This is vintage Shawn. I appreciate Shawn's uplifting lyrics (and who needs demons on their back ?).  So, the title "Bitter Tears" didn't put me off, and, like "Something to Believe In", this song could loose a cannon.  Shawn keeps a healthy distance from the self-help genre, but I have no such compunctions, and I wrote some extra verses to make its essence more explicit.  

Here's to Shawn! 


Bitter Tears (Shawn Mullins, 1996)

look away, 
look away from the past 
think ahead, 
think ahead so you'll last another day 
and the days are so long 
and you'll get by 
but gettin' by is just another way to say half dead 
and you think you'd rather live your life instead 
of just gettin' by 
don't you know, 
don't you know it's bound to keep you up all night 
wonderin' where and how it all went wrong that night 
it all went wrong 
so keep in mind 
keep in mind you're not to blame 
bitter tears 
bitter tears can fall like rain 
on your fields 
and those fields need that rain 
so look away 
and think ahead 
and live your life 
and cry those tears 
cry bitter tears... 


Interpretation (David Torney, 2008)


and when you turn
when you turn the page to the landscape that awaits,
you'll thank the steps which led you to its gates.
it waits for you.
and have no fear.
with watchfulness and care, your set ways can mend;
and servitude you may also transcend.
so have no fear.
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Been a fan for ages but only recently bought some of his early stuff. Why did I wait so long . FANTASTIC
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His first masterpiece, full of great guitar work, sung in a voice that justifies itself the meaning of the word "soulful", marked by some of the best melodies and some of the more captivating stories heard in years. From the talkin' of Salt Lake City, 1973 to the aching recollections of Joshua, My Ship and Where's Johnny, not to forget a stunning version of Kris Kristofferson Darby's Castle and a sparse (still REALLY moving) first rendition of Shimmer, not a single note, a sing-along or a chorus sounds out of place. Great cd, and a great songwriter too.
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This is among my favorite Shawn Mullins' CDs. It is a true showcase for his voice, as he is accompanied mainly by his acoustic guitar. The version of Shimmer on this album is truly sublime-just Shawn and his acoustic guitar, sounding absolutely awesome. Another song I love on Eggshells is Where's Johnny. I recently saw Shawn perform this one in concert, and it blew everyone away-including myself! If you love pure, acoustic music, sung by a talented singer/songwriter, please pick up Eggshells!
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