Moyet was born to a French father and English mother. She grew up in Basildon, where she attended school. After leaving school at 16, she worked as a shop worker and a piano tuner. She was involved in a number of punk rock, pub rock and blues bands in the South East Essex area during the late 1970s and early 1980s, including The Vandals and the Screamin' Ab Dabs, The Vicars, The Vandals (UK 1978) and The Little Roosters.
Her mainstream pop career began in 1982 when she formed the electro-pop duo Yazoo with former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke. The duo had several hits, including "Situation", "Only You", "Don't Go" and recorded two albums, "Upstairs At Eric's" and "You And Me Both". The group was notable for melding Clarke's trademark electronic sounds with Moyet's warm, soulful voice.
In 1983 Moyet and Clarke decided to disband Yazoo. While Clarke went on to form Erasure, Moyet signed to CBS (in part because it had been Janis Joplin's label), and began her solo career.
In 1984 she released her debut album "Alf" (titled after her punk-era nickname). Alf included contributions by popular producers/songwriters Swain and Jolley, as well as a song, "Invisible", written by Motown legend Lamont Dozier. The record was a hit in Britain, reaching number one in the album charts. Alf spawned 3 hit singles, "Love Resurrection", "Invisible" and "All Cried Out". In the US, "Invisible" was a Top 40 hit (something Yazoo had never achieved).
In 1985 Moyet performed at the historic Live Aid concert, alongside Paul Young. She also released a single not featured on "Alf", a cover of the standard "That Ole Devil Called Love." The single went to #2 on the UK singles chart. (At present, it remains Moyet's highest-charting UK single.)
In 1986 Moyet had another big UK hit with the single "Is This Love?," followed in 1987 by the album Raindancing. Raindancing spawned further hit singles, including a cover of Floy Joy's "Weak In The Presence of Beauty" and "Ordinary Girl". In 1987, she scored another cover hit with "Love Letters"; the video for the song featured comedy duo French & Saunders.
Following a period of personal and career evaluation Hoodoo was released in 1991. Hoodoo, which took several steps away from the glossy pop sheen of Raindancing and was a far earthier and more personal album. Compared to her earlier releases, Hoodoo received little label support and only minimal promotion. The album sold respectably in Britain, and was nominated for a Grammy for the single "It Won't Be Long." However, the release of Hoodoo marked the beginning of what was to become a long fight for Moyet to secure complete control of her artistic direction. Like many similar artists of Moyet's calibre (including Aimee Mann and the late Kirsty MacColl), Moyet was reluctant to record a radio-friendly "pop" album simply for the sake of creating chart hits.
Moyet's next album Essex (1994) was also a source of controversy for her; in order for the album to be released, her label (now Sony) insisted that certain Essex tracks be re-recorded and re-produced, and that there be additional material remixed to create a more 'commercial' package. The video for the single "Whispering Your Name" again featured Dawn French.
Following the release of Essex, Sony released a greatest-hits compilation of Moyet's work the following year. Singles entered the UK charts at number one. Following incredible CD success and a UK tour, Singles was re-issued as a double CD set which included "No Overdubs", a bonus live CD. Upon re-issue Singles again charted, this time in the top 20.
Due to prolonged litigation with Sony, Moyet did not record or release a new studio album for over eight years after the release of Essex. During this time, however, Moyet recorded vocals for Tricky, Sylk-130, Ocean Colour Scene, The Lightning Seeds and King Britt, and was featured on the British leg of the Lilith Fair tour. 2001 saw the release of The Essential Alison Moyet CD.
In August 2002, after years of holding out and refusing to compromise, Moyet was finally released from her Sony contract. Moyet signed to Sanctuary Records and released her first studio album in eight years, Hometime, an album which Sony had refused to release. Hometime was produced by the Insects, who had also produced works by Goldfrapp and Massive Attack. The release of the CD launched Moyet into the top five best-selling female UK artists of 2002 and resulted in a Brit nomination for Best Female Vocal as well as a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize.
Moyet's following CD, Voice, an eclectic collection of covers, was released on 6 September 2004 and entered the UK charts at number seven. The album was later re-issued with a bonus track, "Alfie." A companion DVD, One Blue Voice, was released in 2006.
After signing with the W14 Music label in late 2006, Moyet released the all-original The Turn in October 2007. As of this writing (15 Sept 2008), Moyet will be touring North America for the first time in 14 years after the huge success of the Yazoo Reconnected Tour of 2008.
www.alisonmoyet.com/
Invisible
Alison Moyet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm afraid to say them.
I feel I've been bad and I'm boiling mad
Still I can't live without you.
You don't have the time and you won't spend a dime
Not even to call me.
You don't know I exist and I wouldn't be missed
Invisible, I feel like I'm invisible.
You treat me like I'm not really there
And you don't really care.
I know this romance
It ain't going nowhere.
Invisible just like my love. You treat me like I'm invisible.
When you get the need to flirt you do the work
You just don't care how much it hurts.
I can never reach you on the phone
It rings and rings
But I know you're home.
It may be naive but I just want to believe I'm the only one.
I tell myself lies and give you alibis
Knowing your promises you'll never keep
Like the merry go round
I'm going up
I'm going down
I'm on a dead end street.
Invisible just like my love
I feel like I'm invisible.
You treat me like I'm not really there
And you don't really care.
I know this romance
It ain't going nowhere.
Although I know it's not a lot
Don't want to lose whatever we got.
I keep hanging on knowing I can't win
Cause it's too hard start over again.
Invisible, I feel like I'm invisible
Invisible just like my love.
The lyrics of the song "Invisible" by Alison Moyet depict the feeling of being ignored, unimportant, and taken for granted in a romantic relationship. The singer is in a relationship where she feels like she is invisible, as if she is not even there. She is frustrated that she cannot express herself and share her true feelings because she is afraid of the consequences. Even though she knows she deserves better, she is still afraid to quit the relationship because she cannot live without her partner.
The singer feels like her partner does not care about her and treats her like she does not exist. She is hurt by her partner's lack of consideration and how easily they can flirt with others without thinking of the pain it causes her. She knows that this romance is not going anywhere, but she keeps hanging on because she does not want to lose whatever they have. She is aware that it is not enough, but starting over again seems too hard.
Overall, the song is a poignant portrayal of a one-sided relationship where one person feels invisible, ignored, and unappreciated. The lyrics touch on the emotions of loneliness, heartache, and fear of being alone.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got me so confused and there's word I could use But I'm afraid to say them.
I am perplexed by your actions and words, but I am hesitant to express my thoughts and feelings.
I feel I've been bad and I'm boiling mad Still I can't live without you.
I am upset and angry at myself and at you, but I cannot imagine life without you.
You don't have the time and you won't spend a dime Not even to call me.
You do not make time for me or invest in our relationship, even something as simple as a phone call.
You don't know I exist and I wouldn't be missed If I had the nerve to quit you.
You do not acknowledge my presence or value me, and I believe you would not even notice if I left you.
Invisible, I feel like I'm invisible. You treat me like I'm not really there And you don't really care.
I feel ignored, neglected, and unimportant in our relationship, and I do not believe you truly care about me.
I know this romance It ain't going nowhere. Invisible just like my love.
All signs indicate that our romantic relationship is going nowhere, and my love for you is unrequited and unnoticed.
When you get the need to flirt you do the work You just don't care how much it hurts.
You indulge in flirting with others despite the pain it causes me, and you seem indifferent to my feelings.
I can never reach you on the phone It rings and rings But I know you're home.
I am unable to contact you by phone despite trying, and I suspect that you are avoiding my calls.
It may be naive but I just want to believe I'm the only one.
I might be foolish to think so, but I want to believe that I am the only one you truly care for.
I tell myself lies and give you alibis Knowing your promises you'll never keep Like the merry go round I'm going up I'm going down I'm on a dead end street.
In order to justify staying in this dead-end relationship, I delude myself and make excuses for your broken promises and inconsistent behavior.
Although I know it's not a lot Don't want to lose whatever we got. I keep hanging on knowing I can't win Cause it's too hard start over again.
Although I know our relationship is not perfect, I am afraid to lose what little we have, and I continue to hold on even though I realize I cannot win your love. Starting over would be too difficult for me.
Invisible, I feel like I'm invisible Invisible just like my love.
Overall, I feel ignored and unimportant in this relationship, and my love for you goes unnoticed and unappreciated.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPH HERMANN MULLER, EDUARDO ANIBAL MAKAROFF, SERGIO MAKAROFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pigeon
This lady is one of the best female singers ever to grace this planet pure class
Grahame Williams
Seriously can't argue with that x
NEILLYBOY1974FTH
Just stunning
Shane Collier
Totally agree.
Marina Marchese
You absolutely got it, Gary , sir!!! She's a True Star , Uniquely talented and Amazing!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Abdul Muiz
Definitely not
Wpopof6
Its just unbelievable that someone with this powerful of a voice wasn't more successful I don't think Adele's voice is even close. Her voice is powerful an smooth. Absolutely beautiful
Charlene Clark
I listen to this feeling confused over a guy
Darren Rees
So true .what a singer
Charlene Clark
@Darren Rees
Not easy being a woman Darren