Savalas was born in Los Angeles but was raised in Minnesota following her father's death in 1994. She attended an all-girls Catholic Convent school in her teenaged years before graduating early and moving to London to pursue a career in performance. She studied Shakespeare and acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and is a member of Playhouse West, a repertory theater directed by Jeff Goldblum.[9] Before turning to jazz, Savalas toured and recorded in Europe as a pop singer in her teens with European producer Jack White.[10] She made a guest appearance as Bobby Lainsford on the CBS hit drama Criminal Minds in 2010. Savalas began her music career in Los Angeles as a singer/songwriter playing venues on the Sunset Strip, such as the Whisky a Go-Go and Hard Rock Cafe.
Her first jazz EP, "Sophisticated Lady", was a combination of Savalas' original compositions as well as two standards from the Great American Songbook, including the song Sophisticated Lady by Duke Ellington, Mitchell Parish, and Irving Mills which she named the record after. Savalas was widely known in the cabaret world headlining in venues such as the New York Friars' Club and Michael Feinstein's late New York cabaret Feinstein's.
Savalas was introduced to Scott Bradlee in 2015 and began collaborating on online videos and touring with the band soon after. They have performed at venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Greek Theater, and the O2 Academy in London. Savalas was their first female emcee, and hosted the first-ever PMJ PBS special "Postmodern Jukebox: The New Classics".
Savalas released her debut full studio record, "The Dead Dance", in early 2020. The album was released exclusively under Cargo Records in Germany and digitally worldwide.[citation needed] The first single, "Memory", features trumpet player Brian Newman.
Memory
Ariana Savalas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you remember good times you enjoyed back when you were a younger man
The photograph that takes you back in time
The one that makes you wish you still were mine
I don't want to be the sweater I left somewhere lying at your place
The perfume still reminds you of the smile I used to wear across my face
The sweater that you hold, you won't let it go
But if you hold on to it, she will know
I don't want to be the music you forget to play
I don't want to be the words you never get to say
Baby please, don't make me
A memory
I don't want to be the silver lining you see on your wedding day
And when you're making love, you close your eyes and hope the color fades away
The silver that you see when you look in her eyes
You chose what was safe and what was wise
I don't want to be the record you play when you're drunk and all alone
The one you only play when your wife and your children aren't at home
The one that makes you wish you could do it all again
The melancholy melody your friend
I don't want to be the music you forget to play
I don't want to be the words you never get to say
Baby please, don't make me
A memory
The song "Memory" by Ariana Savalas is a melancholy tune about not wanting to be reduced to a mere memory in someone's life. The lyrics speak about the fear of being forgotten, replaced, and replaced with new memories. The artist does not want to be the photograph, a sweater, or even the music that is only played in solitude - as all these items serve as a constant reminder of what the person has lost. The lyrics portray a sense of longing, desperation, and regret for what could have been.
The first verse is about not wanting to be a photograph that is held tightly in the hands of a lover, but rather be the actual person who is still present. The sweater that is left behind and is a constant reminder of the past is another metaphor used to show that love is not a physical object that can be put away and forgotten. The second verse portrays the agony of being the silver lining on someone's wedding day, and being the regret of a choice not made. The record that is played when all the loved ones are away deeply portrays that even though the person is surrounded by memories, he/she still feels alone.
In conclusion, the lyrics of "Memory" are about not being a thing of the past but being an active participant in the present. The song is a reminder that people should not take their loved ones for granted as they can easily become a memory in time.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to be the photograph you hold so tightly in your hands
I don't want to live on in your memories as a perfect and unattainable relic of the past that you constantly hold onto.
When you remember good times you enjoyed back when you were a younger man
I don't want you to remember me as the source of your youthful bliss, or miss the happiness we shared before the weight of age and responsibility took their toll.
The photograph that takes you back in time
I don't want to serve as a visual reminder of an irretrievable time period that you long to relive, or as a stand-in for the past that you can never recapture.
The one that makes you wish you still were mine
I don't want you to be constantly reminded of your loss, or to be consumed by a desire to enjoy what we once had again.
I don't want to be the sweater I left somewhere lying at your place
I don't want to be a physical manifestation of the gap between us that still lingers, or to be reduced to a mere article of clothing that you can't bring yourself to discard.
The perfume still reminds you of the smile I used to wear across my face
I don't want my essence to be associated with the scent that evokes memories of when I was happy and carefree, or to be tied to a certain attitude that you miss but can no longer access.
The sweater that you hold, you won't let it go
I don't want to be an object of compulsive attachment, held onto out of a sense of obligation or emotional debt, rather than because I bring joy to your life.
But if you hold on to it, she will know
I want you to understand that if you're holding onto the physical remnants of our relationship in secret, it will likely undermine your new romantic connection and come back to haunt you.
I don't want to be the music you forget to play
I don't want to be relegated to a minor role in your life, a song that you forget about or neglect because your priorities have shifted elsewhere.
I don't want to be the words you never get to say
I don't want to be a feeling that you can't express because it's too painful, too complicated, or too far in the past to be relevant.
Baby please, don't make me
I'm asking you, pleading with you, not to turn me into a memory that haunts you and undermines your current happiness.
A memory
I don't want to be a ghost that you can't exorcise, a bittersweet recollection that pervades your thoughts and colors your present experiences.
Writer(s): Ariana Savalas
Contributed by James W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mu2freighter
Just stunning, every factor in this presentation is gorgeous, not the least of which is your musical skill.
My sincere compliments on a real work of art.
@heikotietze7125
Super Song von Ariana Savalas. Ich habe mich im Palazzo davon überzeugen können.Sie saß mit ihrem Piano neben mir.Eine traumhafte Stimme.
@christiewitherspoon1642
Thank You Victoria Spencer for sharing this with me. I had looked for it for over a year now. The song speaks to me in so many ways. Thank you Ariana Savalas for sharing your soul with he world.
@Bill_v1
Damn. Might be the deepest thing Ariana has ever done.
@Mosel21
So Artistic. Am totally in Awe....Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! All Perfect & that Trumpet......
@stephenhale1623
“I don’t want to be the record you play when you are drunk and all alone...” OUCH! I resemble that remark. Thanks Ariana : - )
@hobobear188
As drunk and alone? 🤭
@micklechuck
Such a beautiful song, such a gorgeous rendition. Can't wait to listen to your complete album! 🙏🌻🙏
@LeopDustal
Cheers from Greece!!!!
@stigmellem
Beautiful trumpet. Beautiful song. Congratulations with a fantastic tune...!