Amie’s difficulty playing any role aside from her straight-talking, take-no-prisoners self probably explains why the attempt to translate her vision to a band turned out to be a false start. Dirtie Blonde, Amie’s first signed project, had the olive-skinned, Italian brunette regularly touching up her roots while singing songs that owed more to their collaborators than her own heart. “It was impossible to lose myself in the music,” she notes. But Amie remained persistent and her passion for expressing herself through song never faltered.
Naturally then, it’s Amie’s honesty that’s impossible to miss on I Came Around, her BellaSonic/Jive/Zomba debut. She insistently declares, “I’m learning as I go” on the chorus of the title track and first single, offers the spot-on observation that “I’m older than my skin is in this life” on the piano ballad “Snow,” and flirts with a crush on “Brand New.” And while there are assists from some noted producers, the primary contributions come from Amie and her longtime guitarist/collaborator, Jay Dmuchowski. I Came Around conveys Amie’s personal vision and regarding the new material she beams, “I’m just so proud of what I’ve done.”
It was the two of them, Amie and Jay, who were initially noticed while playing acoustic gigs all over Manhattan. Famed producer Billy Mann, known for his work with everyone from Pink to Martina McBride, had sent a talent scout to a show at Arlene’s Grocery where the duo were the opening act. But instead of the headliner, the scout took an interest in Amie and Jay.
Through Billy Mann, Amie befriended powerful A&R exec Teresa LaBarbera Whites, responsible for guiding the careers of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé and Jessica Simpson, among others. Once she arrived at Jive, LaBarbera Whites made Amie her first signing.
Amie’s first experience as a signed artist helped her learn to structure songs and polish her songwriting ability. It was also at this point that Amie really cut her teeth as a live performer. “I got to tour with INXS, Teddy Geiger, Gavin DeGraw and Nick Lachey, and be in front of all these people,” she recalls. “I really learned how to be a performer. You’re not really performing until you’re opening for someone, where no one knows who you are and nobody cares. Sometimes you win people over, sometimes you don’t.”
Fast-forward to today, Amie’s I Came Around (2008) is the first release on LaBarbera Whites’ BellaSonic imprint. “I wouldn’t say that I’m a feminist, but I’m very into female empowerment,” Amie observes about her patron. “Teresa can sit down with some of the most famous and powerful men in this business and not feel the least bit intimidated—and that to me is empowering. To me, she has always said, ‘You are a star, and everyone is gonna know it one day.’”
Providing a role model for young women is a key part of Amie’s plan. She notes that when coping with the emotional baggage of her parents’ divorce and her dislike for school, it was her favorite artists who helped her survive. “For the most part, my favorite artists are female,” she observes. “I love Ani DiFranco, Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, Joni Mitchell and Fiona Apple.”
At the same time, this young but seasoned performer has developed a love for writing, calling it her “favorite part of the whole thing,” adding, “Of course I want to be successful and make a living. But I also want the opportunity to write different kinds of music my whole life.”
On the strength of her seasoned-sounding debut, Amie could do just that. All she has to do is act naturally.
Pictures
Amie Miriello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got your new found friends
And your new life, baby
Throw caution to the wind
Everyone knows you're not coming back again
Because you're so beyond
That seems as though I never knew you
What have we become?
Is it too late to turn around?
To leave it all behind you?
With your shadow it served you well
But I will still hold on to pictures
Of the way that we used to be
And the way that I knew you once before
(Knew you once before)
You had me from the start
Our love was like communion
At peace with who we are
And what we could be
Singing in your car
Singing lines from movies
Staring in the dark
We were both so free
Things remind me of you lately
Looking back it drives me crazy
What have we become?
Is it too late to turn around?
To leave it all behind?
With your shadow it's served you well
But I will still hold on to pictures of
The way that we used to be
The way that I knew you
Running in circles
I'm talking to myself, oh
What have I become
Is it too late to turn around?
To leave it all behind you?
With your shadow it's served you well
But I will still hold on
To pictures of the way
That we used to be
The way that we used to be
The way that I knew you once before
The lyrics of "Pictures" by Amie Miriello describe the realization that someone who was once close to the singer has changed and moved on with their life, leaving the singer behind. The opening lines suggest that the two used to talk about this change, but now the subject is being brought up again because it's clear that the person is not coming back. The singer describes feeling as though they never knew the person, and that they can see right through them now. They question what they have become, and wonder if it's too late to turn things around and return to the way things used to be.
The second verse recalls happier times, like singing together in the car and feeling free. The singer says that things lately have been reminding them of this person, which is driving them crazy. The chorus repeats the idea of holding onto memories of the past, with the singer still cherishing pictures of the way things used to be between them. The final verse sees the singer questioning themselves and wondering what they have become, much like how they questioned the other person earlier in the song. They still long to return to the past and leave their current situation behind.
Overall, "Pictures" is a bittersweet reflection on change and the passage of time. It's about holding onto memories of the past while acknowledging that things will never be the same again. It's a relatable sentiment that many people can identify with.
Line by Line Meaning
Suddenly again rambling on about it
Bringing up the past again unexpectedly
You got your new found friends
You've made new friends and moved on
And your new life, baby
You have a new life now
Throw caution to the wind
Take risks and live freely
Everyone knows you're not coming back again
Everyone knows you've moved on and won't come back
Because you're so beyond
You're too far away, too different
That seems as though I never knew you
You've changed so much, I don't recognize you
Here and now I see right through you
I can see through the facade and see the real you
What have we become?
We used to be close, what happened to us?
Is it too late to turn around?
Can we go back to how things used to be?
To leave it all behind you?
Can you let go of your new life and come back to me?
With your shadow it served you well
Your old self has helped you succeed in your new life
But I will still hold on to pictures
I will hold onto memories of us
Of the way that we used to be
The way we were when we were happy
And the way that I knew you once before
The way you used to be when we were together
You had me from the start
I fell in love with you right away
Our love was like communion
Our love was sacred and meaningful
At peace with who we are
We were happy with ourselves and each other
And what we could be
We had hope for our future together
Singing in your car
We used to sing together in the car
Singing lines from movies
We had shared interests and were silly together
Staring in the dark
We spent quiet moments together in the dark
We were both so free
We were comfortable being ourselves around each other
Things remind me of you lately
I am reminded of you often
Looking back it drives me crazy
Reflecting on our past is difficult and emotional
Running in circles
I'm stuck in the same emotional cycle
I'm talking to myself, oh
I'm trying to process my emotions alone
The way that we used to be
The way we were before everything changed
The way that I knew you once before
The way you were when we were together
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MITCH ALLAN, DAVID HODGES, AMIE MIRIELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lylletza
Love this song! It's so hard to find it! She should put this song out as a single!!
redelixir
Go Amie!! Thanks for posting! Love the Video!
Sylvia D
Thank you for posting this song.