INSIDE SILVIA
(words and music by Rick Springfield) 

I love that look comes in your eyes when we're all alone 
And it's much too late for friends to come calling 
I disconnect the phone 
And I put on the radio and I take her and I talk real low 
And I hold her tight and soon I'm dancing in the night

Inside Silvia, oh Silvia, yeah, yeah, Silvia 
I know my love is alive 
Inside Silvia, yeah Silvia, oh Silvia, oh

Sometimes you get so crazy,  I know it's all in your mind 
And right in the middle of the night, I see just what you need 
And they say that love is blind 
And I hold you til the feelings come 
But sometimes when the lovin's done 
I see a scared little girl 
Afraid of the woman

Inside Silvia, yeah Silvia, oh Silvia,  
I know my love is alive 
Inside Silvia, yeah Silvia, oh Silvia, oh

Though the world can rage and storm 
There's still one harbor where I'm safe and warm

It's when I'm Inside Silvia, yeah Silvia, oh Silvia, oh 
Inside Silvia, yeah Silvia, oh Silvia, oh
Inside Silvia, oh Silvia, 
I know my love is alive 
Inside Silvia, yeah Silvia, oh Silvia, oh
Inside Silvia......

(total playing time: 4:43)

SONG FACTS:

Rick  re-recorded this song for the Greatest Hits Alive Video.
Rick performs this song often at concerts.

It appears on the following releases:
Working Class Dog, Legendary,  Anthology (written in rock), and Working Class Dog Expanded Edition

 According to US

This has to be the song that most displays my basic clueless naïve nature about innuendo because when I first had WCD I had no clue to other possible meanings of "Inside Silvia". Years later when I was listening to the albums again and all the innuendo was clicking this song stunned me the most. I think "Inside Silvia" does have a double meaning but now at least I can see both sides! I've always liked this song because of the ethereal feeling it has and the breathless way Rick sings it. 

As for the double meaning, I feel Rick is referencing the feelings and thoughts inside Silvia's head or heart at times. Particularly with the line 'I see a scared little girl / Afraid of the woman'. But then there are spots when the intention is entirely different, like in "It’s when I’m inside Silvia". I suppose that's not even innuendo is it? But then there are lyrics where the intention could go either way, as with what is actually my favorite lyric in the song: "Though the world can rage and storm / There's still one harbor where I'm safe and warm". You can take that as in Silvia’s company he feels he has a safe harbor OR of course you can take it that Silvia is actually the safe harbor. Yes that’s as far as I'm taking that one. 

My one little gripe with the song would be that he says Silvia a LOT, granted if my name were Silvia I'd love that part. Overall I adore this song, it's just so sweet, beautiful and perhaps good to hear about a relationship that seems to be working out. - Jen H.

This is such a sweet love song. When I first heard this song I was of course completely aware of the meaning of what he was saying"Inside Silvia" being that I was in my 20's. I was shocked though that he was so blunt about it. lol.  I was however also mildly surprised that a guy would put into words that feeling when your so in love that nothing else
exists. I thought it was very brave of him and sweet .He was obviously very much in love with this girl (Silvia?). I guess I'm just too
curious, but I do wonder what happened with them? I really like the music,it has that another-world quality to it.I think it provides the perfect background for the lyrics. -  Elizabeth S.

"I love that look that comes in your eyes when we're all alone" Sigh...Exactly the words a girl wants to hear from a man like Rick. Excluding all the reasons why I love Jessie's Girl, this has got to be my favorite song on this album. I think my hearing/listening to this song exceeds the millionth-time mark, and I'm not joking. I had gotten into the habit of putting my walkman headphones on when I went to bed and would fall asleep listening to Rick, because growing up in my house meant there was usually an argument after we kids went to bed, and I would rather have Rick singing in my ear then to listen to my parents screaming at each other. I would try to never fall asleep until I had heard this song...it's melodies are so soothing. Even when Rick is not singing, it is beautiful to me. Then my walkman would go CLICK very loudly since this was the last song, and wake me up briefly if I had fallen asleep. I'd then remove my headphones and drift back into dreamland. You have no idea how many headphones I ended up twisting into god-awful shapes on those nights that I didn't hear the click. 

I cannot even pick out a specific line that is my favorite, because all the words are so meaningful - in my opinion it is a true love song. When I was thirteen, I thought this was the most wonderful love song I had ever heard. Now in my thirties, I still think this is one of the most wonderful love songs I've ever heard. :-)

Of course, it took me a while to pick up the sexual innuendoes throughout...;-) Let's just say I was pretty naive about that stuff until that sex ed class in school. If I had to pick one that stands out for me, it would be "...and I hold you, until the feelings come/but sometimes when the lovin's done...I see a scared little girl afraid of the woman" For a girl who had not, uh let's say - experienced any of that yet, I certainly could identify with this part of the song. I so wanted to be in love with a guy like Rick who would understand how scary that whole sex thing is the first time around. I still love this line. Just the slight change in his voice, and how the words come out whisper-y make me all mushy inside. 

The first time I saw Rick live, in 1982 in Detroit he performed this song. Now, I was already on cloud 9 because, #1...I was in the SAME ROOM as Rick Springfield. #2... It was actually HIM down there on that stage. (and I kept saying that over and over again " I can't believe it's really him" ..until my friend smacked me) #3...He performed Inside Silvia. Until that point, I had no idea he could play keyboards. I still have the image in my head of a sweaty Rick, with his suit shirt sleeves rolled up, tie loosened (but still on) sitting down and singing this song with all the emotion heard on the record. Eyes closed, slight falsetto in the voice... (there are times like this I wish I could just take you all into my brain - it is much more vivid than what I can express here) I cried, I was so filled with emotion. My friend that went with me to the show could not believe I had tears in my eyes. (disclaimer: I am by nature a very "soppy" person - those damn Hallmark commercials make me cry every time) I told her it was because I fell in love with Rick Springfield, right then and there. Of course, we're thirteen...we are going to fall in love again a hundred times with other singer/actors/celebrities, right? Not me, I'm a pretty monogamous fan :-) Yep, still lovin' him after all these years. For me, there is no other. "There's still one harbor where I'm safe and warm" - Michelle P.

This song, it is so multifaceted. I have always loved it, but it confused me. Some days I swore it was exceptionally spiritual, then other days I would swear it was raw eroticism. It was not until I heard that he wrote this while being a part of a "Life Experiences" group that it all came together for me, and the light bulb went on! 

Spiritually speaking, I think many of these lines come from the "Life Experiences" sessions and the non-physical communication he had with Silvia. Lines such as:
"I love that look comes into your eyes when we're all alone"
"I disconnect the phone" 
"I know my love is alive, Inside Silvia..." 
"Sometimes you get so crazy, I know it's all in your mind"
"I see a scared little girl, afraid of the woman..."
"Though the world can rage and storm..."

...these lines exemplify what you feel when involved with structured or group efforts for spiritual attainment. You do get to know people, their fears, their comforts, and it goes beyond the physical. For some who are insightful enough, its a way to look into the soul of another without being arrested. It is an unsaid invitation. It is also a safe environment for you yourself to release the guards your have over your own vulnerability. These types of retreats are all about rising above the physical to the spiritual, and THIS is where it gets interesting. 

Rick is also a very physical guy. We know how important his spiritual quest is to him. He meditates daily to center himself. I think that this song took his spiritual moments from "Life Experiences", and the (non-physical) connection he had with Silvia...and these memories festered and morphed into his mind...turning from a relationship based on spirituality to one of fantasy. This was the synergistic effect of the sessions and his deep sexual drive, or...the spiritual-physical struggle. What do you do when your head is filled with elements of both worlds? Well, if you are Rick, you write a song. 

The following lines, I believe, are the result of the fantasies he held in his head, all of which are a derivative from the spiritual moments:

"And I hold her tight and soon I'm dancing in the night..." (often when Rick makes reference to any form of dance/dancing, it is in reference to the act of making love) 
"And I hold you till the feelings come" (self explanatory - a reference to an orgasm)
"There's still one harbor where I'm safe and warm" (well my doctor never called that part of me a harbor, but I understand what Rick is referencing)

Perhaps the most powerful line on both a spiritual and physical level is the title of the song itself "Inside Silvia". Spiritually he has connect with her and been inside her head. Physically he has fantasized about being inside her as a lover. Either way, he can see his love is alive inside of her. The song itself also blends the spiritual and physical worlds. The music, you must admit it sounds spiritual, sacred, and something you could meditate to. The lyrics, very physical in nature and I can also hear the physical want in his voice. 

By examining this song with the notion that there is a juxtaposition between the spiritual and physical, I think he created a masterpiece. - Kat M.

This song, in my opinion, is a masterpiece! I love and appreciate it much more now that I am an adult, then when it was first released. I remember skipping it often when I played my albums way back in the day. LOL! Now, I listen to it "on purpose". I could never tire of it.

It really is so interesting to me how one song can hold different meanings within it and for different listeners. Innocently, I never 'got it' at a young age and never could figure out what the heck Rick meant with this song. As I matured, I learned to listen to it and really let it take on new and different meanings for me. Another thing about it is Rick's voice.......verrrry sexy, to say the least! The music is a little bit 'off' sounding like something sorta from outer space at times, but all in all, it's a great song and one of my all time faves! - Amy L.

What a song!!! This has got to be one of THE most beautifully romantic, sweet & sensual songs I've ever heard. This is the song I always dreamed someone would sing to me someday, or at least that I'd find someone who had these sentiments. Luckily, I found that someone! The words melted my heart, and still do to this day. I wanted to "be" Silvia, and be loved that deeply. How wonderful to hear these words from a man, words that say, "I understand, and it's okay…really." In a sense, I think I grew to believe this is how a real relationship should be. 

The first verse grabs me immediately. "I love that look comes in your eyes, when we're all alone." *thud* The look that says she wants to be with him. His voice is low and almost whispery. Those words feel so intimate, private in a way. (or maybe it's the way he sings it that makes it sound that way). Then: "And it's much too late, for friends to come calling. I disconnect the phone." Whatever he says! I mean…when it's late and you're alone with that special someone, who needs friends!? He takes charge, and "allows" them the time to be together, with no outside distractions. They are shutting out the world for now. "And I put on the radio, and I take her and I talk real low." Mercy, the images! Music playing low…that's always a plus! "And I hold her tight, and soon I'm dancing in the night, Inside Silvia…oh Silvia." Does it get any sweeter and sexier that this? I've noticed Rick likes using the word "dancing" as a reference to sex. I like the visual that word creates! 

"Sometimes you get so crazy, I know it's all in your mind. And right in the middle of the night, I see just what you need. And they say that love is blind." Beautiful echoing affect here! That whole lyric is powerful. She becomes confused, afraid, "crazy." He feels her heart and body are saying yes, but her head is holding her back somewhat. But despite her uncertainty, he is there for her. It seems like a play on words to me here with the "love is blind", and "right in the middle of the night," as if he can see what she needs no matter what. (even in the dark!) "And I hold you til the feelings come, but sometimes when the lovin's done, I see a scared little girl, afraid of the woman…inside Silvia." It sounds as though she was willing, but then had guilt for allowing herself to be physical with him. Or if she had not yet became sexual, then no wonder she was afraid, afraid of becoming a woman. Maybe the "loving" he refers to was only mental, verbal and holding one another. If one doesn't know what the "real" relationship was with Silvia, there could be many questions. 

I can still remember my first year of hearing Inside Silvia and how I played it so much. I thought it was beautiful, poetic and a bit odd how he was saying he was "inside silvia" rather than "in her heart." Somewhat confusing, but I liked it anyway. It wasn't long before I realized that the `inside' he was referring to was not JUST her heart, mind and spirit, but much more. Much of this song, as with my other favorite from WCD (RH & BL) introduced me to the sexual aspects of love. It was one of those "light bulb" moments. I was singing along to the song one day (I think around age 14) when suddenly it hit me. The notion was wonderful and exciting. It really opened up a whole new horizon in my mind of what "love" could be. (in the mind of a very young girl, of course!) I soon began to realize that he was not only loving Silvia emotionally, but physically as well. So I continue to hear this song as life goes on, and remember how I so innocently mistook the song for something it was not. I'm going along believing this is more a song of physical love, only to learn later that Rick in fact did NOT consummate the relationship with Silvia. This was his fantasy of course, and what a vivid one it was! I found that very interesting and surprising, in a weird kind of way. Thankfully, knowing the story did not change the sentiment within the song for me. It's still a timeless masterpiece in my mind. 

Through Inside Silvia I learned how Rick could say something and it could take on so many meanings, depending on your perspective. This song showcases his writing talents. His words are versatile. I realized that his music is universal, flexible. So I was officially a fanatic over his lyrics from then on. 

The music is also a big part for me. It has a far-away, dreamy quality with it's space-like sounds and echoes. The keyboards are incredible! (or piano, as in the live version….WOW. I love the live version that is on the Alive DVD with Rick and Derek. I'm thrilled he added that to the bonus material) The lengthy break with the synthesizer is heavenly and only adds to the depth of the romance he's describing. The voices harmonizing "ahhhh" throughout his singing the chorus is a perfect touch. His voice layered in as a background vocal gives the song feeling and confirms all he is saying. 

This is a song that taught me a lot about love. Even with the sexual aspect of the relationship in nearly every verse, there is also a deep & understanding love embedded in the words, with a lot of acceptance on his end. He can nearly read her thoughts. They are that close. He also knows she's afraid of the love, and of letting herself fall completely into it, and he seems okay with that. He almost sounds ready to wait for her if that's what she needs. 

I have always felt this song showed without a doubt what an amazing singer Rick is. The high notes he hits here are unbelievable! Then there's the long notes with the "ahhhh`s." I remember this song live when I saw Rick in `85 for the LIO tour and how it brought tears to my eyes. I would love to hear it live again. (the live version on Live & Kickin' is GREAT!) I am sure Rick can still pull it off live, just as he did back then, with it's many high notes. 

And just when you think the song can't get any better, there's the touching final verse that runs a chill up my spine and causes my heart to swell every time I hear it. "Though the world can rage and storm, there's still one harbor where I'm safe and warm. It's when I'm, inside Silvia…yeah Silvia. Oh Silvia." What more can he say? His love is alive "inside Silvia." It's the only place he feels warm, safe and loved. In a way it's a shame he did not fully "have" Silvia, because he obviously longed for her. On the other hand, if he had been with her, then this song may not exist. (at least not in the same way it's written here) Some things are just not meant to be. 

This song will go down as one of my nearest and dearest Rick songs to date. I always know that when I need words of comfort, I can listen to Inside Silvia and I feel peaceful in just 4 point 49 seconds! This is a hit song in my book.  - Kelley Pearson