![]() Warm Strangers (2004) [ larger cover art ] |
So far, so good
You're coming to the bend at the end of the road
You put a hand to the belly that's foreign more
With every day like an oversize load
And you're thinking about clouds the color of fire
And the scent of an orange peel
The way Mount Shasta explodes into windshield view
And your hands steady on the wheel
So far, so good
Coffee motel coffee diner coffee, go on
Styrofoam is drying like the tears that once did flow
Starting 10 o'clock and ending at dawn
And you can't go back but you're going back
And you don't know what you'll say
You've got half-formed sentences
Explanations for a life half-broken away
And they just may
They'll take you in their arms and then take out their knives
So you drive on thinking
So far, so good
But you can't go on much longer like this you know
You're all alone in this world no that's not true
The nice Christian lady told you so
She was handing out pamphlets by the clinic door
Saying, "Jesus knows what you've been through
Take the Savior into your heart my child
There's love waiting for the both of you"
Well, you don't believe but you have to believe
It's still crumpled there in your back seat
Were you the hero or the worst kind of coward back there
Putting pavement back under your feet
Couldn't stand the heat
Couldn't stand the thought of ghosts with a negative age
Turn the page
OK
So far so good
You try to sing along to the radio
But it's not your language, not your song
It's from some other time ago
And you're thinking about how someone died that day
The you that was so carefully planned
But then again maybe this life is like a sleeping mountain
Waking up to shape the land
Calm, calm, let it come, let it come back to you
Calm, calm, breathe on out, you know you know what to do
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: May 18, 2013 - 20:34 Everybody in my church loves this beautiful song... |
| WonderLizard (2,755.46 mi. due east of Paradise) | Posted: Oct 11, 2012 - 06:56 I love this. I also like her artistic range, from the deeply introspective "Blue Caravan" to something more accessible like this. |
| OCDHG (High on a mountain) | Posted: Sep 09, 2012 - 17:25 MojoJojo wrote: Seems much more "soda poppy" or "bubble gummy" than what I remember hearing from her... Are you kidding?? She's always been made of bubble gum and kittens and unicorns. Guh. Blech! |
| TJS (Bradley, Il) | Posted: Aug 09, 2012 - 05:55 Beautiful melody but preachy lyrics like this make me PSD. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Mar 03, 2012 - 23:00 marvelous... love this song... |
| cohifi (Denver) | Posted: Mar 03, 2012 - 22:53 7 |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Dec 31, 2011 - 12:00 Everybody in my hotel room loves this song... |
| Carl (The Summit City) | Posted: Nov 29, 2011 - 18:17 grungepuppy wrote: I like it. She has a great voice and doesn't overdo it with histrionics. Simple, but enough going on vocally to really keep my interest, especially when the volume is up and I can hear the subtle nuances that she adds. Agree. We got to see her at an intimate venue here last summer. Just she and her piano and sampling machine, a la Imogen Heap. She has great audience interaction (helped by us being at a table a few feet away) and puts on a wonderful show—very natural and engaging. What a talent! |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Sep 27, 2011 - 10:40 I'll dance to this... |
| AndreasL (Calden, Germany) | Posted: Jun 25, 2011 - 05:10 I saw her-LIVE- in Kassel, Germany at "Kasseler Kulturzelt" in 2010. She and her percussionist are so good. The evening was magic! |
| peter_james_bond (West Of The Burg) | Posted: Mar 22, 2011 - 16:30 grungepuppy wrote: I like it. She has a great voice and doesn't overdo it with histrionics. Simple, but enough going on vocally to really keep my interest, especially when the volume is up and I can hear the subtle nuances that she adds. And I'm with you. |
| mvanderford60 | Posted: Mar 22, 2011 - 10:50 The men don't seem to be able to hear the lyrics on this — not boring at all, considering current efforts to socialize the uterus. dig it boyz - if the government can own one organ, they own them all |
| sirdroseph (Yes) | Posted: Mar 22, 2011 - 10:48 t00lur wrote: i hate vienna tang, i rated 1 all her fucking songs hahahah! I am with you in spirit! |
| grungepuppy (Flagstaff, AZ) | Posted: Mar 22, 2011 - 10:45 I like it. She has a great voice and doesn't overdo it with histrionics. Simple, but enough going on vocally to really keep my interest, especially when the volume is up and I can hear the subtle nuances that she adds. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Mar 22, 2011 - 10:44 She rocks... excellent... |
| t00lur | Posted: Jul 21, 2010 - 10:18 i hate vienna tang, i rated 1 all her fucking songs hahahah! |
| SirLars (London, ON) | Posted: May 18, 2010 - 07:45 Hinkamp wrote: sort of like Tori Amos without the attitude... not that attitude isn't good sometimes. not exactly a glowing recommendation. hoping this stream gets a little better soon! |
| mandolin (...drifting...) | Posted: Mar 13, 2009 - 07:49 ...a lot of vienna teng's early vocals sound slightly flat to my ears; i don't have her more recent albums for comparison... |
| Hannio (Austin, TX) | Posted: Mar 13, 2009 - 07:49 Hinkamp wrote: sort of like Tori Amos without the attitude.... ...which makes her uninteresting. Nice and uplifting, maybe, but not particularly engaging. |
| dunno (somewhere between here and over there) | Posted: Dec 08, 2008 - 12:07 holborne wrote: Vienna Teng is sort of a funny name. I used to work in Vienna for several years (unfortunately not in her). ![]() Hinkamp wrote: sort of like Tori Amos without the attitude... not that attitude isn't good sometimes. yep, that was also my first thought - tori amos finally tuned it down a bit. anyway, can't wait to hear this song again on RP. |
| anotherlistener | Posted: Dec 08, 2008 - 11:57 This one is definitely growing on me. 8 —-> 9 |
| nigelr (Coffs Harbour, Australia) | Posted: Nov 06, 2008 - 23:07 rah wrote: i had never paid much attention to the lyrics before just now — i have a better respect for this song now. listen. Agreed. Wonderful. |
| holborne (New York) | Posted: Oct 06, 2008 - 08:53 Vienna Teng is sort of a funny name. But anyway, I like this song, so I give it an 8 — 7 for the song and 1 for the funny name. |
| Kittee (NC- Dreaming of the Mountains) | Posted: Oct 06, 2008 - 08:51 Blue Caravan and The Tower - Check those out by her, you will never be the same. Love her music, and she also has alot of her songs available to listen to on her website. Just google her. ![]() |
| 1wolfy (Mission Viejo California) | Posted: May 01, 2008 - 15:43 Yes, you are in for some beautiful music !agbar713 wrote: I love this. It's the first time that I've heard her. She seems extremely talented. Kinda reminds me of something you would hear on the Apple commercials but not over-produced and much, much better. I say an 8 for now but I suspect it'll grow on me. |
| agbar713 (The great Nibu-bu) | Posted: Mar 31, 2008 - 03:51 I love this. It's the first time that I've heard her. She seems extremely talented. Kinda reminds me of something you would hear on the Apple commercials but not over-produced and much, much better. I say an 8 for now but I suspect it'll grow on me. |
| Ubaldo (Hurricane Alley, FL -- Inside the Cone) | Posted: Jan 28, 2008 - 05:08 Just about all of her songs are fantastic. |
| brownbrown (Richmond, VA) | Posted: Nov 26, 2007 - 09:19 VERY tori amos. |
| inindian (Victor to Port) | Posted: Jul 23, 2007 - 16:54 Hinkamp wrote: sort of like Tori Amos without the attitude... not that attitude isn't good sometimes.
This is good, attitude is OK in the right situation and dose, Tori Amos never! |
| haljordan | Posted: Jun 22, 2007 - 06:35 I really like this song. It's a refreshingly different take on the subject. |
| ulibcn (Barcelona Spain) | Posted: Apr 20, 2007 - 09:37 meghan89 wrote: This could be a jingle for a cheese commercial.
not bad... although I hope the cheese offered is a good one. The song deserves it. Very nice! |
| dogpound (yes sur, big sur) | Posted: Apr 20, 2007 - 09:34 MojoJojo wrote: Seems much more "soda poppy" or "bubble gummy" than what I remember hearing from her...
yes, way too tori |
| MojoJojo (Indianapolis, IN USA) | Posted: Feb 13, 2007 - 18:20 Seems much more "soda poppy" or "bubble gummy" than what I remember hearing from her... |
| godspeed (Fiji) | Posted: Dec 31, 2006 - 21:20 you go girl.... |
| brighteyedblasphemer (Cadillac, MI) | Posted: Nov 03, 2006 - 13:41 "Hay, this song is about Mt. Shasta, CA!" Or is it about obscure generic soda? Try that one on for size. :) Oh, and I truly enjoy ms. teng's music. |
| Hinkamp (Planet Utah) | Posted: Nov 03, 2006 - 13:32 sort of like Tori Amos without the attitude... not that attitude isn't good sometimes. |
| Roverfish (Tucson, AZ - Thanks for visiting...now go home!) | Posted: Jun 11, 2006 - 08:39 number6 wrote: Only metaphorically. Check out the lyrics. This is an amazingly touching song about choosing/not choosing to have an abortion.
I particularly like this telling line: were you the hero or the worst kind of coward back there
putting pavement back under your feet couldn't stand the heat couldn't stand the thought of ghosts with a negative age She put on a nice performance at ACL Fest last year. Likeable, if not excellent tune. |
| Whirlpool (Uranus) | Posted: May 27, 2006 - 18:26 Like her voice. She has a lot of nice songs. |
| number6 | Posted: Mar 30, 2006 - 10:05 pdxguy wrote: Hay, this song is about Mt. Shasta, CA!
Only metaphorically. Check out the lyrics. This is an amazingly touching song about choosing/not choosing to have an abortion. |
| Ubaldo (Hurricane Alley, FL) | Posted: Mar 30, 2006 - 10:03 I really like this young talented lady. |
| pdxguy (Portland, Oregon) | Posted: Mar 30, 2006 - 10:01 Hay, this song is about Mt. Shasta, CA! I grew up there, its about 2 hours from Paradise, CA. Awsome - go Vienna! |
| th3boon (chicago) | Posted: Mar 30, 2006 - 09:59 not sure how much I like this song, but that was a great transition from gomez's see the world |
| meghan89 (between 2 vertices) | Posted: Feb 14, 2006 - 07:09 traveyes wrote: I have the CD. It's a really pretty, mellow song. Unsure how she arrived at the name. Lyrics here I really like the CD. . Nice job with the link to the lyrics. Well done, well done my man |
| meghan89 (between 2 vertices) | Posted: Feb 14, 2006 - 07:08 This could be a jingle for a cheese commercial. |
| kanadan (here) | Posted: Feb 14, 2006 - 07:07 NewFee wrote: Ms. Teng has a lovely voice. Anyone else catch a hint of Maggie Reilly in Mike Oldfield's "Moonlight Shadow"
for sure, eh |
| Koan (Traunna, Canuckistan) | Posted: Jan 30, 2006 - 14:12 I can't help wishing Bill would warn us in advance that he's going to play a Vienna Teng track and also give us the track time. Then I'd have a few minutes to find something from my catalogue of mp3s to play just for the duration of Teng's song. |
| Machiavelli (San Diego, CA) | Posted: Jan 30, 2006 - 13:57 LesFromStJ wrote: Too pop-tunish... hardly intelligent rock.
Try reading the lyrics and then decide if this is "hardly intelligent rock". Granted you may not find it as "intelligent" as the B-52's Planet Claire, but this is hardly typical pop fluff. |
| NewFee (Toronto (ex-St. John's)) | Posted: Jan 30, 2006 - 13:56 Ms. Teng has a lovely voice. Anyone else catch a hint of Maggie Reilly in Mike Oldfield's "Moonlight Shadow" |
| traveyes (Southern Oregon) | Posted: Jan 30, 2006 - 13:56 trekhead wrote: I'm thinking of buying this. What is that 'ATHEIST CHRISTMAS CAROL' all about?
I have the CD. It's a really pretty, mellow song. Unsure how she arrived at the name. Lyrics here I really like the CD. . |
| jayladdin (New York City) | Posted: Jan 01, 2005 - 12:53 Bill, you must read my mind. During the Hem song, three songs ago, I was thinking to myself, "I'd love to hear Shasta by Vienna Teng." You rock. :) |


