Larrieux was born and brought up in the neighborhood of Greenwich Village in New York City. Her mother was a dance critic and professor who encouraged Larrieux to grow up in a free-spirited, artistic environment. Many of her influences are drawn from R&B, soul, jazz, folk, hip-hop and gospel, with flashes of Middle Eastern, West African, and Indian ethnic styles. She lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.
As a solo artist, her music is mostly categorized as fitting within the nu-soul genre, though she also dabbles in jazz, blues and gospel sounds. She sang lead vocals with Sade's band Sweetback while Sade was on hiatus. On her last album 'Lovely Standards' she gravitated away from nu-soul to produce a cover album made up of songs from the jazz and blues singers that inspired her. Larrieux is also influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder and Prince — as she has previously credited on her website.
Down
Amel Larrieux Lyrics
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Where I'm going is down
'Cause you dance me around
Make me too dizzy to see
Down
Boy did you make me down
There's a permanent frown
Pride has kept me from crawling
But sorrow is constantly calling
'Cause you are the man who's not falling for me
Down
I'm the fool of the town
Someone send in the clowns
That song's about me
Carelessly I let you saunter in
All of the chambers of my heart
Disguised as a gentleman
Heartlessly, and much to my chagrin
You quickened your step
As you left
And that's where my soliloquy begins
Down
Isn't it profound
You're the wolf on the bound
I'm a helpless sheep
Carelessly I let you saunter in
And out of the chambers of my heart
Disguised as a gentleman
Heartlessly, and much to my chagrin
You quickened your step
As you left
And that's where my soliloquy begins
Down
My heart makes not a sound
It's somewhere on the ground
Breaking
The song "Down" by Amel Larrieux is a soulful ballad about the pain that comes with unrequited love. In the opening lines of the song, Larrieux sings, "Where I'm going is down, 'cause you dance me around, make me too dizzy to see." She's admitting that this love has taken a toll on her and she's lost her sense of direction. The chorus, "Boy did you make me down, there's a permanent frown where my smile used to be," further reinforces the idea that this relationship has left her feeling unhappy and dejected.
As the song progresses, Larrieux opens up about her struggle to maintain her pride. She sings, "Pride has kept me from crawling, but sorrow is constantly calling, 'cause you are the man who's not falling for me." She's trying to keep her head up high and maintain some semblance of self-respect, but the pain of rejection is always there. The lyrics, "Someone send in the clowns, that song's about me," express her feeling of being a joke, an object of ridicule in this one-sided relationship.
The second half of the song delves deeper into the nature of this unrequited love. Larrieux sings about how she let her guard down and allowed this person into her heart, only to be left heartbroken. She sings, "Carelessly I let you saunter in, all of the chambers of my heart, disguised as a gentleman, heartlessly, and much to my chagrin, you quickened your step, as you left, and that's where my soliloquy begins." This part of the song reveals how she was blinded by her love for this person, and how they ultimately took advantage of her vulnerability.
Overall, "Down" is a poignant and powerful song that speaks to the experience of unrequited love. Larrieux's soulful voice and thoughtful lyrics make this a memorable and moving ballad.
Line by Line Meaning
Down
Amel Larrieux's state of being after being fooled by someone
Where I'm going is down
Amel feels like she is headed for a downfall
'Cause you dance me around
The person she was with was keeping her in a state of confusion
Make me too dizzy to see
Being kept in a state of confusion is preventing Amel from seeing the truth
Boy did you make me down
The person she was with brought her down emotionally
There's a permanent frown
The emotional toll of being with this person has left a lasting impact on her
Where my smile used to be
She used to be happy, but being with this person has taken that away from her
Pride has kept me from crawling
Amel's pride has kept her from reaching out for help
But sorrow is constantly calling
Despite her pride, Amel is still feeling the pain of the situation
'Cause you are the man who's not falling for me
The person she was with didn't feel the same way about her
I'm the fool of the town
Amel feels foolish for getting involved with this person
Someone send in the clowns
Amel wishes someone would come in and lighten the mood, but feels like she is the clown in this situation
That song's about me
Amel feels like she is the subject of a sad love song
Carelessly I let you saunter in
Amel was not careful with who she let into her life
All of the chambers of my heart
She let this person into every part of her life, including her heart
Disguised as a gentleman
The person she was with was not who they seemed to be
Heartlessly, and much to my chagrin
The person she was with was cruel to her, much to her disappointment
You quickened your step
The person she was with left quickly
As you left
The person she was with walked away from her
And that's where my soliloquy begins
Amel is left alone with her thoughts and feelings
Isn't it profound
Amel is realizing the depth of the situation she is in
You're the wolf on the bound
The person she was with is predatory and dangerous
I'm a helpless sheep
Amel feels vulnerable and defenseless
My heart makes not a sound
Amel is emotionally numb
It's somewhere on the ground
Her heart is shattered and broken
Breaking
Amel is experiencing intense emotional pain
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AMEL LARRIEUX, LARU LARRIEUX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind