Peyroux started singing at the age of fifteen, when she discovered street musicians in the Latin Quarter in Paris. She joined a group called the Riverboat Shufflers, first passing round the hat, and then singing. At sixteen she joined the The Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band, spending two years touring Europe performing songs by the likes of Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and others, which provided the basis for her first album, Dreamland.
Dreamland was released in 1996, and gained widespread attention. Time called it "the most exciting, involving vocal performance by a new singer this year". Dreamland, is a brilliant recording, as Peyroux's distinctive voice is not hindered by overly intricate arrangements. Most of the accompaniment on the record is light and sparse, the way it should be for a singer with such a unique voice. Peyroux soon found herself opening for Sarah McLachlan and Cesária Évora, and made appearances at jazz festivals and on the Lilith Fair tour.
In May 2002 she joined multi-instrumentalist William Galison, and together they appeared at such venues as the Bottom Line, Joe's Pub, and the Tin Angel. In 2003 the duo released a seven-song EP entitled Got You on My Mind, which they sold at shows and online. Got You on My Mind was re-released by William Galison in August 2004; the original EP was expanded by the addition of four tracks by Gallison.
Peyroux released her own sophomore effort, Careless Love, in September 2004. The album received generally positive reviews.
Her new album, Half the Perfect World, was released on September 12, 2006. She collaborated with several artists, including Jesse Harris, Walter Becker, Larry Klein (who also produced the album), and K.d. lang, with whom Peyroux duets on a cover of the Joni Mitchell song, "River".
On July 12, 2007, she was awarded Best International Jazz Artist at the BBC Jazz Awards.
Got You On My Mind
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm feeling kind of sad and low
Got you on my mind
Feeling kind of sad and low
I'm wondering where you are
Wondering why you had to go
Tears begin to fall
Every time I hear your name
Tears begin to fall
Every time I hear your name
But since you went away
Nothing seems to be the same
No matter how I try
My heart keeps telling me that I
Can't forget you
If ever it should be
That you want to come back to me
I'm gonna let you
I've got you on my mind
I'm feeling kind of sad and low
Got you on my mind
Feeling kind of sad and low
I'm wondering where you are
Wondering why you had to go
No matter how I try
My heart keeps telling me that I
Can't forget you
If ever it should be
That you want to come back to me
I'm gonna let you
I've got you on my mind
I'm feeling kind of sad and low
Got you on my mind
Feeling kind of sad and low
I'm wondering where you are
Wondering why you had to go
I'm wondering where you are
Wondering why you had to go
The song "Got You On My Mind" by Madeleine Peyroux is a heart-wrenching ballad about the pain of being left behind by a loved one. The opening lines of the song, "I've got you on my mind, I'm feeling kind of sad and low" set the tone for the emotional content of the rest of the lyrics. The singer is preoccupied with thoughts of their lost love and can't seem to shake the feeling of sadness that comes with it. They're wondering where their ex-partner is and why they had to leave, and the line "tears begin to fall every time I hear your name" suggests that the mere mention of their former flame is enough to bring on a flood of emotions.
Despite the heartache, the chorus of the song offers a glimmer of hope for the singer. They know that they can't forget their lost love, and if the person ever wants to come back to them, they'll be waiting with open arms. The lyrics "if ever it should be that you want to come back to me, I'm gonna let you" demonstrate a willingness to forgive and a yearning for reconciliation. Ultimately, the song is about the struggle to move on from an ended relationship while still holding onto the possibility of a future with the one who got away.
Overall, "Got You On My Mind" is a poignant and emotional ballad that speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got you on my mind
I can't stop thinking about you
I'm feeling kind of sad and low
Your absence is weighing on me
Got you on my mind
I can't shake the thought of you
Feeling kind of sad and low
I'm missing you deeply
I'm wondering where you are
I'm unsure of your whereabouts
Wondering why you had to go
I don't understand why you left
Tears begin to fall
I can't help but cry
Every time I hear your name
It hurts to be reminded of you
But since you went away
Things haven't been the same
Nothing seems to be the same
Life is different without you
No matter how I try
Despite my efforts
My heart keeps telling me that I
My emotions are telling me
Can't forget you
I can't erase you from my memory
If ever it should be
If the opportunity arises
That you want to come back to me
If you decide to return
I'm gonna let you
I will welcome you back with open arms
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWARD BIGGS, JOE THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kurt
on The Summer Wind
Unbelievable Saxophon solo!