Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters, having written fourteen Number 1 singles and twenty four top 10 hits. He has had three Number 1 singles, six top 10 singles and two Number 1 albums as a solo artist, and has had seventeen top 5 hits, twelve Number 1 singles and seven Number 1 albums with Take That. He is also a six-time recipient of the Ivor Novello Award and has sold over 50 million records worldwide. He was appointed an OBE in 2012 for services to music and charity.
Barlow's solo career was predicted to be very successful, being described as 'the next George Michael'. His first two solo singles "Forever Love" (released July 1996) and "Love Won't Wait" (composed by Madonna and Shep Pettibone) both leapt to the number one spot in his home country. "Forever Love" was also used as the soundtrack to the film The Leading Man. His debut album "Open Road" reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and went on to sell 2 million copies worldwide. Barlow's first single to be released in the United States as a solo artist was "So Help Me Girl", which reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 1 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. He then achieved another top ten hit in the UK with "Open Road" peaking at number 7 and number 8 in the Netherlands with "Are You Ready Now".
After the success of his first solo album he released his second LP "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" in 1999. Barlow released "Stronger" as the lead single preceding the album. However, due to an expected backlash against Barlow, it received minimal support and airplay and only peaked at number 16. The second single "For All That You Want" again was subjected to minimal radio play and peaked at number 24, however it peaked just outside the top 5 in Finland. "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" was released soon after the first single to little promotion and peaked at a disappointing number 35, which led to Sony recalling Barlow's 'greatest' song according to critics, the scheduled third single from his second album "Lie to Me". This resulted in both Barlow and BMG parting company. To date Barlow has sold 5 million records worldwide as a solo artist.
On September 2013, Barlow announced via his Twitter account that he would be releasing his first full-length solo album in 14 years, on 25 November 2013. Barlow encouraged his followers and fans to tweet #GBSOLO to reveal the album artwork and title, with their profile pictures being used to create a collage of the album cover. On 4 October 2013, Barlow revealed his new album would be called "Since I Saw You Last", and would be preceded by his first single from the LP, titled "Let Me Go", released worldwide on 17 November 2013. He also announced that he would be touring the album in April 2014, playing some of the biggest arenas in the UK.
Actress
Gary Barlow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She sleeps better with the TV on
She came in dark but she goes out blonde
Her mother slept with a Rolling Stone
Her lights are on but she’s never at home
She’s never at home
(Chorus)
Actress searching for a part
If you ask her, ask her what she’s in
And watch her act again
(Verse)
Still trying to figure out who she is
Sometimes she’s mine but she’s always his
She made a movie once for fifty bucks
You can still get it if you know where to look
If you know where to look
(Chorus)
She’s an actress tryna’ learn the art
Actress searching for a part
If you ask her, ask her what she’s in
And watch her act again
(Verse)
All lies, all lies
Bad breaks and broken minds
Old words of make believe
One more honey just for me
(Bridge)
(Actress…)
Tryna’ find a line
(Actress…)
Tryna’ hold back time
(Ask her…)
Ask her what she’s in
And watch her act again
(Verse)
She leaves the doorway right behind her
Her whole world is a stage
She needs to feel your eyes upon her
As she dances in a cage
The music’s pumping louder
As her mind heads to the stars
She gets clarity of thought in the back of someone else’s car
(Chorus)
She’s an actress tryna’ learn the art
Actress searching for a part
If you ask her, ask her what she’s in
And watch her act again
She’s an actress…
If you ask her, ask her what she’s in
And watch her act again
She’s an actress…
The song "Actress" by Gary Barlow talks about a woman who is never settled and always tries to find her identity in the roles she plays as an actress. The first verse explains that she sleeps better with the TV on, suggesting that she has a difficult time being alone and likes to distract herself. The next line, "she came in dark but she goes out blonde," implies that she changes her hair color often, which may be an attempt to change her identity. The line "her mother slept with a Rolling Stone" implies that she comes from a broken family and has a difficult past. Although her house lights are on, she is never at home, showing that she is always on the move and searching for something.
The chorus emphasizes her need to find herself in her acting roles. She is continuously searching for a part and trying to master her craft as an actress, but as soon as she achieves it, she moves on to the next role. The second verse implies that she struggles with fidelity, suggesting that she is like a chameleon when it comes to her relationships. She made a movie for fifty bucks, indicating that she is not necessarily famous but rather continuously seeking opportunities to showcase her talent. The line "all lies, all lies" in the next verse suggests that she may be putting on a facade and plays pretend in every aspect of her life.
The final verse emphasizes her need for validation from the audience. She views the world as her stage and needs to feel the eyes of others on her constantly. The bridge implies that she is always searching for a line in her role to find her identity, and she is constantly trying to hold back time to prevent moving on to the next. Overall, the song implies that her desire to be an actress goes beyond her love for the craft and becomes a way for her to find herself.
Line by Line Meaning
She sleeps better with the TV on
She uses the sound of the TV to help her sleep and drown out the silence and her thoughts.
She came in dark but she goes out blonde
She changes her hair color frequently, possibly to fit the roles she audition for or to hide her true identity.
Her mother slept with a Rolling Stone
Her mother was once involved with a musician from the band, the Rolling Stones. This suggests that she has connections to the entertainment industry.
Her lights are on but she’s never at home
Even though her lights are on, she is always out pursuing her acting career and never stays at home for too long.
She’s an actress tryna’ learn the art
She is an aspiring actress who is still trying to perfect her craft and improve her skills.
Actress searching for a part
She is constantly looking for new roles to audition for to further her career and find success.
If you ask her, ask her what she’s in
If you ask her what project she is currently working on or what role she has landed, she will likely give an exaggerated or false answer as she may not have anything concrete.
And watch her act again
After she tells you what she’s in, she may try to impress you by acting out a portion of her imaginary role.
Still trying to figure out who she is
She is unsure of her own identity and may use acting as a way to explore different versions of herself.
Sometimes she’s mine but she’s always his
She may be in a romantic relationship with someone but has a tendency to cheat or be involved with other people.
She made a movie once for fifty bucks
She has worked on low-budget or independent films in the past to gain experience and exposure, regardless of pay.
You can still get it if you know where to look
Her previous movie may still be available to watch or purchase, but it may not be widely known or accessible.
All lies, all lies
Her life may be filled with deception and falsehoods, possibly due to the nature of the acting industry or her own personal choices.
Bad breaks and broken minds
She has faced many obstacles and setbacks in her career, possibly leading to mental health issues and struggles.
Old words of make believe
She is familiar with the language and vocabulary of acting, which relies heavily on pretend and fabrication.
One more honey just for me
She may have several romantic partners or affairs and utilizes her acting abilities to win them over.
Tryna’ find a line
She is searching for the perfect line or dialogue to deliver in an upcoming audition or scene.
Tryna’ hold back time
She may be worried about aging and losing her appearance, which is a valuable asset in the entertainment industry.
She leaves the doorway right behind her
She is always on the move, and when she steps out of a place, she is ready to move on to the next opportunity.
Her whole world is a stage
Her life is centered around acting and the performing arts, and she may feel like she is always acting, even in her personal life.
She needs to feel your eyes upon her
She thrives on attention from others and wants to be noticed and appreciated for her beauty and talent.
As she dances in a cage
She may sometimes feel trapped or limited in her career, despite her passion for acting and performing.
The music’s pumping louder
She may enjoy going out to parties and clubs to dance and let loose.
As her mind heads to the stars
As she gets lost in the music and dancing, she may also fantasize about achieving greater success and fame.
She gets clarity of thought in the back of someone else’s car
When she is not out partying, she may feel most clear-headed and inspired when alone in a new or unfamiliar location.
Contributed by Keira R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.