Standing Still

Album

This Way

Label

Atlantic Records

Genre

Folk-pop

Composer(s)

Jewel Kilcher;Rick Nowels

Entered Chart

Nov 17, 2001

Peak Date

Feb 16, 2002

Released

September 24, 2001

Recorded

Studio Ocean Way Emerald Entertainment The Sound Kitchen (Nashville, Tennessee)

Catalog #

Atlantic Album Cut

B-Side

"Grey Matter" (live)

This song, co-written by Rick Nowels, means several things. It's about Jewel's music career standing still. Also, it's about her love life standing still because of her career. "It's a very poetic song that became a hit," Nowels told Songwriter Universe. "I think people are drawn to lyrical depth and three-dimensional ideas. Jewel is a proper poet." "Standing Still" was the first single from Jewel's third album, This Way, released in 2001. She was just 27 but had been making music since she was a teenager. Her first album, Pieces Of You, came in 1995 when she was 20. It very slowly found a following and eventually sold over 12 million copies just in America. Her next album, Spirit, came in 1998 and included the hit "Hands." My most measures it was a striking success, but compared with the gaudy sales of her hit-laden debut, it was a disappointment. That feeling that she was being passed by went into "Standing Still." The song did well but Jewel's sound was out of favor in 2001, when dance-pop was all the rage. Still, she retained lots of loyal fans that continued to enjoy her music. Jewel's boyfriend, rodeo star Ty Murray, appears in the video, which was directed by Darren Grant. While touring to support the album, Jewel took some time off at Murray's ranch in Texas, where she was thrown from a horse and badly injured, breaking a rib and her collar bone. She resumed her tour ahead of schedule, but still missed about a month. Jewel and Murray got married in 2008 but divorced in 2014. This song was heavily promoted on the AOL Music channel as the service launched their "Artist Of The Month" feature with Jewel. AOL users downloaded the video over 300,000 times in October 2001, which was a lot back then when bandwidth was limited. "Standing Still" was featured on the TV series Bates Motel in the 2013 episode "Nice Town You Picked Norma..." It was also used on the 2001 Smallville episode "Cool." All of Jewel's previous singles were re-worked with new arrangements, vocals, or other edits for radio release. "Standing Still" was her first single that didn't change from the album version.

Cuttin' through the darkest night in my two headlights
Trying to keep it clear, but I'm losing it here to the twilight
There's a dead end to my left, there's a burning bush to my right
You aren't in sight, you aren't in sight

Do you want me, like I want you?
Or am I standing still, beneath the darkened sky?
Or am I standing still, with the scenery flying by?
Or am I standing still, out of the corner of my eye?
Was that you passing me by?

Mothers on the stoop, boys in souped-up coupes on this hot summer night
Between fight and flight is the blind man's sight and the choice that's right
I roll the window down, feel like I'm gonna drown in this strange town
Feel broken down, I feel broken down

Do you need me, like I need you?
Or am I standing still, beneath the darkened sky?
Or am I standing still, with the scenery flying by?
Or am I standing still, out of the corner of my eye?
Was that you passing me by?

Sweet sorrow is the call tomorrow
Sweet sorrow is the call tomorrow

Do you love me, like I love you?
Or am I standing still, beneath the darkened sky?
Or am I standing still, with the scenery flying by?
Or am I standing still, out of the corner of my eye?
Was that you passing me by?
Are you passing me by? (Passing me by)
Do you want me? (Passing me by)
Do you need me, like I need you too?
And do you want me, like I want you?
Are you passing me by?