Orton moved to East London at the age of fourteen. During her early career she was more interested in acting. She first gained notice in 1995 for her vocals on the Chemical Brothers' track "Alive Alone" and is well known for her collaboration (stemming from a relationship) with William Orbit in which she lent her voice for the Strange Cargo albums. The collaboration with Orbit called SuperPinkyMandy, though of excellent sound, was only released in very limited numbers in Japan.
Orton's first solo album, Trailer Park, was released in 1996. It earned her nominations for two Brit awards (best British newcomer, best British female), and the Mercury Music Prize in 1997, was well received by critics, and sold modestly, selling 300,000 copies and reaching sixty-eight in the U.K. The album was produced by Andrew Weatherall, whom she selected based on his production of one of her favourite records at the time, Primal Scream's "Screamadelica".
Central Reservation, her second album (proper), released in 1999, helped Orton build on the success of her debut. Although retaining the electronic edge of the former, this record showed a notably more acoustic side with several tracks consisting purely of Beth's vocal accompanied by a solitary acoustic guitar, with subject matters becoming more introspective. The album also featured notable contributions from folk musician Terry Callier, Dr Robert, and Ben Harper. Several tracks were produced by Ben Watt of Everything but the Girl. The album earned Orton a second Mercury Music Prize nomination and won her Best Female at the 2000 Brit Awards.
In July 2002, she released the album Daybreaker, which again blended the early electronica style, with up tempo pop songs and acoustic ballads. It featured guest appearances from musicians such as The Chemical Brothers, Emmylou Harris, whom she met at Lilith Fair, Ryan Adams, and Four Tet. It was a great commercial success, reaching the top eight of the U.K. album chart, but received mixed reviews from the press.
Her fourth studio album, Comfort of Strangers, was released in February 2006. The release saw her move away from the electronica element that she is usually associated with, to a more stripped down traditional alt-folk album. This followed an extended absence since her previous release, partially a result of several failed production attempts, and the parting of ways between her and Heavenly. The album was produced by Jim O'Rourke.
In 2012 Beth's 5th album Sugaring Season was released, on the ANTI- label, and was followed by a tour of Europe.
In 2016 Kidsticks, Beth's 6th album, was released.
Beth has also collaborated with American pop artist Beck on his Midnite Vultures album, providing vocals on the track "Beautiful Way". She is also known for her own singles, "Stolen Car," a hit in college circles and "She Cries Your Name", once featured in the TV show Roswell in the "Cry Your Name" episode. She also wrote songs for the Erin Brockovich soundtrack.
Beth Orton's brother, Rupert Orton, is the guitarist/manager for British rock'n'roll band The Jim Jones Revue.
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Best Bit
Beth Orton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only found this after she died
From a woman I acquired such grace
Everybody seemed to want to take her place
[Chorus:]
The best part of life it seemed
The best part of life was a dream
Is when I'm waking up to see
Reality never lives up to all that it used to be
Never seemed quite what it used to seem
Wasn't sure, it was never quite clear
What the hell was happening all around here
Never seemed to make much sense
All that fuss for just a lack of common sense
Cannot be all that it used to be
You're not as quiet as you used to be
What did you seem
What did you mean
The lyrics of Beth Orton's song "Best Bit" explore the idea that the best part of life is often just a dream, and that reality can never quite live up to the ideals and expectations we have. The first verse speaks directly to the influence of two individuals on the singer's life - a soul and a woman. The soul is only appreciated after it has gone, indicating the idea of not knowing what we have until it's gone. The woman is described as having a grace that everyone wants to emulate, yet their attempts to replicate it seem to fall short. This emphasizes the idea that the best parts of life are often fleeting and difficult to grasp.
The chorus repeats the idea that the best part of life is just a dream, and that reality can never quite live up to it. The second verse continues with similar themes, expressing confusion and frustration with the world around the singer. They thought they knew what was happening, but it quickly became unclear and nonsensical. The final lines of the song ask questions about the meaning of what has been experienced and seen.
Overall, "Best Bit" is a poignant and introspective exploration of the fleeting nature of life's best moments and the difficulty of reconciling dreams with reality.
Line by Line Meaning
From a soul I found some pride
I gained some confidence and self-esteem from a person's character
Only found this after she died
I didn't realize how much she influenced me until she was gone
From a woman I acquired such grace
I learned graceful behavior from a lady's example
Everybody seemed to want to take her place
Many people wanted to be as good as her or take her position
The best part of life it seemed
What seemed like the best thing about life
The best part of life was a dream
That great thing about life was just imagination
The best part of breaking up
When a relationship ends
Is when I'm waking up to see
At the moment I realize
Reality never lives up to all that it used to be
The truth isn't as good as expectations
Never seemed quite what it used to seem
What I thought I knew has changed
Wasn't sure, it was never quite clear
I had doubts, everything wasn't explained
What the hell was happening all around here
What exactly was going on in this situation?
Never seemed to make much sense
It all seemed illogical and irrational
All that fuss for just a lack of common sense
All that fuss was just because people lacked good judgment
Cannot be all that it used to be
Things have changed
You're not as quiet as you used to be
You're not as calm as before
What did you seem
What did you look like or appear to be
What did you mean
What was your true intention or message
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BETH ORTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Julian Vickery
"Best Bit" by Beth Orton, the title track from a 1997 EP released prior to her 1999 release "Central Reservation." https://youtu.be/sbohqLuAYb8
The title track appears in an alternative version on her single "She Cries Your Name."
Lyrics
From my soul I found some pride,
I only found this after she died,
From a moment I acquired such grace,
Everybody seemed to want to take her place.
The best part to life it seems,
The best part of life was a dream,
The best part to breaking up,
Is when I'm waking up to see,
Reality never lives up to all as it used to be,
Never seemed quite what it used to seem.
Wasn't sure it was never quite clear,
What the hell was happening all around here,
Never seemed to make much sense,
All that fuss for just the lack of common sense.
The best part to life it seems,
The best part of life was a dream,
The best part to breaking up is,
When I'm waking up to see,
Reality never lives up to all that it used to be,
Never seemed quite what it used to seem,
Can not be all that it used to be,
You're not as quiet as you used to be.
From my soul I found my pride,
Only found this after she died,
From a moment I acquired such tastes,
Everybody seemed to want to take her place.
The best part to life it seems,
The best part of life was a dream,
The best part to waking up,
Is when I'm breaking up to see,
Reality never lives up to all that it used to be,
Never seemed quite what it used to seem,
Can not be all that it used to be,
You're not as quiet as you used to seem,
What did you mean.
What did you seem
Mike F
I saw her in concert years ago and was near the front of the stage. She was taking requests and I yelled out, "Best Bit" and she played it! One of the highlights of my life - to have one of my favorite artists play my favorite song of theirs, based on my request.
Marty the boy
Me and me bestie Lord Holford saw her at Warwick University some years ago now.
Adam Chandler
I've played this song about as many times over the years as any other song in my music library...so badass and video's pretty wild, too!
epip d
Love this singer... She never did a bad song.
John Erkman
It’s also IMPOSSIBLE to take a bad picture of Beth ❤️😌😘😘😘
Delsonora
This is probably my favorite Beth video. Her hair is so beautiful, and she looks so pretty. I LOVE her facial expressions all through the video. Especially when she's in the car. love!
John Erkman
And the DEVO cameo helps😆😎😆
Solomon Kane
Best Beth Orton song
Got to be concrete sky
Marty the boy
There is something quite magical about Beth, and I had the great pleasure of seeing her live a few years ago
jimmy foster
Where have I been, never to old to learn! She’s awesome.....