With a childhood spent on the move, as the daughter of a preacher, living between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia, before her parents finally settled in Portland, Oregon when she was in her early teens, Diane Birch absorbed a unique and very cosmopolitan perspective on life that shines through her music and makes a simple categorization of it impossible.
Trained as a classical pianist using Suzuki methodology (playing by ear at a young age following Suzuki's theory of language acquisition, where a child learns to speak before learning to read), Diane rapidly moved away from any confines of tradition, cultivating a very individual style and composing her own material. With an obvious abundance of talent and a passion for performing, it wasn't long before she realized that if she wanted to pursue a career in music she would probably be better served in Los Angeles, where both the film and record industries could be explored.
Working by day, making ends meet playing piano in up-scale hotels and bars, and then by night performing her own material in muso joints across the city, Diane rapidly attracted the attention of Hollywood's 'great and good', and before long the invitations had started to pour in to 'jam with Prince and his band at his house', 'write a piece of music for a movie' or 'perform for various top studio executives'. And as this started to unfold and her desire to communicate with her audiences grew even stronger, Diane discovered that not only did she have a strong feel for melody and musical composition, but also that she had a natural ability to capture her stories in words, and a voice to carry them.
As the buzz grew, even more opportunities began to present themselves to Diane, one of which was an invitation to come to England to focus in earnest on her career as a singer-songwriter, where very quickly she acquired a global publishing deal with EMI and started to garner rave reviews for her performances. Of one of the first of these, the UK's industry bible, Music Week, said "Diane has a voice and songwriting ability that will connect with truly global audiences."
Before long, Diane had been signed by Steve Greenberg's S-Curve Records and had returned Stateside, to New York, where she completed her debut album, 'Bible Belt' (2009), on which all tracks are composed by Diane.
An EP of covers "The Velveteen Age" was released in 2010 with backing from "[artistThe ]Phenomenal Handclap Band".
www.dianebirch.com
Fools
Diane Birch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tellin' me to change my ways but I know
Two hands in the fire won't put out the flame
Yeah, I got your number, I know your game
So why should I lay it on the line?
Everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
Fools lying in my bed, laughin' in my head
Telling me my dream's gone cold but I know
One city of angels, it ain't goin' put out my flame
Ooh, my love is a fire, no one can tame
So why should I lay it on the line?
Everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
Why should I lay it on the line?
Well, everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
Everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
In Diane Birch's song "Fools," the lyrics speak to the singer's refusal to conform to societal expectations and the pressure to change their ways. The phrase "Fools knockin' on my door, calling out my name" suggests that the singer of the song is being criticized for their non-conformity by those who do not understand them. However, despite this pressure to change, the singer affirms their own identity, stating "Two hands in the fire won't put out the flame." This could be interpreted as the singer acknowledging that their strong sense of self cannot be extinguished by external factors.
The second verse continues in a similar vein, with "Fools lying in my bed, laughin' in my head / Telling me my dream's gone cold." Here, the fools are no longer knocking on the singer's door, but instead have infiltrated their inner life. However, despite the suggestion that the singer's dreams have been extinguished, they defiantly declare "One city of angels, it ain't goin' put out my flame / Ooh, my love is a fire, no one can tame." This suggests that while the singer's dreams may have been temporarily derailed, their inner fire and passion will always remain.
Overall, "Fools" seems to be a declaration of independence and a refusal to be swayed by outside forces. The repeated refrain of "Why should I lay it on the line? / Everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan / You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes / But honey I would rather stand out in the rain" emphasizes the singer's determination to stay true to themselves and their own vision, rather than succumbing to pressure from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Fools knockin' on my door, calling out my name
People are trying to lead me astray from my path and my passions.
Tellin' me to change my ways but I know
Although there may be pressure to conform to others' expectations, I am confident in my own choices and beliefs.
Two hands in the fire won't put out the flame
Trying too hard to change who I am will not extinguish my inner fire and drive.
Yeah, I got your number, I know your game
I am aware of the manipulations and schemes of those who try to control me and I won't let them succeed.
So why should I lay it on the line?
Why should I reveal my true feelings and intentions when others may use them against me or try to change me?
Everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
Everyone has their own idea of what is best for me, but ultimately only I know what is right for myself.
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
People may try to deceive me with false promises or flattery, but I can see past their facade.
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
I would rather face the challenges and hardships of pursuing my true desires than give in to the false security of someone else's plan.
Fools lying in my bed, laughin' in my head
Negative thoughts and self-doubts may try to take over my mind, but I won't let them.
Telling me my dream's gone cold but I know
Even when it seems like my aspirations are slipping away, I have faith in myself and my abilities to manifest my goals.
One city of angels, it ain't goin' put out my flame
Even if I face opposition or criticism from those closest to me, nothing can stop me from pursuing my inner passion and purpose.
Ooh, my love is a fire, no one can tame
The drive and passion that guide me are unstoppable forces that cannot be controlled or tamed by anyone else.
Everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
Although others may try to lead me down a different path, I am confident in my own direction and strategy.
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
Even when others try to deceive or manipulate me, I won't fall for their tactics.
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
I am willing to endure challenges and setbacks to stay true to myself and my passions.
Why should I lay it on the line?
Why should I surrender my principles and integrity to meet someone else's expectations or agenda?
Well, everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
Although I value other people's opinions, I know that ultimately, only I can decide what is best for me.
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
Although others may try to deceive or manipulate me, I am strong enough to resist their tactics.
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
I am willing to face obstacles and hardships to stay true to my inner calling and achieve my goals.
Everybody's got a vision, everybody's got a plan
Although others may try to steer me in a certain direction, I am confident in my own purpose and direction.
You tell me lies, you look me in the eyes
Even when people try to deceive or manipulate me, I know who I am and what I stand for.
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
I am willing to weather the storms and challenges of pursuing my passions rather than settling for someone else's plan.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: DIANE BIRCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kakijun
Fools
Knockin on my door
Calling out my name
Tellin me to change my ways but I know
Two hands in the fire
Wont put out the flame
Yeah I got your number
I know your game
Chrs
So why should I lay it on the line
Everybodys got a vision
Everybodys got a plan
You tell me lies
You look me in the eyes
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
Vs.
Fools
Lying in my bed
Laughin in my head
Telling me my dreams gone cold but I know
One city of angels
It aint goin put out my flame
Ooh my love is a fire
No one can tame
Chrs
So why should I lay it on the line
Everybodys got a vision
Everybodys got a plan
You tell me lies
You look me in the eyes
But honey I would rather stand out in the rain
@lesaserrato3575
I am a bit late discovering Diane Birch, but I love her bluesy-rock style. Very refreshing.
@johngray9259
Radio stations need to be playing her music.
She is awesome…. And beautiful
@jamiechisholm6821
Just goes to show how much luck is important to be successful. Diane Birch is extremely talented. This track is golden. And yet she barely caused a ripple. Meanwhile we suffer average, PR savvy, trend-surfing rot.
@chipsterb4946
I’m not sure it’s luck. The music industry today caters to what they think is the “lowest common denominator” - stupid soft porn with everything produced on the “grid” of a computer. Tone deaf? No problem. Rhythmically challenged? We can fix that too, and we can add so many faux instruments to the mix that you’ll hear the same crap every time.
Then along comes a young woman with a beautiful voice, a rich sense of melody and harmonies, and delightful skill on the Fender Rhodes piano. Her lyrics are poetry. Her melodies are worthy of Carol King or Joni Mitchell. No “wall of sound” needed, these songs speak for themselves. The industry execs assume everyday people need music dumbed down but they are wrong.
@sailorflight-deck7052
very well said...nice
@reuireuiop0
I'd say her music on this album is a bit too retro for young folks'tastes. OK, you had Regina Spektor, and Norah Jones and of course Amy Winehouse and a host more, women singer songwriters were quite the thing late noughties. But these ladies had more sync with the times sounds, while Diana is kinda time less, tho it does remind of early 70s. No doubt shes every inch as great, but the grinding mills of success can be cruel..
But Diana absolutely was way more than a ripple, done quite a number of high profile shows in those days !
@jonwatkins675
Diane Diane come out wherever you are! We’re all wanting and waiting to see you!
@FFab-DD68
I recently discovered Diane Birch by watching her perform with Darryl Hall on his Live from Darryl's House show. Boy, I was blown away by her voice. BEAUTIFUL is an understatement. Why isnt she a star in the music industry?
@ivano.bandiola7431
Great to see her on LFDH!
@user-cx9fs2lm1l
So talented…I love every one of her song😢