“I would love to have girls everywhere dancing and singing along to this song in their bedrooms,” says Toronto-based vocal powerhouse LeGrow about her single “No Good Woman.” “I think women of all ages can connect with this song.”
And she’s right. While the five songs that comprise her 2012 EP have a lot in common with some of today’s biggest pop tracks, her voice in particular carries hints of highly-revered female singers who’ve emerged each decade since the ‘50s – from Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone through to current contemporaries like Mariah Carey and Adele.
Her development as a music fan has largely informed her development as a vocalist. Since clinging to the sticky pop sounds of Paula Abdul and Whitney Houston during her childhood years, her tastes have slowly travelled back in time, first to ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock as a pre-teen and later to classic jazz and early soul and R&B in her teen years, the latter of which she says had a very strong influence on her current musical mindset. “I started hearing the things I loved about Mariah and Whitney in the music from decades before,” she shares. “That was a big moment in my development.”
She began honing her talents singing in popular clubs in and around her home city, performing classic selections from the American songbook. It was during this formative period that her own voice really started to emerge: a happy marriage of all of her influences with a distinctive, modern twist all her own. Her evolution continued as she fine-tuned her songwriting abilities and poetic voice, netting her a deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada and allowing her to elicit a wider array of emotions through her own material.
Tracks like the aforementioned single or the bouncy “RedHotFire” find LeGrow easily weaving her powerful and soulful singing through tastefully arranged melodies that’ll have hands clapping and toes tapping with ease; on the other hand, the laid-back, nice-and-slow groove of “Weed & Wine” or stripped-down ballad “In My Dreams,” co-written with Ron Sexsmith, offer a perfect complement to showcase what this born performer can do.
Aside from her collaboration with Sexsmith, the EP benefits from the Midas touch of songwriter/producer/engineer Tawgs Salter (Josh Groban, LIGHTS, The Midway State), who brought the lavishly layered arrangements to LeGrow’s vocal melodies. Other present and upcoming collaborators include Andre “Dre” Harris (Usher, Michael Jackson), Jon Levine (K’naan, Anjulie), Dave Thomson (LIGHTS, Jake Matthews) and Stefan Skarbek (Amy Winehouse). The final result is a collection of fun, accessible pop songs with relatable lyrics and plenty of substance.
The songs explore issues and emotions relevant to today’s world – love lost and found, friendship, and simply learning to navigate life. “No Good Woman,” for example, is an empowering anthem for women who’ve been on the bad end of a relationship with an emotionally immature partner – a story LeGrow’s heard “dozens of times from close girl friends,” while “23 Ways To Love Me,” on the other hand, explores the more passionate and positive parts of the ever-familiar emotion with some fun and fancy wordplay.
With a silk-laden and strong voice that’s both forceful and fragile coupled with the seemingly ideal formula for fun, accessible songs that so perfectly suit it, it’ll be exciting to see Elise LeGrow further expand her signature blend of past and present that’ll appeal to people across the board. “It took me a while to find my voice and get to where I am now,” the young singer says, “but it feels fantastic.”
The music may be in the same universe as some of today’s biggest pop stars, but she mixes her influences into something truly her own, and any one of these songs could be the next favorite for in-the-shower divas and closed-door dancers everywhere.
Grateful
Elise LeGrow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i never claimed to be perfect
and i pray time don't hold that against me
who said i deserve the beauty that i see every morning
and every long dark night gives me reason to be thankful
i never said i was great, but i'm grateful (grateful)
i never said i was great, but i'm grateful (grateful)
can't say that i was never wrong
but that makes me grateful (grateful)
i've done some things that are risky
i never said i was a role model
had some nights i drank the whole bottle
in past lives
but last night it hit me how simply beautiful it is to breathe
all the beauty that's in you and me
And that made me thankful
i never said i was great, but i'm grateful (grateful)
i never said i was great, but i'm grateful (grateful)
oh, I know that i coulda been gone
can't say that i was never wrong
but that makes me grateful (grateful)
for every memory that came and went
for every failure, every accident
for every moment that i get to spend
for every day i get i'm glad to live (yeah)
'cause who knows how the story ends
but we know that it's gonna end
that gives me faith though
i never said i was great, but i'm grateful (grateful)
i never said i was great, but i'm grateful (grateful)
oh, I know that i coulda been gone
can't say that i was never wrong
but that makes me grateful (grateful)
The lyrics to Elise LeGrow's song Grateful are reflective in nature, expressing the singer's gratitude for the beauty in life despite its hardships. The first verse begins with a confession of sin, suggesting that the singer has made mistakes and consumed alcohol. However, they do not claim to be perfect and hope that these mistakes will not be held against them by time. The second line reveals the central theme of the song: the singer is grateful for the beauty they see in the world every day, despite their flaws. The long dark nights also give them reason to be thankful for the light that comes with the morning.
In the chorus, the singer repeats the phrase "I never said I was great, but I'm grateful," which reinforces the idea that gratitude is the most important attitude to have in life. This line also suggests that the singer does not aspire to greatness, but is content with being grateful for what they have. The second verse continues in the same reflective tone, but now reveals the singer's past struggles with risky behavior and heavy drinking. They do not claim to be a role model, but have come to appreciate how beautiful it is to simply breathe and enjoy life.
The final verse is the most hopeful, acknowledging the end of life as an unknown but having faith that everything will be alright. The singer is thankful for every memory, failure, accident, and moment that they get to spend. They recognize that life could have ended at any point, but they are grateful for the experience of living. The song as a whole is an uplifting reflection on life and the importance of being grateful for all of its beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
i've had my share of whiskey
I have consumed a significant amount of whiskey in my life.
i never claimed to be perfect
I acknowledge that I am not flawless or without fault.
and i pray time don't hold that against me
I hope that my imperfections and mistakes aren't held against me by time.
who said i deserve the beauty that i see every morning
I question whether or not I deserve the beauty that I witness every day.
and every long dark night gives me reason to be thankful
The difficult times in my life remind me to be grateful for the good moments.
i never said i was great, but i'm grateful (grateful)
I don't consider myself to be amazing, but I appreciate the positives in my life.
oh, I know that i coulda been gone
I am aware that I could have died at any point in my life.
can't say that i was never wrong
I cannot deny that I have made mistakes.
but that makes me grateful (grateful)
My errors have taught me lessons and made me appreciate the good moments even more.
i've done some things that are risky
I have taken actions that were potentially dangerous or hazardous.
i never said i was a role model
I do not believe that I am someone that others should look up to or emulate.
had some nights i drank the whole bottle
There have been occasions where I have consumed an entire bottle of alcohol.
in past lives
During previous periods of my existence.
but last night it hit me how simply beautiful it is to breathe
Recently, I came to recognize how wonderful it is just to be able to breathe easily.
all the beauty that's in you and me
There is loveliness within all of us.
And that made me thankful
This realization filled me with gratitude.
for every memory that came and went
I am grateful for every recollection, regardless of its nature or significance.
for every failure, every accident
Even my past failures and mishaps have helped guide me to where I am now.
for every moment that i get to spend
I am appreciative of every second that I get to experience.
for every day i get i'm glad to live
I am grateful for the opportunity to simply live every day.
'cause who knows how the story ends
Because none of us know how our lives will ultimately turn out.
but we know that it's gonna end
We are all aware that our lives will come to an end eventually.
that gives me faith though
Despite the unknowable future, this thought gives me hope and faith.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Elise LeGrow, Sebastian Kole, Theron “Neffu” Femster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
yvonne
on YOU NEVER CAN TELL
Hi Elise, its Yvonne Czechowska, I am so sorry to see you goo
Sue
on Drinking in the Day
Drinking in the Day means you can' t stand the pain at all, it's so bad.
Francesco
on Ain't No Sunshine
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long
Anytime she goes away
Wonder this time where she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know,
Hey, I oughtta leave young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long
Anytime she goes away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long
Everytime she goes away
I wonder this time where she's gone
I wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Jane
on Anymore
jane.azvdo26@gmail.com