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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Heartland Truckstop
Beth Orton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never seems to get broken
Never could never would
Never clouds up my day
See I wanted to give
Then I just couldn't take it
I wanted to love
And I turned ?round and hated it
If I ever knew I tried to tell
Give of my heart but I never sell
Supermarket of the soul
Heartland truckstop global mall
Taking flights of indifference
?cross a wide screen sky
Could feel so alive
You might think that you had...died?
I'm not skating on ice
See I'm walking on water
And silence is finest
Don't give me your word
Yes silence speaks louder
C'mon give me a word
I don't want nobody knowing
How the hurt in me works
If they ever knew they might just sell
Give of my heart then never tell
Supermarket of the soul
Heartland truckstop global mall
And the one thing that is certain
Is the one uncertainty
If we keep doing the same thing
Nothing will work out differently
We're all bridge builders' daughters
With incestuous dreams
Confidentially speaking
All is as it seems
Confidentially speaking
All is as it seems
"Heartland Truckstop" is one of Beth Orton's most introspective and lyrically complex songs. Through metaphor and imagery, she explores the struggle between wanting to give love and struggling with the pain of rejection and betrayal.
The opening lines, "There's a bridge across my stream / Never seems to get broken," introduce the idea of something unbreakable that provides a foundation. This could be a metaphorical bridge, but also represents something that never changes in life. The line "Supermarket of the soul / Heartland truck stop global mall" juxtaposes the idea of the internal self with commercialism, depersonalizing the experience of seeking love and intimacy. Orton sings of the desire to give love, but admits that she struggles to receive it in return.
The song's chorus speaks to the fear of vulnerability and the risk that comes with giving one's heart: "If they ever knew they might just sell / Give of my heart then never tell." The final lines bring the song full circle, returning to the idea of bridges and daughters of bridge builders. The repetition of "All is as it seems" suggests that while the complexities of love and heartache can be painful, ultimately the world operates on a simple and truthful level.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a bridge across my stream
I have a connection to my inner self.
Never seems to get broken
This connection never fades away.
Never could never would
I will never break the bond I have with myself.
Never clouds up my day
This bond doesn't affect my mood in a negative way.
See I wanted to give
I tried to offer parts of myself to others.
Then I just couldn't take it
However, I couldn't handle some aspects of relationships.
I wanted to love
I yearned for love from others.
And I turned ?round and hated it
But I realized that sometimes love can cause pain and hurt as well.
If I ever knew I tried to tell
If I had any advice to give, I would offer it.
Give of my heart but I never sell
However, I would never give away parts of myself to benefit others.
Supermarket of the soul
The soul is a valuable commodity.
Heartland truckstop global mall
It can be found anywhere, even in unexpected places.
Taking flights of indifference
Feeling emotionally disconnected.
?cross a wide screen sky
Feeling detached as if watching from afar.
Could feel so alive
Despite feeling numb, I still have moments of vitality.
You might think that you had...died?
It can be difficult to recognize one's own emotions.
I'm not skating on ice
I'm not taking any risks.
See I'm walking on water
Instead, I'm in total control of my situation.
And silence is finest
Silence is my preference in communication.
Don't give me your word
I don't want to hear what you have to say.
Yes silence speaks louder
In fact, silence can be louder than words.
C'mon give me a word
But if you must speak, keep it concise.
I don't want nobody knowing
I have a private side to myself that I don't want others to see.
How the hurt in me works
Specifically, I don't want anyone to see how I deal with emotional pain.
If they ever knew they might just sell
If others knew details about me, they would use it to their advantage.
Give of my heart then never tell
I prefer to keep my emotions hidden.
The one thing that is certain
One truth is that things are constantly changing.
Is the one uncertainty
The only thing that is certain is uncertainty.
If we keep doing the same thing
Continuing in the same pattern.
Nothing will work out differently
The outcome will remain unchanged if this continues.
We're all bridge builders' daughters
We all strive to make connections with others.
With incestuous dreams
However, sometimes this motivation can stem from unhealthy desires.
Confidentially speaking
Privately and honestly.
All is as it seems
The truth is revealed in one way or another.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ELIZABETH CAROLINE ORTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind