Initially known as an interpreter of jazz and pop standards, Herbert's latest record 'All the Ghosts' is populated by a living, breathing cast of beaten-down dreamers, jaded city-dwellers, and women in a quandary, and has the critics scrambling for comparisons with artists as diverse as Lennon and McCartney, Nina Simone, The Kinks and Tom Waits.
Herbert's musical career started while at university in Durham, where she formed a jazz/folk duo with guitarist Will Rutter. The pair played extensively throughout the North-East, and together roamed Edinburgh, Paris and Amsterdam, busking and hustling for gigs. After moving to London they cut an album called 'First Songs' for a label run out of the Pizza Express on London’s Dean Street – a cornerstone venue in Soho’s jazz scene.
On the back of that record's success, Herbert was soon signed up by the Universal conglomerate as a jazz crossover artist, and in September 2004 released her first solo album 'Bittersweet and Blue', featuring a mixture of originals, jazz standards and pop covers.
Throughout the extensive touring period that followed, Herbert began writing songs of her own, forming a writing partnership with pianist Tom Cawley (Curios) and developing her own voice, so much so that she soon found she had outgrown the initial role defined for her by the major label.
Herbert left Universal Classics and Jazz to pursue a less commercial and more personal musical direction. Collaborating with Polar Bear's Seb Rochford in a production role, Herbert's 'Between Me and the Wardrobe' featured exclusively original material, was recorded in three days and never intended for general release. The album was initially put out on Herbert's own Monkeywood label before being picked up by Blue Note Records in 2007, making Herbert their first UK signing in 20 years.
In early 2008, Herbert was commissioned by a collaborative project between Peter Gabriel and Bowers & Wilkins to record an acoustic album at Gabriel's Real World Studios. The result of these sessions — Ten Lives — was released as a digital download in July 2008, available only from the Bowers & Wilkins website as part of their Music Club.
Her latest record, 'All the Ghosts', features some remixed versions of these recordings alongside some new tracks, and was released in June 2009 on the Naim Edge label to much critical acclaim.
So Worn Out
Gwyneth Herbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So Worn Out
Fall out of the 2-double-7
Chippie's open, little bites of heaven
And I'm so worn out
The night throws out a diamond rug
And you're so worn out
Young girl fumbles for a cigarette
Looking for a spark, hasn't found it yet
And she is so worn out
Star-trek man with his figurines
Talks in Klingon, they know just what he means,
That he's all worn out
Hey little one, let me take you on the run
We'll stumble to the moon and back
To the moon
Hey little one, let me pull you through the door
You are the droid I'm looking for
Looking for
Dolphin's cooking up a storm
Bouncer blows to keep his fingers warm
And he's so worn out
Yellow tape and neon skies
Lidl shouts about its special offer pies
But they're all sold out
Hey little one, let me take you on the run
We'll stumble to the moon and back
To the moon
Hey little one, let me pull you through the door
You are the droid I'm looking for
Looking for...
In "Some Days I Forget," Gwyneth Herbert's lyrics observe a night out that is tired and worn out, with people in various states of exhaustion. She mentions a chippie that is still open, diamonds thrown out on the street, a young girl fumbling for a cigarette and spark, and a Star-trek man talking in Klingon, among others. The song's worn-out mood implies that the night has been going on for a long time, and people are slowly running out of energy, with little excitement. The mood of the song is pensive, with an acknowledgment that long, uneventful nights out are a part of life, and it's okay to forget them occasionally.
The song's lyrics offer insights into the mundanity of everyday life, where one might run into people who are unremarkable, and nights out can be tired and worn out. The song's lyrics possess a dreamy, surrealist vibe where the world is losing its sharpness: a "diamond rug" is thrown out onto the street, yellow tape and neon skies obscure the streetlights, and a dolphin cooks up a storm. These symbols indicate that the singer is both bored and whimsical. The song treads that fine line between being an existential lament while also being a bizarre salutation to the absurdity of life.
Line by Line Meaning
So Worn Out
Feeling extremely tired and fatigued
Fall out of the 2-double-7
Exiting a vehicle or perhaps a bar called the 2-double-7
Chippie's open, little bites of heaven
A fish and chip shop is still open, and the food is delicious
And I'm so worn out
Continuing to express exhaustion
The night throws out a diamond rug
The evening scene is beautiful like a sparkling diamond rug
I take your hand - one yellow stripey glove
Holding hands with someone wearing a distinct yellow striped glove
And you're so worn out
The other person is also very tired and exhausted
Young girl fumbles for a cigarette
A youthful girl is struggling to find her cigarette
Looking for a spark, hasn't found it yet
She's searching for a lighter and hasn't had any success
And she is so worn out
The girl is also very tired
Star-trek man with his figurines
A grown man who collects Star-Trek figurines
Talks in Klingon, they know just what he means,
He speaks a fictional Star-Trek language called Klingon, and others who share his interest understand him
That he's all worn out
He also expresses exhaustion
Hey little one, let me take you on the run
An invitation to go on an adventure or escape together
We'll stumble to the moon and back
The adventure is going to be long and difficult, like traveling to the moon and returning
To the moon
Reiterating the destination of the adventure
Hey little one, let me pull you through the door
Inviting someone to come inside or join the adventure
You are the droid I'm looking for
A reference to Star Wars, where the character Obi-Wan Kenobi says the same line to another character, meaning that the person is the solution to their problems
Dolphin's cooking up a storm
A person, likely in a restaurant, is cooking a lot of food quickly and efficiently
Bouncer blows to keep his fingers warm
A bouncer or security guard is blowing into their hands to keep them warm in the cold weather
And he's so worn out
The bouncer is also tired and exhausted
Yellow tape and neon skies
A scene with yellow caution tape and bright neon lights in the background
Lidl shouts about its special offer pies
A reference to a supermarket that is advertising discounted pies
But they're all sold out
Unfortunately, the pies are completely gone or already purchased
Looking for
Repeating the earlier phrase and possibly indicating that the adventure is still ongoing
Contributed by Gavin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tune cat
OK so this is absolutely brilliant both in the craftsmanship of the song, the production, arrangement, and the great extra elements to make the song really quirky! Look forward to hearing some more of these.
niklakis lakis
Charming and stylish:))
Nasku
Liking this alot, nice break from all the bands that sounds the same