, apart from a great voice.
... I do believe she does write her own everything and I totally agree with you, she has serious talent and is lusciously listenable ... ...
I like this song and I will hear more from her, as per my fellow RP listener's advice. If she's the writer, she's got some serious talent, apart from a great voice.
agreed borderlessworld wrote:
i think she's singing a pitch too high to be able to hold that tone and make it sound nice.
i think she's singing a pitch too high to be able to hold that tone and make it sound nice.
Love that voice. Very sublime.
Back again after clicking on Buy this now from Amazon.com and discovering that all of the tracks are very beautiful. The album has been reduced in price too. (Needless to say, it is in my shopping cart now!)
By the way, Vienna has another album available on Amazon.com (click here). After sampling that album, it too is now in my shopping cart!!! That album is listed here on RP too - (click here).
Back again after clicking on Buy this now from Amazon.com and discovering that all of the tracks are very beautiful. The album has been reduced in price too. (Needless to say, it is in my shopping cart now!)
By the way, Vienna has another album available on Amazon.com (click here). After sampling that album, it too is now in my shopping cart!!! That album is listed here on RP too - (click here).
Nine. 
She's awesome!!
She's awesome!!flandersdog wrote:
dental-office music
you should hear her and her band mates play Harbor live. Definitely not dental-office music.
We're lucky here in the San Francisco Bay Area -- since Vienna is based here, we get to hear her on one of our local FM stations (KFOG.) The sent me a new music sampler CD with one of her songs on it -- she's got a great voice -- and I agree with the comparisons to Annie Haslam of Renaissance. I saw them back in the 70's on the Sheherazade tour.Interesting tidbit. She used to be a programmer.
Mangoman wrote:
Do your ears work?
Probably not, he needs room for that HUGE Physicist brain... He's a genius I hear.. *eyeroll*
physicsgenius wrote:
No kidding--I thought it was Tori Amos at first!
Do your ears work?
This does absolutely nothing for me.
:-s
yashpheh wrote:
yuck! annoying voice.
No kidding--I thought it was Tori Amos at first!
yuck! annoying voice.
Marvellous!!!
Now that I think about it, you're right, it remains me of Renaissance too. (I love "Sheherazade and other stories" ;) )
Wow. Thanks for playing her, I'd never heard of her otherwise.
other1 wrote:
Reminds me of the progressive rock band Renaissance a lot
I was thinking the same thing about the Renaissance comparison. I used to love Annie Haslam voice when I was a teen, but I recently went back and re-listened to "Live at Carnegie Hall" and man did it sound so dated.
Regarding Teng, I have to admit I like a few of her tunes like "Harbor", although her music is so pretty that it stikes me as a bit bland. I guess she's matured from this, her first album, because this tune just reeks of trying way too hard.
Unlike Renaissance which sounds dated because the music is 30 years old, this tune manages to sound dated and it's only four years old.
dental-office music
First Jude Cole, then Vienna Teng? Awesome set Bill!
other1 wrote:
Reminds me of the progressive rock band Renaissance a lot.. I like..
Yeah, a mix of Renaissance and Lorena McKenitt. Nice
Bonus points for using the word "fermata" in a pop lyric... 
I really like this. She is very good... I'm glad to hear it on RP.
gosh, I feel my ovaries hum on this song- and I'm a 36 yo male!
Luthien wrote:
I 'm not fond of Vienna Tang's music at all. Ugh.
I am . And's it's all because of RP. I heared her here for the first time, and I so far did not regret buying two of her albums: "Waking Hour" and "Warm Strangers". Both have that nice transparent piano and her warm voice.
Reminds me of the progressive rock band Renaissance a lot.. I like..
she shouldn't be trying for that high note. ickles.
I 'm not fond of Vienna Tang's music at all. Ugh.
first hearing: pulled me right out of wherever it was i was. i like.....
anybody who's from the NYC area...she's playing tonight at Maxwell's in Hoboken...good place to see a show.
i don't think i like this song at all
I like it alot... and I'm not a chick.
.
Classic "chick" music, and I don't mean that as a compliment.
And I'm a chick.
aharamanx wrote:
Funny. The more times I hear this, the less I like it. :(
Me too, though I don't find it funny. :?
Thank you, RP, for tipping me to Vienna Teng! This song captivated me and I now have her CD, which is one of the more impressive debuts I\'ve ever heard. Pity I moved away from Minneapolis, because she recently played the 400 Bar there (a very cool small venue). But she\'s coming to Indy, and that\'s only 2 hours away from Cincinnati...
Wow - does she ever sound like Sandy Denny!
--Shari
good good song i will check this out.......
think it is nice for slow evening drives. 
Hi everybody. This is my first Radio Paradise forum post! (yay) :)
This song may not be the best Vienna Teng song ever,... in fact, now that I have her CD, it's one of the ones I listen to the least on the CD. (I still think it's good though.)
But, I must say: Something in listening to it for the first time on Radio Paradise about 2 months ago caught my ear, and, I had to find out more about her. What I discovered was that her music, to my ears (I'm a musician with classical training, a composer of pop music, a pianist, a singer,... all the things that Vienna is, except, she's published and I'm not!), made her simply the most AWESOME artist I've heard in a long time. When I first heard "Lullaby for a Stormy Night"--a song which is not on RP yet (hint, hint)--I couldn't stop listening to it for days. And once I got the CD, my new favorite, which is a very musically distinct, and impressive, song, is "Momentum" (also missing from RP). I realize that it could take some creative DJ-ing to mix these effectively into a playlist set.--I'm not sure what you play before and after them, besides, other Vienna Teng songs...
Anyway, the other comment I saw on here which I whole-heartedly agree with, is how good she is in concert. I flew out to Chicago to see her play (well, and to see friends as well, I had other reasons!), since I had missed her San Diego tour appearance (she came here about a week before I heard her on Radio Paradise), and, it was the most amazing concert I have ever been to. With just her voice and a digital piano, she filled up the room and had everybody mesmerized. Her stage performance is just as good as her studio recordings. How often do you find an artist like that?
Thanks, Radio Paradise, for playing such a variety of music that can give us all unique new-music experiences unlike anything we could find elsewhere.
--David
Why do I feel like I\'m watching some boring art-house film when I hear this ??
She just does _not_ hit those notes and the higher harmonies dont help the situation.
One of the few vocal bits on RP that makes me cringe... :(
She\'s better than most, too many critics not enough listening 
Originally Posted by rgrace:
No passion, no sense of ever having paid any dues. More a sense of having had all struggles or obstacles in life magically disappear. Guess she never had to live in her car and eat hot dogs and beans (or just beans) just to play music. Nice but vapid. 
Is the work of an artist who has never starved any less worthwhile by default? This seems silly to me.
It has no edge...it\'s too slick for me.
I love her voice and music, and as the last person noted, the clarity of the lyric. As far as this one being overplayed... well yesterday when I tuned in I just missed hearing.... a different Vienna Teng song. Just checked and Bill\'s got 5 of hers in the mix.
And as for some kind of reverse snobbery about not having paid her dues, had it too easy , not meeting our expectations etc: Believing in reincarnation of a kind as I do , when I come across an artist with the air of a young goddess, in looks or voice, who was born into very privileged or unique circumstances
(Audrey Hepburn say, or Uma Thurman), I consider it a manifestation of their positive karma from past births, and try not to hold it against them. 
;)
;)No passion, no sense of ever having paid any dues. More a sense of having had all struggles or obstacles in life magically disappear. Guess she never had to live in her car and eat hot dogs and beans (or just beans) just to play music. Nice but vapid.
There once was a time I really enjoyed this song. Now I\'m growing somewhat weary of it--still like it, but would love it if someone uploaded at least another cut.
Gave it a 7 but I think it\'d go up with a couple more listens.. I like the offbeat percussion.. Changes the track entirely
She will last. Thought in her music. Keep playing her work Radioparadise!
Hey, not bad. The Tori similarities are there, maybe that\'s what I like about this song.
The vocals are a little too precious sounding for my taste, the music a little too easy-listening... pretty for the sake of prettiness. I wouldn\'t mind hearing it once in a while, but lately it seems to be in heavy rotation -- which pushes it from boring to annoying.
Yeah, I guess I prefer the passion and grittiness of a good Tori song. ;)
Originally Posted by Blackjack:
A very pretty song, and it's pretty good. It's missing something, though, that could make it really, really good, but I don't know what that something is.
I think that it's an incredible song, but what keeps it from being a high-scorer is that it's a bit over-produced. Everything is too perfect -- it gives it an almost Yanni-esque flavor to the music. And although her voice is beautiful, it lacks the emotional muscle that Tori ably wields.
Still, a fantastic song. That sweeping chorus inspires me to turn my volume all the way down.
Very nice voice! Definitely should play more from her album. 
Pretty song, reminds me of Renaissance, but way better.
She\'s got an excellent voice; I\'m not sure what I think of the song. Seemed a little overdone, perhaps. Looking forward to hearing more from her.
Nice. Gotta try to get this album.
A very pretty song, and it's pretty good. It's missing something, though, that could make it really, really good, but I don't know what that something is.
I liked that. It was unexpected and quite good. Thanks Bill. Play that one again sometime.
Does she have a sister named Poona?
Rather, rather....