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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Shadow of a Doubt
Beth Orton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's taught me more than any other blessing
You're the one that can wrestle me
C'mon hold me down now 1, 2, 3
I get too weak to fight from all this laughing
And I am not even yours to run to
And you are not even mine to cry to
You go your way my love
You go your way
It's true that I have got a head full
Of voices saying the first thing that's in their heart
And I go to throw a ball with my best intention
And it gets caught up and carried away
In completely the opposite direction
And then you're not really mine to run to
I am not even mine to cry to
And I am not even here to speak of
You go your way my love
You go your way
You are not even mine to run to
You were never quite mine to cry to
And we are not really here to speak of
You go your way my love
You go your way
With not one shadow of a doubt
You go your way
The lyrics of the song "Shadow of a Doubt" by Beth Orton articulate the complexities of a love that cannot be fully realized. The singer acknowledges the importance of this love, recognizing that it has taught them valuable lessons, but at the same time, they acknowledge that it cannot be fully consummated. This leaves the singer frustrated and feeling powerless, especially since the object of their love belongs to someone else.
The lines "you're the one that can wrestle me/ c'mon hold me down now 1,2,3/ I get too weak to fight from all this laughing" express the intensity of the singer's feelings for the person they love. They desire a deeper connection with this person, but are unable to pursue it fully. In the following lines, the singer reiterates that the relationship cannot be pursued: "And I am not even yours to run to/ And you are not even mine to cry to."
The chorus of the song repeats this sentiment, "You go your way my love/ You go your way/ With not one shadow of a doubt/You go your way." The singer acknowledges that the love they have for this person cannot be realized, and that they must move on.
Line by Line Meaning
It's true your love has been a lesson
Your love has taught me a lot, more than any other blessing
And it's taught me more than any other blessing
Your love has been a blessing and I have learned a lot from it
You're the one that can wrestle me
You are the only one who can challenge me
C'mon hold me down now 1, 2, 3
Try to control me now, give it your best shot
I get too weak to fight from all this laughing
I laugh so much that I become too weak to keep fighting
And I am not even yours to run to
I do not belong to you and I cannot come to you for help
And you are not even mine to cry to
You do not belong to me and I cannot come to you when I am upset
And we are not even here to speak of
We are not here to talk about our relationship
You go your way my love
You should do what makes you happy, my love
It's true that I have got a head full
I have a lot on my mind
Of voices saying the first thing that's in their heart
Many people speak their minds without thinking
And I go to throw a ball with my best intention
I try to do the right thing with good intentions
And it gets caught up and carried away
Sometimes things do not go as planned and get out of control
In completely the opposite direction
The outcome is completely different from what I intended
And then you're not really mine to run to
You cannot be there for me when I need someone to lean on
I am not even mine to cry to
I cannot rely on myself to comfort me when I am upset
And I am not even here to speak of
I do not want to talk about our relationship
You go your way my love
You should do what you believe is best for you, my love
You were never quite mine to cry to
I could never expect you to be my source of comfort
And we are not really here to speak of
There is no need to discuss our situation
You go your way my love
You should follow your own path, my love
With not one shadow of a doubt
Without any hesitation or doubt
You go your way
You should continue on your own path
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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