Light On

Album: Heard It In A Past Life (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • When Maggie Rogers presented her song "Alaska" to Pharrell Williams during a masterclass with students at NYU, little did she realize her life was about to change. A video showing the visibly moved producer listening to the tune went viral and the young singer became famous overnight. This song finds Rogers singing about the weight of that moment and her anxiety in the face of her sudden rise to fame.

    Would you believe me now
    If I told you I got caught up in a wave?
    Almost gave it away
    Would you hear me out
    If I told you I was terrified for days?
    Thought I was gonna break


    Rogers explained the background to the track in an Instagram post. "This is a song about gratitude. it's the most vulnerable I've ever felt in a song. It's about how overwhelmed and scared I was during all that change, but mostly about all the light you gave me when I couldn't always find it for myself."
  • Somewhat ironically, considering its subject matter, this song achieved a landmark in Rogers' music career. It became her first #1 on a Billboard chart, when it rose to the top spot of the Adult Alternative Songs tally dated January 12, 2019.
  • Maggie Rogers told the BBC she wanted to describe in the song what it was like being in the middle of such a huge change in her life. "Because that's where I was," she said. "I was in the eye of the storm for a long time. I needed a second to figure who I was."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in Rock

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in RockSong Writing

We ring the Hell's Bells to see what songs and rockers are sincere in their Satanism, and how much of it is an act.

Kiss

KissFact or Fiction

Kiss is the subject of many outlandish rumors - some of which happen to be true. See if you can spot the fakes.

Danny Kortchmar

Danny KortchmarSongwriter Interviews

Danny played guitar on Sweet Baby James, Tapestry, and Running On Empty. He also co-wrote many hit songs, including "Dirty Laundry," "Sunset Grill" and "Tender Is The Night."