With her multifaceted acting career and some incredible theatre projects ahead of her, Rubin-Vega's latest endeavor is REDEMPTION SONGS (Sh-K-Boom Records), a much-anticipated collection of original and diversely classic songs.
"Some of these songs were written when I experienced deep losses and incredible firsts. I was inspired to write again. It was a very 'fertile' time for creativity," says Rubin-Vega. The result developed into a form of personal redemption; a vibrant and sophisticated collection of pop, Latin folk, rock and reggae influenced songs that are soulful, passionate and very reflective of Rubin-Vega herself.
As a child, Daphne moved to NYC's Greenwich Village from Panama. It was in the center of this bohemia that Daphne discovered her passion for music and performing.
"I was in the seventh grade when almost overnight I realized I was quite popular with the girls in school, and my house was turning into the hot after school hang out," Rubin-Vega recalls. "It didn't take long to figure out that it was because my brothers' band played in the basement almost every afternoon," she added. "Shortly thereafter, I started glomming the mic and singing lead."
In her teens, Daphne found herself at an Atlantic Studios vocal session begging legendary producer Arif Mardin to let her sing with David Bowie on the soundtrack to George Lucas' film, "Labyrinth." After attending a birthday party for Mardin’s son Joe, she listed all the celebrated singers in her resume; having sung "happy birthday" with them. With that credit under her belt, she joined Pajama Party, the girl group with the infamous freestyle single, "Yo No Se." She recorded two albums on Atlantic Records with the group before going solo to write and record singles for the indie club label, Maxi. Her single, "I Found It" topped the Billboard Dance and Club Play charts. At the same time, the LAByrinth Theater Company was founded and she became an early member.
In 1997, Daphne Rubin-Vega cut her first album of original music, SOUVENIRS for Polygram's now defunct Mercury label. It was the fans of this album that she credits for getting her band started. Fate also intervened in the form of Joan Jett, her co-star and roommate during Rubin-Vega's run as Magenta in 2000's The Rocky Horror Show. "She basically told me to stop bitching, get up off my ass and start a band," says Rubin-Vega. "So I did."
Rubin-Vega went on to play straight-laced detective Gloria Perez in the camp-noir thriller "Wild Things," starring Kevin Bacon and Matt Dillon, for which she won a Blockbuster Award for Best Supporting Actress/Suspense. Other film credits include Robert De Niro's love interest Tia, in the film "Flawless" and her award-winning performance of Olya in the indie cult feature "Skeleton Woman."
Daphne's 2003 role as Canary Mary in Susan Lori Parks' Fucking A at the Public Theater got her a Lucille Lortel Best Featured Actress nomination, and in 2004, Rubin-Vega received her second Tony nomination for best featured actress (play) for her role as Conchita in Nilo Cruz' Pulitzer Prize winning Anna in the Tropics with Jimmy Smits.
Rubin-Vega is preparing for the end of a very busy year. This April, she ended her run as Martirio in Bernarda Alba at Lincoln Center. In September, she finished her star turn in The New Group's summer 2006 production of Everythings Turning Into Beautiful.
In October, the same month as the release of REDEMPTION SONGS, Rubin-Vega will play Fantine in the Broadway revival of Les Miserables.
In January 2007, she will star with Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman in The Public Theater/LAByrinth production of Bob Glaudini's Jack Goes Boating.
For more information on Daphne Rubin-Vega, please visit www.daphnerubinvega.com
or www.myspace.com/drvmyspace.
Happy New Year
Daphne Rubin-Vega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Three and half minutes
I'm giving up my vices
I'm going back, back to school
Eviction or not
This week's been so hot
I couldn't crack the love code, dear
'Til you made the lock on my heart explode
It's gonna be a happy new year
A happy new year
Coast is clear
You're supposed to be working
That's for midnight
Where are they?
There isn't much time
Maybe they're dressing
I mean what does one wear that's apropos
For a party, that's also a crime?
Chips, anyone?
You can take the girl out of Hicksville
But you can't take the Hicksville out of the girl
My riot got you on TV
I deserve a royalty
Be nice you two
Or no god awful champagne
Don't mind if I do
No luck?
Bolted plywood, padlocked with a chain
A total dead end
Just like my ex-girlfriend
Honey? I know you're there
Please pick up the phone
Are you okay?
It's not funny
It's not fair
How can I atone?
Are you okay?
I lose control but I can learn to behave
Give me one more chance, let me be your slave
I'll kiss your Doc Martens, let me kiss your Doc Martens
Your every wish I will obey
That might be okay
Down girl
Heel, stay
I did a bit of research
With my friends at legal aid
Technically, you're squatters
There's hope
But just in case
Rope
We can hoist a line
To the fire escape
And tie off at
That bench
I can't take them as chums
Start hoisting wench
I think I should be laughing
Yet I forget, forget how to begin
I'm feeling something inside
And yet I still can't decide
If I should hide or make a wide open grin
Last week I wanted just to disappear
My life was dust
But now it just may be a happy new year
A happy new year
Bond, James Bond
And Pussy Galore in person
Pussy, you came prepared
I was a boy scout once
And a brownie
Until some brat got scared
Aha! Moneypenny, my martini!
Will bad champagne do?
That's shaken, not stirred
Pussy, the bolts
Just say the word
Two minutes left to execute our plan
Where's everyone else?
Playing Spiderman
Ironic close up, tight
On the phone machine's red light
Once the Boho boys are gone
The power mysteriously comes on
The first lines of Daphne Rubin-Vega's song "Happy New Year" set the tone for the rest of the song: "How long till next year? Three and a half minutes." The song is about a group of people who are trying to have a New Year's Eve party, but things are not going according to plan. Some are worried that they will not be able to get into the party location, which appears to be abandoned or in the process of being evicted. Others are concerned about what to wear or what to bring to the party. One person is trying to reconnect with a former lover who she feels like she has wronged. Despite all of the chaos and uncertainty, the song ends on a positive note, with the singers realizing that they have each other and that the upcoming year could still be a happy one.
One interesting fact about "Happy New Year" is that it was written by Jonathan Larson, the same person who wrote the musicals "Rent" and "Tick, Tick... Boom!" Another fact is that the song was originally included in a revue called "101 Ways to Use a Bandana," which was performed at the 1991 New York International Fringe Festival. The revue was a collection of short pieces by a group of young writers, including Larson, who were looking for ways to showcase their talents. Another interesting fact about the song is that it was covered by the band Weezer in 2000, as part of a New Year's Eve single that included three other cover songs.
As for the chords to "Happy New Year," they are not available online at this time.
Line by Line Meaning
How long till next year?
It's only three and half minutes left for the new year.
I'm giving up my vices
I'm trying to give up my bad habits.
I'm going back, back to school
I'm thinking of going back to school.
Eviction or not
I'm not sure if I'm getting evicted or not yet.
This week's been so hot
This week was crazy.
That long as I've got you I know I'll be cool
As long as I have you, I'll be fine.
I couldn't crack the love code, dear
I couldn't figure out how to love.
Til you made the lock on my heart explode
But you made me feel loved and my heart burst with love.
It's gonna be a happy new year
So, I'm going to have a happy new year.
Coast is clear
There's no one around.
You're supposed to be working
You're supposed to be doing your job right now.
That's for midnight
That's something that's supposed to happen at midnight.
Where are they?
Where are the other people?
There isn't much time
We don't have much time.
Maybe they're dressing
Maybe they're getting ready.
I mean what does one wear that's apropos
I mean what does one wear for such an occasion?
For a party, that's also a crime?
For a party that's against the law?
Chips, anyone?
Anyone want some chips?
You can take the girl out of Hicksville
I might not be from the city, but...
But you can't take the Hicksville out of the girl
...I still have my roots.
My riot got you on TV
The riot I started got you on TV.
I deserve a royalty
Do I get paid for that?
Be nice you two
Don't fight, be nice.
Or no god awful champagne
Or we won't even get to drink cheap champagne.
Don't mind if I do
I'll have some if you don't want it.
No luck?
Did you have any success?
Bolted plywood, padlocked with a chain
That door is very secure.
A total dead end
We're stuck, there's no way out.
Just like my ex-girlfriend
Just like my ex who held me back.
Honey? I know you're there
Baby, I know you're there.
Please pick up the phone
Please answer the phone.
Are you okay?
Are you fine?
It's not funny
This isn't a joke.
It's not fair
This isn't fair.
How can I atone?
How can I make it up to you?
I lose control but I can learn to behave
I act impulsively, but I think I can learn to be more controlled.
Give me one more chance, let me be your slave
Give me another chance to show you how much I appreciate you.
I'll kiss your Doc Martens, let me kiss your Doc Martens
I'll do anything to show you my affection.
Your every wish I will obey
I'll do anything you ask me to.
That might be okay
That could actually work.
Down girl
Calm down.
Heel, stay
Stay calm and be still.
I did a bit of research
I looked into it a little bit more.
With my friends at legal aid
With my friends who are lawyers.
Technically, you're squatters
Technically, you're living here illegally.
There's hope
But there's a way we can fix it.
But just in case
Just in case things don't work out.
Rope
We might need a rope.
We can hoist a line
We can raise a rope.
To the fire escape
To the fire escape ladder.
And tie off at
And then tie it off at...
That bench
That bench over there.
I can't take them as chums
I can't be friends with them.
Start hoisting wench
Let's start raising the rope.
I think I should be laughing
I feel like I should be laughing.
Yet I forget, forget how to begin
But I forget how to start laughing.
I'm feeling something inside
I feel something inside of me.
And yet I still can't decide
But I still can't make up my mind.
If I should hide or make a wide open grin
Whether to keep my emotions hidden or show it openly.
Last week I wanted just to disappear
Last week I was feeling very depressed.
My life was dust
My life felt meaningless.
But now it just may be a happy new year
But now, I think I can have a happy new year.
Bond, James Bond
A reference to James Bond.
And Pussy Galore in person
Another James Bond reference.
Pussy, you came prepared
You're very well-prepared.
I was a boy scout once
I was a boy scout in the past.
And a brownie
I was a member of the Brownies in the past.
Until some brat got scared
Until someone got scared and it didn't work out.
Aha! Moneypenny, my martini!
A reference to a James Bond quote.
Will bad champagne do?
Is bad champagne okay?
That's shaken, not stirred
Another James Bond reference.
Pussy, the bolts
Can you remove the bolts?
Just say the word
Just let me know when you want me to do it.
Two minutes left to execute our plan
We only have two minutes to implement our plan.
Where's everyone else?
I'm not sure where everyone else is.
Playing Spiderman
They might be playing Spiderman somewhere.
Ironic close up, tight
It's an ironic and dramatic moment.
On the phone machine's red light
The blinking red light on the answering machine.
Once the Boho boys are gone
Once the Bohemian boys are gone.
The power mysteriously comes on
The power comes back on mysteriously.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jonathan D. Larson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rebecca Black
nice video happy new year (a little early)