Heap grew up playing music from an early age, and by her eleventh birthday she was writing her own songs. From the age of 15, she studied at the BRIT School Of Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon, South London, recording three tracks for the school's annual CD between 1994 and 1995, "Aliens" being the title track of the latter.
After being introduced to Nik Kershaw by his manager Mickey Modern, Heap and Kershaw recorded four demos that Mickey Modern took to Rondor Music. Consequently, a few months later Heap signed her first record contract at 18 to independent record label Almo Sounds. During 1996, Heap began working with an experimental pop band called Acacia, which featured her future collaborator Guy Sigsworth and was fronted by the singer Alexander Nilere. While never a full member of the band, Heap was a guest vocalist (as a counterpart to Nilere) and contributed to various Acacia single and album tracks in 1997. One Acacia song, "Maddening Shroud", would later be covered by Frou Frou.
Heap enjoyed a prestigious live début, performing four songs (backed by friends Acacia) between sets by The Who and Eric Clapton at the 1996 Prince's Trust Concert in Hyde Park, London. Her début album, I Megaphone (an anagram of "Imogen Heap") was internationally released in 1998 on independent record label Almo Sounds and garnered critical acclaim. However, as production of the album neared completion, it was announced that the record label had been sold and would be shut down. I-Megaphone featured collaborations with Guy Sigsworth and Dave Stewart. In Japan, the regional distributor, Zora, re-released the album in 2002, featuring "Blanket," her collaboration with Urban Species which was released as a single in the United Kingdom, and a Frou Frou remix of one of her B-sides, a video to which was released exclusively to Japanese media. Following the disbanding of her UK and USA record label, I Megaphone was scarce in circulation, having not been re-printed until November 2006. An independent Brazillian record label has rights to the record, and has issued limited copies, some of which are available on eBay. It has also been released through the iTunes Music Store under the Almo label.
At the same time as the Japanese re-release, Heap was working on new tracks with producer Guy Sigsworth, who had collaborated on "Getting Scared" from I-Megaphone. Together, they formed an electro-pop group Frou Frou, releasing an album called "Details" and singles, "Breathe In", "It's Good To Be In Love" and "Must Be Dreaming." The album was a full collaboration between the two artists. Frou Frou were approached to cover "Holding Out for a Hero", originally performed by Bonnie Tyler, for the soundtrack to the highly successful movie Shrek 2. An album track, "Let Go", was featured in the movie Garden State in 2004.
In December 2003, Heap announced on her web site that she was going to write and produce her second solo album, using her site as an online blog to update fans on progress, even seeking them to be her A&R team for the lyrics to "Daylight Robbery". Heap set herself a deadline of one year to make the album (she booked the album mastering for December 2004), and re-mortgaged her flat to fund production costs, including the use of studio time and instruments (which she purchased as a birthday present to herself). Having been burned by previous challenges with record labels (Heap had been spurned twice by record companies, when Almo Sounds was sold and when Frou Frou's label staff focused on promoting other acts), Heap decided to form her own record label on which to release the new record. At the end of 2004, Heap premiered two album tracks online, enabling fans to pay for a digital download, entitled "Just For Now" (which was up for a limited time as a Christmas gift), and "Goodnight And Go", which had been featured on the second season of hit US TV drama The O.C.
In April 2005, The O.C. season two finale featured another track, the sparse vocodered-vocal track, "Hide And Seek". The track was released immediately to digital download services such as iTunes where it became an instant fixture in the chart. The track was released as a digital download on the 5th July 2005 in the UK and peaked at #8 on the iTunes download chart.
The album, entitled "Speak For Yourself" was then released in the UK on July 18th 2005 on her own record label, Megaphonic Records. The album was also released on iTunes UK, where it entered the top 10, selling strongly. "Hide And Seek" also received radio attention from the popular UK radio station BBC Radio One, with DJ Scott Mills featuring it as his "Record of the Week", and provoking strong reactions ("love it or hate it") from other DJs at the station. Due to popular demand, the track was commercially released on a special limited edition (1500 copies were printed) 7" vinyl in the UK in September. Speak For Yourself was licensed to Sony BMG imprint RCA Victor in August 2005, enabling the record to be released in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It was released in those territories in November, and Heap appeared on the Hotel Cafe Tour promoting the record. Imogen also performed "Goodnight And Go" on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 11, 2006. Heap is slated to continue touring in 2006 in the US and UK to support the record.
As well as TV soundtracks (Frou Frou and Heap's solo records have been featured in shows as varied as The O.C. to CSI, among others), Heap has also contributed solo tracks to movie soundtracks. Her cover of the song "Spooky" (made famous by the band Classics IV, and previously covered by Dusty Springfield) for the soundtrack to the Reese Witherspoon movie Just Like Heaven. Heap also wrote a special track entitled "Can't Take It In" for the soundtrack to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She has also appeared on the second soundtrack for the HBO television series "Six Feet Under", entitled "Six Feet Under Vol. 2: Everything Ends" with a 50-second track that closed the Season 4 episode "I'm A Lonely Little Petunia (In An Onion Patch)". Three versions were recorded and are available from Heap's official web site.
In addition to producing her own records, she has also produced a track for Nik Kershaw and has collaborated with artists as diverse as Joshua Radin, Jeff Beck, Temposhark, LHB, Way Out West, Jon Bon Jovi, Mich Gerber, Sean Lennon, Urban Species, Blue October, Jon Hopkins and Acacia.
Heap's 2009 album 'Ellipse' features Canvas, Aha! and Half Life.
Sites: Twitter
www.imogenheap.com
Last Night of An Empire
Imogen Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
They multiply on impact for the show
But we didn't switch off
So freedom took a long sad bow for us
Dropped and hung behind the curtain
Red as the operating rooms worsen
Sense a wrong, doom scroll on to less important ills
Why aren't we running for the hills?
Or hunting for the kill
Dance like you're on fire
Oh, go crazy on yourself
Your Last Rites sung by the choir
You can't control this anyway
Dance like you're on fire
Oh, you might as well
The last night of an empire
In the light of no truths
And as sure as sea levels are rising
In the spin of breaking news
You dropped your confidence in happiness
And your innocence
This data indignity that hoodwinked you for a great awakening
Meanwhile, everything you ever cared about
Got hot swapped out for someone else's twisted dream
We should be running for the hills
'Cause no one's got the will anymore
I haven't got the will
Click, buy, ugh
Dance like you're on fire
Oh, go crazy on yourself
Your Last Rites sung by the choir
You can't control this anyway
Dance like you're on fire
Oh, you might as well
It's the last night of an empire
So it's come to this
We're in biz
Of systemic hysterics
Normalising disbelief
Temper, temper
Hate thy neighbour
That is unless you agree
So it's come to this
We're in biz
Of systemic hysterics
Normalising disbelief
Temper, temper
Hate thy neighbour
That is unless you agree
Slam, pow, bam, whack
Kaboom, kapow, bam, crack what the
Slam, pow, bam, whack
Kaboom, kapow, bam, crack what the
Dance like you're on fire
Oh, go crazy on yourself
Your Last Rites sung by the choir
You can't control this anyway
Dance like you're not a liar
Oh, you might as well
It's the last night of an empire
Just go and switch another episode on
Turn the world off while you twiddle your thumbs
A population toughs it out until dawn
Don't miss your putting buddies down on the lawn
Just go and switch another episode on
Turn the world off while you twiddle your thumbs
A population toughs it out until dawn
Don't let the serious stuff distract you from
Your madness, your illness
Somebody get this guy a doctor, a doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor
doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor
We should be running for the hills, ah
Or hunting for the kill, ah
Why aren't we running for the hills, ah
Or hunting for the kill
In the opening verses of "Last Night of An Empire" by Imogen Heap, the lyrics describe a sense of impending doom and a loss of control over one's own fate. The imagery of "one down, two to go" suggests a series of unfortunate events unfolding, multiplying in impact for a dramatic display. Despite this, the singer reflects on how they didn't switch off or take action, allowing freedom to slip away silently. The notion of freedom taking a "long sad bow" implies a sense of resignation or acceptance of a grim fate, with the metaphorical curtain dropping on hope and optimism. The vivid imagery of the scene set in the operating room, with the color red symbolizing danger or urgency, highlights a feeling of helplessness in the face of worsening circumstances. The lyrics question why there is a lack of urgency or action in response to the looming crisis, urging for a sense of urgency in either fleeing or confronting the dire situation.
The repeated chorus of "Dance like you're on fire" and the invitation to go crazy on oneself speak to a sense of embracing chaos and uncertainty. The reference to "Last Rites sung by the choir" suggests a final acceptance of the end, acknowledging that control over the outcome is futile. The imagery of dancing like one is on fire symbolizes a reckless abandon or defiance in the face of imminent collapse. The theme of the last night of an empire evokes a sense of finality and the end of an era, with the inevitability of change looming large.
The lyrics then delve into a critique of the modern world and the erosion of truth and confidence. The mention of "data indignity" alludes to the manipulation and deception prevalent in society, leading to a rude awakening or realization of the distorted reality people inhabit. The juxtaposition of personal values being replaced by someone else's distorted dream reflects a loss of individuality and authenticity in a world dominated by external influences. The lyrics lament the lack of collective willpower to resist or challenge the status quo, highlighting a sense of resignation and apathy towards the deteriorating state of affairs.
The song concludes with a sense of resignation and resignation towards the prevailing chaos and hysteria in society. The repetition of "Temper, temper" and the call to hate thy neighbor unless in agreement convey a sense of enforced conformity and division within communities. The chaotic onomatopoeic sounds interspersed in the lyrics further illustrate the tumultuous and disjointed nature of the current reality. The closing lines of the song reiterate the call for action, questioning why people aren't taking a stand or fighting back against the forces that seek to oppress or manipulate them. The urgency and desperation in the lyrics serve as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and resilience in the face of societal upheaval and moral decay.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Imogen Heap
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind