Before her days in Ash, Hatherley was playing in the obscure punk rock band, Nightnurse, from the age of 16. They received moderate success, and Ash frontman Tim Wheeler was present at one of their gigs. She was later recruited as the fourth and final member. Her first album with the group was 1998s Nu Clear Sounds where she provided lead guitar for all tracks and also wrote the song WildSurf which appears on the album.
Apart from this, Hatherley mainly contributed to Ash with soulful guitar and some backing vocals, co-writing the odd song with Wheeler. The title track from Hatherley's first solo album, Grey Will Fade had previously been featured as a B-side to one of Ash's singles. The rest of the band had liked the song, yet felt it wasn't consistent with Ash's sound, and supported Hatherley when she decided to record her own album. This debut album, relased in 2004, has more than proved her songwriting ability. The three singles, Bastardo, Kim Wilde and Summer all received high praise from critics, as well as the album itself.
The videos to the tracks Bastardo and Summer were directed by her ex-boyfriend, Edgar Wright, who is best known as the director of the film "Shaun Of The Dead", which incidentally featured two tracks from Ash's fourth album proper Meltdown, the title track and Orpheus.
On January 20th 2006, she announced her departure from Ash, to pursue her solo career further.
Her first material since her departure from Ash came in the form of the Behave EP which featured tracks from her second album and was released on December 18 2006 on two formats - 7" vinyl and digital download. The EP featured the title track Behave as well as other tracks from her second album including Cousteau and Mr Ed.
Her second album, The Deep Blue, was released in March 2007 on her own label Little Sister Records which was founded by Charlotte together with her manager Ann-Marie Shields. Between this and the release of her 2009 third solo effort, New Worlds, she played with Bat for Lashes as a touring guitarist, and has played bass with Client since December 2007.
I Want You To Know
Charlotte Hatherley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh baby
Oh baby are you sad and lonely?
Well I'm just doing fine
I want you to know
That now there is an open season
To kick you when you're down
I want you to know
So now your cover's blown
I want you to know
Baby do you know how it can feel
To be all on your own?
I want you to know
Vendetta on you
Oh it's true
Feel like a Chinese burn
All over you
Well I well I
Feel you like
Karaoke-oh
Baby do you cry with laughter?
Are you cracking up?
I want you to know
Baby did I leave you in stitches?
Splitting at the sides?
I want you to know
Baby did you get the punchline?
Did you bust a gut?
I want you to know
Baby this will end in your tears
And isn't that a scream?
I want you to know
Vendetta on you
Oh it's true
Feel like a Chinese burn
On top of you
Well I well I
Feel you like
Karaoke-oh
And now the fear, fear
And now the fear has gone away
And now the love, love
And now the love is here to stay
And oh you know it's true
So what you gonna do?
And oh you know it's true
So what you gonna do?
Vendetta on you
Oh it's true
Feel like a Chinese burn
All over you
Well I well I
Feel you like
Karaoke-oh
And now the fear, fear
And now the fear has gone away
And now the love, love
And now the love is here to stay
Oh baby
Oh baby
The lyrics of "I Want You to Know" by Charlotte Hatherley contain a message of revenge towards someone who has hurt her. The repetition of "oh baby" at the beginning and end of the song is a sarcastic jab at the person she is addressing, as if mocking them for believing that she cares about their well-being. Hatherley tells the person that they are sad and lonely, but that she is doing fine, implying that she has moved on from whatever happened between them.
The lyrics then turn more aggressive, with Hatherley stating that there is now an "open season" to kick the person when they're down. She sings that there are suckers born every minute, and that the person's cover is blown. The message is clear: she now sees through them and is not afraid to call them out. In the chorus, Hatherley describes the feeling of revenge as a "vendetta" and compares it to the painful sensation of a Chinese burn.
As the song progresses, Hatherley asks if the person is crying with laughter and cracking up, suggesting that they may be starting to understand the gravity of what they have done. She ends the song by stating that the fear is gone and that love has taken its place, but it's unclear if this is directed at the person she's seeking revenge against or if it's a broader statement.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh baby
Opening the song with a term of endearment to address someone dear
Oh baby
Repeating the term of endearment to emphasize the affectionate tone
Oh baby are you sad and lonely?
Asking the person if they are feeling down and alone
Well I'm just doing fine
Assuring the person that the artist is doing well despite their worries
I want you to know that now there is an open season to kick you when you're down
Telling the person that others may take advantage of their vulnerability in their current state of distress
I want you to know there's a sucker born every minute, so now your cover's blown
Informing the person that others may fall for their tricks, and now that they know, the person's facade is exposed
I want you to know baby do you know how it can feel to be all on your own?
Asking the person if they know how it feels to be lonely
I want you to know
Repeating the desire for the person to understand the upcoming statements
Vendetta on you, oh it's true, feel like a Chinese burn all over you
Expressing a desire for revenge against the person and the physical pain they may feel as a result
Well, I well, I feel you like karaoke-oh
Comparing the person to a karaoke song, implying that they lack originality
Baby do you cry with laughter? Are you cracking up?
Asking the person if they have cried tears of joy and if they are currently going insane
Baby did I leave you in stitches? Splitting at the sides?
Asking the person if the artist's jokes or actions have caused them to laugh uncontrollably
Baby did you get the punchline? Did you bust a gut?
Asking the person if they understood the singer's joke and laughed hard
Baby, this will end in your tears, and isn't that a scream? I want you to know
Implying that the person will end up crying and that the singer finds it amusing
And now the fear, fear, and now the fear has gone away, and now the love, love, and now the love is here to stay
Changing the mood of the song to highlight that fear has dissipated and love is present instead
Oh you know it's true, so what you gonna do?
Affirming the presence of love and asking the person what they will do with this knowledge
Vendetta on you, oh it's true, feel like a Chinese burn all over you
Repeating the desire for revenge against the person and the physical pain they may feel as a result
Well, I well, I feel you like karaoke-oh
Comparing the person to a karaoke song, implying that they lack originality
And now the fear, fear, and now the fear has gone away, and now the love, love, and now the love is here to stay
Repeating the contrast between fear and love
Oh baby
Ending the song with the same term of endearment used in the beginning
Oh baby
Repeating the term of endearment to emphasize the nostalgic tone
Contributed by Gabriel M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
A W
Charlotte Hatherley is outstanding.
[PIAS]
The latest video in our FROM THE [PIAS] VAULTS series is Charlotte Hatherley's 2007 track "I Want You To Know" - get in there and get nostalgic for, erm, 6 years ago.
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Get Wise
WellaWella, I love this song!
Tokaji Leo
i love her
ルイボスティー
かっこいいわー
Mondo C. Castro Videos
Ash's loss is Hatheey's gain
Alejandro Navarro
she was actually encouraged by tim to go solo.
河馬邦
Creative...
Charles Hawkins
🔥
holds your attention to the end
0:43 🖤💚
👇 👇 👇 👇🔥
Donal Rees
Would love to go a few rounds with her wouldn't mind being knocked out by her