Suzanne Vega — Soap and Water
Album: Songs In Red And GrayAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 408
Length: 2:55
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Soap and water
take the day from my hand
scrub the salt from my stinging skin
slip me loose of this wedding band
Soap and water
hang my heart on a line
scour it down in a wind of sand
bleach it clean to a vinegar shine
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a headful of bees
you are my little kite
carried away in a wayward breeze
Soap and water
take the year from my life
Straighten all that we trampled and tore
heal the cut we called husband and wife
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a handful of thorns
you are my little kite
caught up again in the household storms
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a headful of bees
you are my little kite
carried away in the wayward breeze
take the day from my hand
scrub the salt from my stinging skin
slip me loose of this wedding band
Soap and water
hang my heart on a line
scour it down in a wind of sand
bleach it clean to a vinegar shine
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a headful of bees
you are my little kite
carried away in a wayward breeze
Soap and water
take the year from my life
Straighten all that we trampled and tore
heal the cut we called husband and wife
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a handful of thorns
you are my little kite
caught up again in the household storms
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a headful of bees
you are my little kite
carried away in the wayward breeze
Comments (36)add comment
Nice!
this entire album is beautiful and thoughtful, and was a lifesaver during a difficult time.
My rating is only 7
Despite the dreary topic of divorce I find this one of her best...
calray wrote:
I think it's pretty funny when someone uses a juvenile word like "lame" as a criticism of someone else's writing skills.
i thought the lyrics were really lame
I think it's pretty funny when someone uses a juvenile word like "lame" as a criticism of someone else's writing skills.
bad transition from a nice Rockabilly tune to a ballad... the change of rhythm is too abrupt. The song is nice and her voice is as well, but I don't like it much when the mood switches so quickly. I still rate the song and not the sequence, she deserves a good 6 and probably more at next hearing ...
RobRyan wrote:
Yes Sir!
I think she's one of the most innovative, original, and creative talents around, musically and lyrically. I don't know of a single "10" I've given her, but never lower than an "8" either.
Yes Sir! veegez wrote:
Lyrics about Suzanne's young (less than 7 years of age) daughter (Ruby) caught in between Mommy and Daddy's squabbles/divorce. No relevance for you? Consider yourself lucky.
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a handful of thorns
you are my little kite
caught up again in the household storms
Yup. Lame.
Lyrics about Suzanne's young (less than 7 years of age) daughter (Ruby) caught in between Mommy and Daddy's squabbles/divorce. No relevance for you? Consider yourself lucky.
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a handful of thorns
you are my little kite
caught up again in the household storms
Yup. Lame.
Very nice.
She always seems to work with talented producers and engineers - the sound is always so full yet so clean. I've always found her voice and lyrics to be evocative as well. One of my favorite artists, obviously!
Sadly, I had stepped out of my office and only caught the end of this song. But she's wonderful and I'm glad RP plays a variety of her stuff.
Reminds me a little bit of Merril Bainbridge. Nice listen. 
On_The_Beach wrote:
Cool photo.
I agree. She looks great with long hair.
quite wonderful!!!
calray wrote:
i thought the lyrics were really lame
agreed, but then different lyrics touch different people in different ways. My parents never divorced, so I don't relate so much.
My parents divorced when I was 10. I now have a 7-year-old daughter (my marriage is in no danger, thank goodness).
This is a very emotional song for me. I can really relate to it, and it really twists my heart into a knot... every single time I hear it.
Nice song.
Cool photo.
I think she's one of the most innovative, original, and creative talents around, musically and lyrically. I don't know of a single "10" I've given her, but never lower than an "8" either.
I think this is one of her best!
iransofaraway wrote:
See you've just joined! Enjoy the wonderful experience! 
I just love this track. Never really get tired of it.
Welcome to RP! See you've just joined! Enjoy the wonderful experience!
meloman wrote:
Hi!
These lyrics are pure pop poetry. Very effective and evocative. Lame? No, far from it.
... pop poetry, I like that!
Hi!
I just love this track. Never really get tired of it.
calray wrote:
i thought the lyrics were really lame
These lyrics are pure pop poetry. Very effective and evocative. Lame? No, far from it.
Not someone you want a steady diet of, but the one thing that she did was show me that you could write a poppy upbeat sounding song with a sad message... Luka I thought it was a bold move at the time.
OnYourLeft wrote:
I saw her in a club in 1985 in Iowa. She was on her way to New York for her first album debut. 17 people. I thought the crowd was too big for her talent.
I've never understood her popularity. That of course, is just an opinion. More power to you if you like her. I personally just don't get it. I'd rather listen to Julie Miller.
Like many artists, if we're lucky, every effort of theirs may contain a few gems and over the years that's how I've seen S. Vega. Personally, I consider that song a gem.
I saw her in a club in 1985 in Iowa. She was on her way to New York for her first album debut. 17 people. I thought the crowd was too big for her talent.
I've never understood her popularity. That of course, is just an opinion. More power to you if you like her. I personally just don't get it. I'd rather listen to Julie Miller.
A very, very sad but apt description of divorce and the remaining victims and as usual with S. Vega extremely well stated...
She is soooo good! This album is great cover to cover!!
Thank you B&R
Thank you B&R
ha ha that is funny :)mrselfdestruct wrote:
Saaailing! Take me awaaaaay! To where I....
Lyrics are available on the Rusted Pipe fansite.
As to the significance of the lyrics: from an audio interview at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, in her own words:
That was the first song that I had written, and it was hard to sing at first, and I found that the melody was really sad.
I tried to put the truth of what I had been experiencing into a song, but not make it too sentimental.
I wanted the ideas to be clear in it - the idea of the woman washing things and setting things in order, setting things straight and cleaning up what had gone before.
And then the idea of the Daddy being a dark riddle and the Mama with the head full of bees. I wasn't sure if it would all work, but I think in the end it does seem to and people seem to really respond to that one.
I was thinking of Ruby, and she noticed that. She was listening to the song one day and she looked at me and said, "Am I your little kite, in the song?" and I said yeah, I said that she was. She listened to it but she didn't seem to think it was so terribly sad and I was glad about that because I didn't want her to be upset by it.
calray wrote:
i thought the lyrics were really lame
Lyrics about Suzanne's young (less than 7 years of age) daughter (Ruby) caught in between Mommy and Daddy's squabbles/divorce. No relevance for you? Consider yourself lucky.
Daddy's a dark riddle
Mama's a handful of thorns
you are my little kite
caught up again in the household storms
hcaudill wrote:
I've always loved the lyrics to this song.
i thought the lyrics were really lame
A sweet, sad song.
Saaailing! Take me awaaaaay! To where I....
I've always loved the lyrics to this song.
Agreed, people who have not lived through similar experiences are fortunate, but that they lack much empathy or imagination - is simply sad. This song hits close to home, interpreted from a child daughter's POV - Daddy is a Suicide, Mom's a Neurotic Wreck and big Brother (6) is a Kite - letting them Fly for moments.. Carried wayward as he grows older.