Rae was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire to a Kittitian father and an English mother, and she was the eldest of three daughters. She began her musical career at school where she studied classical violin before she turned her attention to singing: "I started off singing in church, I suppose, but people think it must have been a gospel church because of the whole, you know, black assumption", she says in reference to her multiracial background. "But it wasn't gospel at all, it was just your regular Brethren church, very middle-class, where we would sing these harmonies every Sunday. It was always my favourite part of the service, the singing".
Rae later transferred to a Baptist church, where the choir would sing traditional hymns, and Primal Scream tunes. "We changed the words though", Rae states on her website. "We didn't want to offend the regular churchgoers, now did we?"
Performing in church broadened Rae's musical horizons, and her love affair with making music was solidified after a local youth leader offered to buy her an electric guitar. In her mid-teens, she became obsessed with rock legends Led Zeppelin, "I loved that band during my teens; I wanted, somehow, to follow in their footsteps, and to create music of my own".
Rae formed an all-female indie group called Helen, which was inspired by similar acts such as Veruca Salt and L7. "It was the first time I'd seen women with guitars. They were kinda sexy – but feminist. I wanted to be like that, at the front of something".
The group raised eyebrows on several fronts; in the white male-dominated world of indie music, they were an all-female group fronted by a mixed-race singer from Leeds. The moniker "Helen" also drew attention, albeit for not all the right reasons: "What can I say? We were 15 years old, and thought that Helen was a cheeky, indie kind of thing to do. It seemed clever at the time. Admittedly, it seems less so now".
The group played many gigs around Leeds, including a memorable performance at Joseph's Well with Leeds-based band Swift, fronted by wildman rocker Royce Dunston. Despite this, the group became the first indie act to be signed to heavy metal record label Roadrunner Records, home to acts such as Slipknot, in 1995. The venture proved to be short-lived however after the bassist became pregnant and the group disbanded. "[Was I] Disappointed? I was gutted! I had no idea what to do next".
Corinne has often stated that she is a proud Leeds United Football Club fan.
After the disappointment of Helen, Rae went on to attend the University of Leeds where she studied an English Literature degree. While at University, she began work as a hat check girl on an evening in her local jazz club. Permitted to sing on stage with the jazz band when business was slow, it was there that she discovered a different type of music that sent her on a different musical path: "I kept hearing this jazz and soul stuff and I realized I loved that music too". It was there also that she met saxophone player Jason Rae, whom she eventually married in 2001 at age twenty-two. "I was Corinne Bailey. I added on Rae, my husband's name, when I got married. There's no hyphen; stops it being posh!" Jason died in March 2008.
Career
Over the space of the next three years, Rae began working on solo material – this time steering away from her indie past and embarking on a more "soulful" path. She collaborated with Leeds-based funk group The New Mastersounds on the track "Your Love Is Mine", featured on their 2003 album Be Yourself, released via One Note Records. The following year she again worked with another Leeds-based group, Homecut Directive, on the song "Come the Revolution", which was the first single from the group's debut album.
In 2004, Rae got a breakthrough when she was signed by Global Talent Publishing and then approached by Craig David's mentor Mark Hill, from the duo The Artful Dodger, to appear on his new album better luck next time under his new alias, The stiX. The resulting collaboration, "Young and Foolish", was released in April 2005 and brought Rae to the attention of the major record label bosses. Rae released her debut single, "Like a Star", in November 2005 and her first album, Corinne Bailey Rae, in February 2006. In September 2006, Rae scooped two awards at the UK's MOBO Awards: "Best UK Newcomer" and "Best UK Female". Rae recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios in July 2006 for Live From Abbey Road.
Rae also received three nominations at the 2007 Grammy Awards: "Record of the Year", "Song of the Year" (both for "Put Your Records On"), and "Best New Artist". During the ceremony, she performed "Like a Star" and joined John Legend and John Mayer in a collaborative performance, providing accompanying vocals to Legend's "Coming Home" and Mayer's "Gravity". The poll's predictions subsequently came true, as she became only the fourth female British act in history to have her first album debut at number one. She has been nominated for Grammy Awards and BRIT Awards and won two MOBO Awards.
During an interview for the 2011 Mercury Awards, Corinne revealed she is writing a follow-up album to her critically acclaimed The Sea.
In 2013, Bailey Rae was moved from Capitol Records to Virgin Records due to corporate restructuring as a result of their parent company being purchased by Universal Music Group in 2012.
Discography
Albums
* 2006: "Corinne Bailey Rae"
* 2007: Live in London & New York
* 2010: "The Sea"
06 Love's On Its Way
Corinne Bailey Rae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wish I had understanding.
Never known more
Never been so well informed
We know the score
Heard it all before,
But I've never felt more powerless
So much hope refused
So much grainy teenage photographs on the evening news
Oo, when every where's violence
Silently I go
Love's on its way
I hope it won't be too late
When the day comes
And I've counted all my sins
How meant I'll see
I want to be able to say that I did more, more than pray
I did more
Than just spend my money
Just writing letters
Than just going out marching
I did more than talking and saying the right thing
Wearing the right thing
It's time for an uprising
Love's on its way
Hope it won't be too late
Love's on its way
Love's on its way
Love's on its way
Hope it won't be too late
In Corinne Bailey Rae's song Love's on Its Way, the singer expresses her frustration at the state of the world and her desire to make a difference. The first verse addresses her wish for better understanding, and how despite being well-informed and aware of the issues, she still feels powerless to effect any real change. The second verse vividly depicts the violence and despair that seems to permeate many communities, with references to the blood on the streets, the hopelessness of youth, and the constant stream of heartbreaking news. The chorus offers a glimmer of hope, with the repeated refrain that love is on its way, but the urgency is palpable, as the singer hopes it won't be too late.
The third verse takes on a confessional tone, as the singer contemplates her own mortality and hopes that she will have made a real impact by that point. She resolves to do more than just pray, spend money, or write letters, but to take action in a tangible way. She calls for an uprising of sorts, a collective effort to bring about change. The song ends with the repeated refrain of love being on its way, a message of hope that seems to shine out of the darkness and underscore the urgency of the singer's plea for action.
The song is a powerful call to arms, urging listeners to take a stand against violence, oppression, and injustice in whatever way they can. It speaks to the frustration many people feel in the face of seemingly insurmountable problems, but also offers a glimmer of hope that change is possible. The raw emotion and sincerity of Corinne Bailey Rae's performance underscores the urgency of the message and makes Love's on Its Way a standout track in her discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Father,
The singer is addressing God, likely seeking guidance or understanding.
I wish I had understanding.
The singer desires more knowledge or comprehension of events happening around them.
Never known more
The singer is claiming to have never before been so aware of the problems in the world around them.
Never been so well informed
The artist implies that they are now privy to more information about current events than they have been in the past.
We know the score
The artist acknowledges that they and others are aware of the severity of the situations they face.
Heard it all before,
The singer implies that they are aware of the repetitive nature of the issues at hand and have likely heard stories and pleas for help in the past.
But I've never felt more powerless
Despite being more informed than ever before, the singer feels so helpless in the face of the overwhelming problems they see that it outweighs any knowledge they might have gained.
There's so much blood on the streets
The artist is acknowledging the violence that is taking place around them and the resultant loss of life.
So much hope refused
There is a sense that many people are in dire need of help or hope, but it is being ignored.
So much grainy teenage photographs on the evening news
The artist is likely seeing the aftermath of war or violence on the news, with particular emphasis on young people who are suffering.
Oo, when every where's violence
The singer feels as though violence is all around them and they can't escape it.
Silently I go
The artist does not know how to react or respond to the violence around them and instead shuts down or withdraws.
Love's on its way
The singer believes that love or change is coming, as though it is a force outside themselves that will eventually solve the issues they are facing.
I hope it won't be too late
Despite the hope that things will turn around, there is a sense of urgency and fear that it may not happen in time to save more lives.
When the day comes
The singer is looking to the future, perhaps imagining a judgment day.
And I've counted all my sins
The artist will reflect on their own actions and how they can improve or make a difference in the world.
How meant I'll see
The artist is questioning how they will be perceived or judged by others.
I want to be able to say that I did more, more than pray
The singer feels that simply praying isn't enough and wants to have done more impactful actions.
I did more
The singer is emphasizing that they want to have done more good in the world, with the implication being that they haven't done enough yet.
Than just spend my money
The artist wants to have put their resources and time towards causes that will make a difference.
Just writing letters
The artist implies that writing letters or sending thoughts and prayers is not enough to make a real difference.
Than just going out marching
Participating in marches or protests is not enough for the artist and they want to do more.
I did more than talking and saying the right thing
The singer wants to have taken more concrete actions instead of just talking or spreading awareness about the problems they see.
Wearing the right thing
The artist is calling out people who may only pay lip service to social justice movements or wear the appropriate clothing, but take no real action.
It's time for an uprising
The singer believes that a revolution or uprising is necessary to enact real change.
Hope it won't be too late
The singer is repeating their fear that it may be too late for change and urging listeners to act now.
Love's on its way
The singer is still hopeful that positive change is coming, but it feels somewhat out of their control.
Love's on its way
Reiterating the idea that love (or progress) is coming, despite the bad news and violence they see around them.
Love's on its way
A final reminder that there is still hope, no matter how dire the circumstances appear.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Corinne Bailey Rae
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Godsdaughter
beautiful