Their first album Playing with a Different Sex is considered a post-punk classic with strong, sarcastic songs like "It's Obvious" and "We're so cool" taking a dry look at gender relations. Other songs, such as "Armagh" with its refrain,"we don't torture" took a pro-republican look at the then ongoing "Troubles" in Northern Ireland, which caused some controversy at the time.
The band's second album, Sense and Sensuality, showed an even greater influence of jazz, soul, funk and disco on the band's sound, but was less well received. The band broke up in 1983 just before they were about to go into the studio to record an album with producer Steve Lillywhite. Woods formed an all woman band called the Darlings in the late '80s, but then left the music industry. She now works as a lawyer. Guitarist, Paul Foad remains an active musician, playing with Andy Hamilton and the Blue Notes, a Jamaican Jazz band and teaching guitar in and around Birmingham. He has also published a guitar technique book, co-written with Stuart Ritchie, titled The Caged Guitarist (2000). Bass player Jane Munro works as an alternative therapist in Birmingham. Pete Hammond also remains an active musician and teaches percussion in Birmingham.
The Au Pairs released two official albums "Playing with a Different Sex" (1981) and "Sense and Sensuality" (1982). Two more albums were released in 1983: "Live in Berlin" and the "BBC Sessions".
Original Line-up:
Lesley Woods - guitar/vocals
Paul Foad - guitar/vocals
Jane Munro - bass
Pete Hammond - drums
Piece Of My Heart
Au Pairs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spinning so fast, but for some it just ends
Keep moving on quiet as kept
It hasn’t been long, hasn’t sunken in yet
Then I fall into pieces
I’m here and you’ve left
Fall into pieces
Separate like a puzzle floating in space
So lost in this galaxy of life
So lost
There’s so many things we haven’t said
There’s so many places never went
Wish you could visit every now and then
Oh I keep pretending like I understand
Was it something that I could prevent?
Oh I miss you like a piece is gone
So lost
Cause I fall into pieces
I’m here and you’ve left
Oh I fall into pieces
Never seeing you again
I separate like a puzzle and I’m floating in space
So lost in this galaxy of life
So I rise and fall like the tide
And I’m so full and empty inside
All those memories linger in my mind
Wish you were here with me
I said I fall into pieces
I’m here and you’ve left
Oh I fall into pieces
I’ll never see you again
I separate like a puzzle and I’m floating in space
So lost in this galaxy of life
The lyrics of Au Pairs’ “Piece of My Heart” convey feelings of confusion and loss after a loved one has passed away. The singer of the song is struggling to come to terms with the fact that the world keeps moving on even though they are still stuck in the emotional pain of their loss. They feel as if they are floating through space, separated from the person they loved so dearly. As the song progresses, the singer reflects on all the things left unsaid and undone with their loved one, and they wonder if it was something they could have prevented. The memories of their loved one still linger in their mind, and even though they try to remain strong, they fall into pieces without them.
The lyrics of “Piece of My Heart” are a powerful testament to the pain of loss and the ways in which it can leave one adrift in a sea of emotions. The song is evocative and emotional, conveying a sense of heartbreak and longing that is all too relatable for many people who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The use of metaphors, such as the idea of floating in space, adds a dreamlike quality to the song, enhancing its emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
Make sense of the world when it’s upside down
Trying to find understanding in a chaotic and confusing world
Spinning so fast, but for some it just ends
Life can move so quickly, sometimes it ends abruptly and unexpectedly
Keep moving on quiet as kept
To keep going forward silently and unnoticed
It hasn’t been long, hasn’t sunken in yet
Still processing the reality of the situation, not fully accepting it yet
Then I fall into pieces
Overwhelmed by sadness and grief
I’m here and you’ve left
Feeling abandoned and alone after losing someone
Fall into pieces
Continuing to break down emotionally
I’ll never see you again
Coming to terms with the finality of death
Separate like a puzzle floating in space
Feeling disconnected and isolated from the world
So lost in this galaxy of life
Feeling uncertain and bewildered by the complexities of existence
There’s so many things we haven’t said
Regretting missed opportunities to express oneself to someone who has passed away
There’s so many places never went
Regretting missed opportunities to experience things with someone who has passed away
Wish you could visit every now and then
Longing to have one more chance to be with someone who has passed away
Oh I keep pretending like I understand
Trying to make sense of something that is incomprehensible
Was it something that I could prevent?
Questioning if there was anything that could have been done differently to change the outcome
Oh I miss you like a piece is gone
Feeling incomplete and like something important is missing
Cause I fall into pieces
Continuing to struggle with the pain of loss
I separate like a puzzle and I’m floating in space
Feeling disconnected from reality and struggling to find a sense of belonging
So I rise and fall like the tide
Experiencing the highs and lows of life like the ebb and flow of the ocean
And I’m so full and empty inside
Feeling a range of emotions, from deep sadness to moments of hope
All those memories linger in my mind
Remembering moments spent with the person who has passed away
Wish you were here with me
Longing to have the person who has passed away by one's side
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERT RUSSELL, JERRY RAGOVOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lucas Lindner
Wow, just wow.
rojo slug
A million times better vocalist than Joplin.
lockruff
Somehow reminds me of Meatloaf.
evolutionary transgression
Works for me! Visit Gag-bit Vinyl in Bushwick NYC for your post-punk/new wave/synthpop fetish, including Live in Berlin and lots of other vinyl... :D
Craig Beasley
Just think of it in "punk" terms.
Michael Cahill
Not that Joplin had a great voice, but it was iconic. This singer just slurs the words to the chorus like she's sloppy drunk. So as the singer sang, cuhhuhm on, come on...
Alikingkw
its a jok indeed..
Jobrill
Sorry, Emusic. This is... Well, I guess it had its charm, but it is NOWHERE NEAR better than Janis. There's nowhere near Janis' emotion and power.
IEatTacosForDinner
@GauchoArgento LOL I agree. For this video... And the entire playlist. .-.
Jeff Williams
Check out the original be Erma Franklin.