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"
I’d Do It All Again
Corinne Bailey Rae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, you're thirsting for something I know, won't make you happy
Ooh, you did it all again, you broke another skin
It's hard to believe this time, hard to believe
That my heart, my heart's an open door
You got all you came for, baby
So weary, someone to love is bigger than your pride's worth
And out runs all of the sadness
It's terrifying, life, through the darkness
And I'd do it all again, I'd do it all again
I'd do it all again, I'd do it all again
You try sometimes but it won't stop
You got my heart and my head's lost, ooh yeah
I've been burning down these candles for love, for love
So weary, someone to love is bigger than your pride
Ooh, someone to love, mm, someone to love
Someone to love
Ooh, you're searching for something I know,
Won't make you happy
Ooh
, you're thirsting for something I know, won't make you happy
In this song, Corinne Bailey Rae sings about being in a relationship with someone who constantly searches for something that won't ultimately make them happy. The first two lines of the song repeat this idea, highlighting the futility of such a search. The line "you did it all again, you broke another skin" suggests that this is a pattern in the relationship, with the other person repeatedly hurting her emotionally. Despite this, she acknowledges that her heart is still open to them ("my heart's an open door") and that they have taken what they came for.
The chorus ("And I'd do it all again...") shows her willingness to go through the pain and heartbreak all over again, perhaps suggesting the depth of her feelings for this person. The lines "someone to love is bigger than your pride's worth" and "someone to love, mm, someone to love" drive home the idea that love is worth fighting for, even if it comes with pain and difficulty.
Overall, the song is a bittersweet reflection on the complexities of love and relationships. It acknowledges the pain that can come with loving someone who doesn't always treat you well, but also affirms the worthiness of pursuing love despite these challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, you're searching for something I know, won't make you happy
You're looking for something that won't bring you true joy and fulfillment.
Ooh, you're thirsting for something I know, won't make you happy
You have a deep desire for something that won't actually satisfy you.
Ooh, you did it all again, you broke another skin
You made the same mistake again and caused yourself pain and harm.
It's hard to believe this time, hard to believe
It's difficult to accept what's happened this time around.
That my heart, my heart's an open door
My heart is vulnerable and susceptible to being hurt.
You got all you came for, baby
You took everything you wanted from me without regard for my feelings.
So weary, someone to love is bigger than your pride's worth
It takes a lot to make a relationship work and goes beyond one's ego.
Is bigger than the pain you got for it hurts
Being with someone you love is worth the potential pain and suffering.
And out runs all of the sadness
All the hurt and sorrow can be chased away by love.
It's terrifying, life, through the darkness
Life can be scary and difficult, especially when you can't see what's next.
And I'd do it all again, I'd do it all again
Despite the pain, I would still choose to love you.
You try sometimes but it won't stop
You attempt to move on, but your feelings keep pulling you back in.
You got my heart and my head's lost, ooh yeah
You hold my heart captive and my mind is in disarray because of you.
I've been burning down these candles for love, for love
I've been sacrificing so much for our relationship, for love.
So weary, someone to love is bigger than your pride
Putting your ego aside and loving someone can be incredibly rewarding.
Ooh, someone to love, mm, someone to love
Ultimately, what we all want and need is someone to love.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Corinne Bailey Rae
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@soyyobbv8013
Ooh, you're searching for something I know, won't make you happy
Ooh, you're thirsting for something I know, won't make you happy
Ooh, you did it all again, you broke another skin
It's hard to believe this time, hard to believe
That my heart, my heart's an open door
You got all you came for, baby
So weary, someone to love is bigger than your pride's worth
Is bigger than the pain you got for it hurts
And out runs all of the sadness
It's terrifying, life, through the darkness
And I'd do it all again, I'd do it all again
I'd do it all again, I'd do it all again
You try sometimes but it won't stop
You got my heart and my head's lost, ooh yeah
I've been burning down these candles for love, for love
So weary, someone to love is bigger than your pride
Ooh, someone to love, mm, someone to love
Someone to love
Ooh, you're searching for something I know,
Won't make you happy
Ooh
@MeekieBadGal
10 years later and this song is still relevant to my life
@Davidatitudeinteligente4195
Brasil
@littlecrowders7089
Me too
@yogatwohands
That is right for sure. I listen to this after 5 yrs again w/ same feeling
@luciasann6930
I was driving a cab in my early twenties in Phoenix at that time and I had to check her music out through the library because I was very broke and it feels weird that it's been this long.
@revaholic
The most beautiful depression song
@ricardomandanas499
she is something else... song is from the heart literally.
@steviesniper
She's one of the unfortunately rare artists these days who have literally impeccable taste.
@stuffstuff1327
steviesniper honestly
@ivannaoohnana1267
Revisited this song again after 10 years, still making me cry 😭