Boheme was born in Oshkosh, … Read Full Bio ↴Erin Boheme is an American jazz singer.
Boheme was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and attempted to sign a record deal at age 15 which did not pan out. In 2004 she contacted Grammy award nominee Mike Melvoin, who asked her to begin working on his own records.Soon after she signed to Concord Jazz, and released her debut album, What Love Is, in 2006. The album hit #17 on the U.S. Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Boheme is more than simply a brilliant, musically-wise, beyond-her-years interpreter with a deep understanding of jazz and traditional pop vocal traditions, however. Having written her first song at age 15, the passionate and optimistic “Anything” (caressed on the album by lush orchestration), she’s also quickly developed into a remarkably insightful, heartfelt, and witty tunesmith of unlimited potential, a talent embraced by Concord. For What Love Is?a CD full of songs that explore and express the complex nature of love and human relationships?she gracefully balances such Boheme-penned tunes as the title track, a yearning “Someone To Love” (written with composer / producer Mark Portmann), and “Make You Happy” (co-written with Rob Chiarelli), with stirring new arrangements of classics like “Let’s Do It” and “Teach Me Tonight.” There are also fresh twists on modern pop hits like Eric Clapton’s “Change The World” and Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason.”
“The tune ‘Someone to Love’ was actually the first song I wrote when I moved to Los Angeles,” Boheme explains. “I wrote the chorus and had it in my head for a while, until my former manager hooked me up with Mark Portmann. He sat down, and I sang it to him. All these new ideas poured out and the whole tune was written in half an hour.” She continues, “In the case of ‘Make You Happy,’ Rob [Chiarelli] gave me the basic track and just said, ‘See what you can come up with.’ I toyed with it for a week, singing words along with it before actually writing down the lyrics, then gradually coming up with a melody line. Working with so many great writers has naturally pushed me to become a better songwriter myself.”
In early 2004, the singer was reading her local newspaper for a class assignment when she saw the headline, “Oshkosh Man Nominated For Grammy.” Boheme emailed congratulations to Los Angeles-based veteran pianist Mike Melvoin, who was up for Best Piano Solo for “All Or Nothing At All.” Melvoin—who was Peggy Lee’s musical director for many years—would eventually become a mentor to Boheme. He would critique her songs honestly and invite her to work with him on new material, which one day found its way to the Concord Music Group.
An hour into the label’s meeting with Boheme, the executives around the table told the young singer, just 18-years old at the time, that if she wanted to become part of the family, they were interested. GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and Executive Vice President of A&R John Burk explains, “Erin is one of those rare finds, a brilliant interpreter of song who truly conveys the emotion behind every song she sings. I was struck by the depth and maturity of Erin’s songwriting. From the first time I heard her, I knew she was an incredibly gifted artist.” Burk would go on to produce many of the songs on What Love Is, along with Gregg Field, Brian Bromberg, Mark Portman and Melvoin.
In My Place
Erin Boheme Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were lines that I couldn't say
I was lost, oh ye
I was lost, I was lost
Cross lines I shouldn't have crossed
I was lost, oh ye
How long must I wait for her
How long must I wait for her
I was scared, I was scared
Tired and underprepared
But I'll wait for you
But if you go, if you go
And leave me down here alone
I will wait for you, for you
Please, please come back and sing it out
Now, now come back and sing it
Please, please, please come back and sing
To me, to me ye yeeeahh
How long must you wait for her
How long must you wait for her
How long must you wait for her
In my place, in my place
Were lines that I couldn't say
I was lost, oh ye
Erin Boheme's song In My Place is a reflection on a past relationship where the singer struggled with expressing their feelings to their partner. The opening lines, "In my place, in my place / Were lines that I couldn't say / I was lost, oh ye," set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer acknowledges that they were not able to communicate their thoughts and emotions effectively, which led to confusion and frustration in the relationship. The repetition of "I was lost" emphasizes the singer's feeling of being adrift and unsure of how to navigate their emotions.
The chorus, "How long must I wait for her / How long must I wait for her / How long must I wait for her," reveals the singer's longing for their partner's return. They are willing to wait, even though they were scared and unprepared for the relationship. The uncertainty of the situation is palpable in the repetition of "How long must I wait for her," suggesting that the singer is still grappling with the aftermath of the breakup.
The second verse, "But if you go, if you go / And leave me down here alone / I will wait for you, for you," shows the singer's commitment to their partner, despite their past mistakes. They are willing to wait for their partner to return, even if it means being alone for an extended period. The repetition of "for you" underscores the singer's devotion to the person they love.
The final plea in the chorus, "Please, please come back and sing it out / Now, now come back and sing it / Please, please, please come back and sing / To me, to me ye yeeeahh," is a desperate call for their partner to return and communicate with them. The repetition of "please" shows the singer's urgency, while the repetition of "sing" emphasizes the importance of communication in relationships.
Overall, In My Place is a poignant reflection on the importance of communication and the challenges of navigating relationships. Through its evocative lyrics and emotive melody, Erin Boheme captures the complexities of love and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
In my place, in my place
There were things I wanted to say, but couldn't.
Were lines that I couldn't say
There were words that I wanted to express, but couldn't find a way to say them.
I was lost, oh ye
I felt like I was directionless.
I was lost, I was lost
I was confused and didn't know what to do.
Cross lines I shouldn't have crossed
I made mistakes and went beyond what was appropriate.
How long must I wait for her
I am longing for someone and questioning how long I have to wait for them.
I was scared, I was scared
I was afraid of something, maybe not being able to express my feelings or disappointing someone.
Tired and underprepared
I was exhausted and didn't feel ready to face something.
But I'll wait for you
I will be patient and wait for someone I care about.
But if you go, if you go
If the person I'm waiting for leaves me, goes away, or is absent.
And leave me down here alone
I will feel lonely and abandoned.
I will wait for you, for you
Despite the hurt, I'll still be waiting and hoping for this person to come back.
Please, please come back and sing it out
Please come back and speak to me, express yourself, or share what's on your mind.
Now, now come back and sing it
I really want to hear your voice and listen to what you have to say.
To me, to me ye yeeeahh
I want you to share your thoughts and feelings with me.
How long must you wait for her
How long can you wait for someone you love without losing hope?
Were lines that I couldn't say
There were many things I wanted to express, but couldn't.
I was lost, oh ye
I was confused and didn't know what to do.
Contributed by Sadie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Elina Laivera
What happened to this amazing artist? I loved the “What A Life” album - discovered it back in the day via a website with new releases and was shook!
Linda A Levy
This girl has a wonderful voice what a new talent just awesome!!!
Dance To The Music
I've been a huge fan ever since the first cd came out. Would love to see her live.
sean kelly
Well I certainly hope you don’t want to see her dead.
Gotta Dance Miss Amy
Erin just performed at The Cabaret at Studio B in Albion, NY August 26th and captivated the audience from the first note sung to the standing ovation encore song. There was so much energy in our theater that night that words don't describe it well enough.
offday88
amazing, love this song from the first time I heard it
Dance To The Music
I agree, I assume this will be on the new long, long, long awaited cd. I just hope they don't try to make her a pop phenom. Her voice and style is special.
Daniel Hernandez
es super genial me gustaria que sonara en MEXICO siempreee me encanta esta mujer !!
kdtarabell
what a beautiful voice cannot wait to play it for my hubby
LM907
I think this song is so nice & sung beautifully