While playing the Los Angeles clubs, she enlisted bassist Tal Herzberg and guitarist Jimmy Khoury. In 1993, Hart appeared on Ed McMahon's Star Search several times.
"Beth Hart and the Ocean of Souls" was recorded in 1993. It includes "Am I the One" (re-worked on later album Immortal (1996)) and a pop-rock cover of the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
Hart released her album Immortal with her band Beth Hart Band in 1996.
Her next album, Screamin' for My Supper (Atlantic, 1999), featured "LA Song (Out of This Town)," a top-5 Adult Contemporary Chart hit. At the same time, Hart was singing the lead role in "Love, Janis," an Off-Broadway musical based on Joplin's letters home to her mother.
Hart's Leave the Light On was released in 2003. European releases of the album include extras such as the ballad "Learning to Live" and a duet with Barry Hay, "I Don't Want to Be."
Hart released "Live at Paradiso" in 2005. The DVD version includes a bonus documentary covering "a day in the life" of Hart. She has also recorded with Born ("It Hurts"), Les Paul and Neal Schon ("I Wanna Know You"), and released a number of music video singles not available on CD, including "Shine," "Boogeyman," and "Setting Me Free."
Beth Hart's album 37 Days was released in Europe July 2007.
Hart did a song with Slash called "Mother Maria." That song is on the iTunes version of Slash's solo album, Slash.
Beth's new single was released in May 2010, the track, "Learning to Live," is from an upcoming album of the same name and will be used as the theme song to "Losing It with Jillian" on NBC. this album marks Beth's first new American studio release since 2003.
In 2011 she worked with Joe Bonamassa, first providing vocals for the track "No Love On The Street" on his album Dust Bowl (March 2011). They also worked on an entire album of blues classics together, entitled Don't Explain(released on September 27, 2011).
Beth Hart is married and currently resides in Los Angeles. Her band includes lead guitarist Jon Nichols, bassist Tom Lilly, and drummer Todd Wolf. Her manager is David Wolff.
Leave the Light On
Beth Hart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I cut my luck with a dirty ace
I leave the light on
I went from zero to minus ten
I drank your wine then
I stole your man
I leave the light on,
I leave that light on.
Daddy ain't that bad he just plays rough
I ain't that scarred when I'm covered up
I leave the light on
Little girl hiding underneath the bed was it something I did
Must be something I said
I leave the light on, better leave the light on.
I want to love
I want to live
I don't know much about it
I never did seventeen and I'm all messed up inside
I cut myself just to feel alive
I leave the light on twenty one on the run
on the run on the run from myself
From myself and everyone
I leave the light on, I leave the light on
Better leave the light on.
Cause I want to love
I want to live
I don't know much about it
I never did,
I don't know what to do, can the damage be undone
I swore to God that I'd never be what I've become
Lucky stars and fairy tales
I'm gonna bathe myself in a wishin' well
Pretty scars from cigarettes
I never will forget, I never will forget
I'm still afraid to be alone
wish that moon would follow me home
I leave the light on
I ain't that bad I'm just messed up
I ain't that sad but I'm sad enough
God bless the child with the dirty face who cuts her luck with a dirty ace
She leaves the light on, I leave that light on
Beth Hart's song "Leave the Light On" tells the story of a troubled young woman who has made mistakes and has scars that continue to haunt her. She opens the song saying "I seen myself with a dirty face, I cut my luck with a dirty ace," conveying the idea that she has made poor choices and picked the wrong cards in life. She then repeats the sentence "I leave the light on" throughout the song, suggesting that she is waiting for someone to return or for a better life to come. The lyrics depict a person in search of love and happiness but unable to find it due to past trauma and difficulties.
The song's second verse reveals that the woman's past is still present as she hides under a bed, possibly remembering a traumatic event. She expresses confusion as to why she feels this way stating "I don't know much about it, I never did." The verse ends with the plea to "Better leave the light on," reiterating her desire for hope and comfort. Hart's chorus, "Cause I want to love, I want to live" echoes this sentiment - this woman wants a brighter future and a release from the pain of her past.
Overall, "Leave the Light On" is a powerful and emotional song that resonates with anyone who has struggled with their past and yearned for a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
I seen myself with a dirty face,
I saw myself in a bad position, with poor choices made and regret
I cut my luck with a dirty ace
I made risky choices that didn't turn out well
I leave the light on
I want to be found, I leave the door open and a light on so people know they're welcome.
I went from zero to minus ten
I fell from grace, went from having nothing to owing a lot
I drank your wine then
I took advantage of the hospitality others have offered
I stole your man
I broke up a relationship and took someone for myself
Daddy ain't that bad he just plays rough
My father isn't abusive, but he can be tough to deal with
I ain't that scarred when I'm covered up
I'm not as damaged as it may seem, sometimes it's easy to hide our true selves
Little girl hiding underneath the bed was it something I did
I wonder if my actions caused someone to hide from me, to be scared of me.
Must be something I said
Maybe my words came out the wrong way, or I didn't explain myself well enough
I want to love
I desire to connect with someone at a deep and meaningful level
I want to live
I yearn to experience all that life has to offer
I don't know much about it
I don't have all the answers or the experience to navigate life perfectly
I never did seventeen and I'm all messed up inside
I never had a carefree adolescence and it's affected me deeply
I cut myself just to feel alive
I harm myself to feel anything, to know that I'm still living
I leave the light on twenty one on the run on the run on the run from myself
I'm searching for something, I'm running from my past, my thoughts, my feelings.
From myself and everyone
I'm at war with myself and the world
I don't know what to do, can the damage be undone
I don't have the answers to fix what's been broken
I swore to God that I'd never be what I've become
I promised myself and God that I wouldn't become the person I am today
Lucky stars and fairy tales
Hopeful wishes for the future despite the difficulties of the present
I'm gonna bathe myself in a wishin' well
I will trust in the good things to come and lean into hope.
Pretty scars from cigarettes
Physical reminders of past traumas and not so great choices
I never will forget, I never will forget
Memories of past hurt remain at the forefront of my mind
I'm still afraid to be alone
I fear being left alone with my thoughts and feelings
Wish that moon would follow me home
A desire for comfort and light in a lonely world
I ain't that bad I'm just messed up
I'm not a bad person, just struggling to find my way
I ain't that sad but I'm sad enough
I'm not completely depressed, but I'm not fully happy
God bless the child with the dirty face who cuts her luck with a dirty ace
Blessed are the ones who have taken risks, made mistakes, and yet still keep their light shining
She leaves the light on, I leave that light on.
We all have a light to share, a light that says we're still here, willing and capable of love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: OLIVER J. LEIBER, BETH HART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DiandraStarShine
oh, wow!! congratulations!, sweetheart! for 'seeing beyond the mist.' 👍🎉🏄🏽♂️🎊 & please ALWAYS know that no matter what:
you are, eternally, a daughter of the You-niverse & you deserve, automatically, every good & beautiful thing & Experience & also:
this crazy-world-that-we-think-we-are + every-thing & every-one in it, not exactly what it all appears to be..because even when we're 'here,' we're always, simultaneously, homeward-bound.
& may you always know that 'the gods' are blessing you [ "thy will be be-ing done" 🙂].🧞♀️🙋🏾♀️🌈🌞🌺☯
@charliefox8792
Wow, sitting here at 73 with a tear in my eye from listening to this song . What a powerful , wonderful voice, expressing all the pain and journeys she has been through. Bless you Beth, your are certainly a bright star in the sky for so many. ❤
@louisenesselaar606
Yes, she is a beautiful light, that almost died. I am sitting here too with tears running over my cheeks.
@heiketheiss7738
👍. All the best to you from Germany 🙏💕
@lotamama3859
This woman’s talent is beyond a Grammy or Oscar or any other award!! She’s raw. She’s transparent and open. She’s perfectly imperfect!! We love you !!!!
@bigtwinj9
so well said!!
@raymonddorandoran4921
This woman with her God given gift, a talent beyond compare, is able to take an entire audience on a musical journey, into depths that we have never felt before. It's a true blessing, to hear her, and watch her perform. Thank you, Beth, you are truly the best!
@bonniebishop2772
OMG, Your message is Perfect and exact! She is perfectly imperfect!
So right bebe as a Beautiful Soul that has helped me through some really bad
nights For Real! Thank you for your message as I already know what She can do with her Message and Voice...My God She is just so Awesome...I encourage anyone to listen to her music for most any issues You may have...She will immediately Lift You Up! BB
@dianeedwards7387
Yeah who cares about phoney awards, she is heaven sent.
@carlramsey1117
An award is just, & ONLY, that, an award! She, & soooo.....many more are sooooo... far ABOVE ANY AWARD!!!! Awards are for the blond masses that think just because they won any reward, they are somehow better than the rest of us
@charlieerwin1618
I could not tell you the last time a song made me cry! I am 63 and caught myself crying. Beautiful!! I hope you are well Beth. God Bless!