Vincent was born in Chicago. Her mother is of Swedish and French background; her father, Italian. She was raised in Lake Tahoe and then southern California, where she attended high school. She ran away from home in 1972, but later returned to Los Angeles and completed schooling. At age 18, she moved to London, where she lived with Chris Wood of the band Traffic and his wife. She spent time with many of their musician friends, including Steve Winwood and Keith Richards.
Her "Holly and the Italians" record is one of Ira Robbins/Trouser Press record guide's top albums of all-time.
She had a brief stint with The Waitresses as a replacement for lead singer Patty Donahue.
In the early 1990s, she formed a band called The Oblivious and recorded for fan Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. She then released an album called Vowel Movement with Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde.
She dated Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. After she broke up with him, he wrote their hit single "Romeo and Juliet".
Her most recent record is "Super Rocket Star", released in 2007.
She lives in Los Angeles.
Her brother is drummer Nick Vincent.
Dangerously
Holly Beth Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somewhere I think too far
To hide my fear, I draw you near
Don't want to close my eyes, eyes
And now things glow, the Christmas snow
Some water in a glass
My cigarettes the day we met,
And the sun is shining bright today
I don't think I can look
The TV, on my memory gone
The last thing that I took
Dangerously, I'll always want too
Dangerously, I'll always want too
The phone it rings. Will nothing bring
Me any piece of mind
I cast you out
You caught me first
(It was a real find)
And I answer now so cautiously, when
Anyone's to call
I smile to say it's all okay
And hide a blemished wall
Just like a wild one tamed,
Somebody calls my name
And I look,
Today I start to go,
Into a place they know as madness
Another blow, affection grows
Upon a weary face.
I'll take you in, I'll let you win
In this unholy place
I'll always want too
I'll always want too
Dangerously
The song "Dangerously" by Holly Beth Vincent, from her debut album "Holly and the Italians", depicts the emotions of a person who is struggling with their fears and trying to find solace in their lover's company. The first stanza opens with the singer's eye's closing as they start to slide somewhere far away, where they are trying to hide their fear. However, they draw their lover near because they don't want to close their eyes. The second stanza mentions the bright sun, which they cannot look at, and the loss of memory. It is a melancholic thought that the last thing the person took was a memory, and they are trying to escape their reality.
The chorus "Dangerously, I'll always want too" illustrates the person's desperation for their lover's companionship. They know that it may be dangerous to depend solely on someone, but the fear of being left alone is overpowering. The last stanza talks about the singer taking in their significant other and letting them win despite being in a dark place.
The song's theme portrays the harsh reality of mental health and how it can be a lonely journey, but sometimes, having someone by our side can make all the difference. The lyrics are emotive and provoke the listener's thought process, and Holly Beth Vincent's haunting voice adds a unique element to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I close my eyes I start to slide
I am slipping into a state of mind where I am distant and out-of-touch.
Somewhere I think too far
My thoughts are wandering dangerously.
To hide my fear, I draw you near
When I am afraid, I rely on you to comfort me.
Don't want to close my eyes, eyes
I don't want to shut out the world and reality.
And now things glow, the Christmas snow
My senses are heightened, I am observing the world in a different way.
Some water in a glass
I am focusing on mundane, everyday things.
My cigarettes the day we met,
I am reminiscing about a moment in time.
I hope this does not last, last
I hope this feeling does not continue.
And the sun is shining bright today
The world is beautiful and exciting.
I don't think I can look
The brightness is overwhelming.
The TV, on my memory gone
I am distracted by the television and not focusing on my thoughts.
The last thing that I took
The last thing I remember.
Dangerously, I'll always want too
I know that I am acting recklessly, but I cannot help it.
The phone it rings. Will nothing bring
I am desperate for something to distract me.
Me any piece of mind
I am always restless and anxious.
I cast you out
I push people away when I feel threatened.
You caught me first
But I also need them to feel safe and understood.
(It was a real find)
I appreciate the role others play in my life.
And I answer now so cautiously, when
I am guarded and cautious in my interactions with others.
Anyone's to call
I am suspicious of anyone trying to reach out to me.
I smile to say it's all okay
I pretend that everything is normal.
And hide a blemished wall
I hide my true feelings and vulnerabilities.
Just like a wild one tamed,
I feel like a wild animal that has been domesticated.
Somebody calls my name
Someone is trying to get my attention.
And I look,
I react with caution and uncertainty.
Today I start to go,
I feel like I am losing my grip on reality.
Into a place they know as madness
I feel like I am descending into a place of chaos.
Another blow, affection grows
Every time I am hurt or scared, I become more attached to you.
Upon a weary face.
I am tired and worn out from the constant emotional turmoil.
I'll take you in, I'll let you win
I am opening myself up to you, hoping for comfort and support.
In this unholy place
In the midst of all this chaos and confusion.
I'll always want too
Despite everything, I will always want you.
I'll always want too
Despite everything, I will always want you.
Dangerously
These feelings that I have are dangerous and volatile.
Contributed by Ryan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stillrides
Holly did some pretty bad ass stuff - WHFS originally too!
@jamesduffield9470
Love that tragically hip sound! Almost every song on this album is a beautiful slice of her soul. She/they should have been huge...
@susanbrewster192
I also heard it on HFS. I have the album I found it somewhere online. such a great sound.
@kb3dgd
I've been looking for this song since the 80s! Heard in the wee hours of the morning on 99.1 WHFS-FM or 89.7 WCVT-FM in the Baltimore area! Nice!
@scottperine8027
I lived in Rockville and remember listening to WHFS and buying this album in seconds!!!
@poindexterjones206
Such an awesome song. I love me some Holly!
@donsmith330
I'm sure it was WHFS when it was 102.3 in B-Town (sorry, Bethesda, MD) Miss Milo, Bob Here, Damien, even David...lol.. Loved this song for SO many reasons..
@kidmack1121
Living in D.C. burbs for a short time when this came out.
I called the station to find out "who blew" because I thought it was part of Miles' comeback.
@georgejohnson3302
Even David? He probably played it the most. :) I loved the station too.
@publicpitchblendeorg
Timeless