In 2006 Knight starred in BBC1 music TV show, Just The Two Of Us, and is the host of the Radio 2 show Beverley's Gospel Nights, which explores the origins and impact of gospel music. Now in its second season, the show has featured interviews with stars such as Destiny's Child and Shirley Caesar.
Knight is an ambassador for many charities such Christian Aid and has travelled to areas affected by disease and poverty to help raise awareness. She is an active campaigner for anti-Aids organisations such as the Stop AIDS Campaign and The Terrence Higgins Trust and is also a vocal campaigner against homophobic lyrics in urban music. She became an MBE in 2006, the only musician to be granted such an honour in the Queen's eightieth birthday honours list.
In February 2006 Knight consolidated her move into the mainstream audience by appearing on BBC1 music show, Just The Two of Us. The show, featuring celebrities who duet with established singers, ran for two weeks and proved to be a relative disappointment in terms of audience figures – averaging between fifteen and twenty-five percent audience shares.[17] Nevertheless it provided a platform for Knight to reach out to a bigger audience and demonstrate her talent by performing a different array of songs than she would otherwise be known for. Reaching out to new audiences was also a driving force behind Knight’s decision to join Take That on their reunion arena tour. Take That - The Ultimate Tour 06, which ran from April to July 2006, sold 270,000 tickets in less than four hours on sale at the box office and featured Knight as a support act.
In March 2006 Beverley released her fifth album, a compilation set featuring the majority of her top forty UK singles entitled Voice - The Best Of Beverley Knight. The album, which was certified Gold less than a month after its release,[19] became her second highest charting of her career when it entered the UK albums chart at number ten and rose to number nine a month later. It was preceded by the single "Piece of my Heart" – a cover of the Erma Franklin classic made famous by Janis Joplin and entered the singles chart at number sixteen, spending eleven weeks inside the UK top 75 singles chart and becoming her longest-running chart single to date.
In October 2006, Knight recorded her fifth studio album, Music City Soul, in Nashville. Completed in less than five days, the album was released on 7 May 2007 and features collaborations with musicians such as Ronnie Wood and Scotty Moore. It has spawned three singles thus far, "No Man's Land", released on 16 April 2007, "After You", released on 2 July 2007 and "The Queen of Starting Over", released on 15 October 2007.
Beverley will be releasing her next album in spring 2009.
Sites: YouTube
Hurricane Jane
Beverley Knight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dry season's over, here comes the rain,
Sweeping over your plain, blazing as I go
Call me hurricane jane,
This kind of weather's hard to contain,
Nothing's ever the same, when I start to blow
Far from home, lonely time
Pictures form in my mind, all of them remain.
Here I go like before, signs that I can't ignore.
Close my eyes, cue the storm
Ready for the change...call me.
[chorus]
Rushing in like a flood
Barren land, turns to mud
Every thought heats the blood,
Temperature will rise.
Ready to pump and it's all good
I love me better than anyone could
You inspire like you should and I cannot deny
[chorus]
Said I rage like a fire, and I flow like the water
Ain't no surprise I was born under aries sign.
This is my body, so I do what I choose
Nothing to hide when I am alone, cause there ain't no rules.
[chorus (x2)]
In Beverley Knight's song "Hurricane Jane," the singer compares herself to a force of nature: a hurricane. The lyrics suggest that she is about to unleash her power on someone or something, and that she is unstoppable. The opening lines, "Call me hurricane Jane, dry season's over, here comes the rain," set the tone for the song. The metaphorical language continues throughout the song as Knight sings about her ability to transform her surroundings and exceed expectations. The chorus of the song emphasizes her power as she sings, "I'm a hurricane, oh yeah / Fierce and strong, blazing as I go / I'm a hurricane, oh yeah / I'm ready to blow, ready for the change."
The second verse of the song hints that Knight's inspiration for this frenzied burst of energy may have been a person. She sings about being far from home and thinking about someone special. The chorus then emphasizes that she is not only a force to be reckoned with, but also intimately connected to her own power. The lyrics "I love me better than anyone could / You inspire like you should and I cannot deny" suggest that she feels empowered by this person and that their relationship is fueling her ability to unleash her power.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me hurricane jane,
I am a force to be reckoned with - unstoppable, powerful and relentless.
Dry season's over, here comes the rain,
After a long period of calm and routine, I am bringing change and excitement to your life.
Sweeping over your plain, blazing as I go
I am charging through your mundane existence, leaving a trail of excitement and energy in my wake.
This kind of weather's hard to contain,
My presence and energy are electrifying, and cannot be tamed or subdued.
Nothing's ever the same, when I start to blow
Once I arrive on the scene, I bring a new energy and change that will forever alter the course of events.
Far from home, lonely time
When separated from my familiar surroundings and loved ones, I am forced to think deeply and reflect on my life.
Thinking about, you and I
During those moments of introspection, thoughts of the people most important to me, including my romantic partner, occupy my mind.
Pictures form in my mind, all of them remain.
My memories and fantasies of my loved ones are vivid and enduring, staying with me long after the moment has passed.
Here I go like before, signs that I can't ignore.
Despite past experiences warning me against certain decisions, I am willing and ready to take risks and pursue my passions.
Close my eyes, cue the storm Ready for the change...call me.
I embrace change and am willing to take any risks necessary to bring about new opportunities and experiences.
Rushing in like a flood Barren land, turns to mud Every thought heats the blood, Temperature will rise.
My intensity and passion bring a rush of excitement and change, elevating people's spirits and igniting their passions.
Ready to pump and it's all good I love me better than anyone could You inspire like you should and I cannot deny
I am confident in my own abilities and self-worth, and am inspired by those around me to be the best version of myself.
Said I rage like a fire, and I flow like the water Ain't no surprise I was born under aries sign.
My fiery and fluid nature is unsurprising, given my astrological sign. I embody the strength and courage of a fire, while also possessing the flexibility and adaptability of water.
This is my body, so I do what I choose Nothing to hide when I am alone, cause there ain't no rules.
I am unapologetically true to myself, embracing my unique qualities and defying societal norms and expectations.
[chorus]
I am a powerful and transformative force, bringing new energy and excitement to every aspect of life.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES JASON POYSER, CHE GUEVERA, BEVERLY SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind