Heap grew up playing music from an early age, and by her eleventh birthday she was writing her own songs. From the age of 15, she studied at the BRIT School Of Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon, South London, recording three tracks for the school's annual CD between 1994 and 1995, "Aliens" being the title track of the latter.
After being introduced to Nik Kershaw by his manager Mickey Modern, Heap and Kershaw recorded four demos that Mickey Modern took to Rondor Music. Consequently, a few months later Heap signed her first record contract at 18 to independent record label Almo Sounds. During 1996, Heap began working with an experimental pop band called Acacia, which featured her future collaborator Guy Sigsworth and was fronted by the singer Alexander Nilere. While never a full member of the band, Heap was a guest vocalist (as a counterpart to Nilere) and contributed to various Acacia single and album tracks in 1997. One Acacia song, "Maddening Shroud", would later be covered by Frou Frou.
Heap enjoyed a prestigious live début, performing four songs (backed by friends Acacia) between sets by The Who and Eric Clapton at the 1996 Prince's Trust Concert in Hyde Park, London. Her début album, I Megaphone (an anagram of "Imogen Heap") was internationally released in 1998 on independent record label Almo Sounds and garnered critical acclaim. However, as production of the album neared completion, it was announced that the record label had been sold and would be shut down. I-Megaphone featured collaborations with Guy Sigsworth and Dave Stewart. In Japan, the regional distributor, Zora, re-released the album in 2002, featuring "Blanket," her collaboration with Urban Species which was released as a single in the United Kingdom, and a Frou Frou remix of one of her B-sides, a video to which was released exclusively to Japanese media. Following the disbanding of her UK and USA record label, I Megaphone was scarce in circulation, having not been re-printed until November 2006. An independent Brazillian record label has rights to the record, and has issued limited copies, some of which are available on eBay. It has also been released through the iTunes Music Store under the Almo label.
At the same time as the Japanese re-release, Heap was working on new tracks with producer Guy Sigsworth, who had collaborated on "Getting Scared" from I-Megaphone. Together, they formed an electro-pop group Frou Frou, releasing an album called "Details" and singles, "Breathe In", "It's Good To Be In Love" and "Must Be Dreaming." The album was a full collaboration between the two artists. Frou Frou were approached to cover "Holding Out for a Hero", originally performed by Bonnie Tyler, for the soundtrack to the highly successful movie Shrek 2. An album track, "Let Go", was featured in the movie Garden State in 2004.
In December 2003, Heap announced on her web site that she was going to write and produce her second solo album, using her site as an online blog to update fans on progress, even seeking them to be her A&R team for the lyrics to "Daylight Robbery". Heap set herself a deadline of one year to make the album (she booked the album mastering for December 2004), and re-mortgaged her flat to fund production costs, including the use of studio time and instruments (which she purchased as a birthday present to herself). Having been burned by previous challenges with record labels (Heap had been spurned twice by record companies, when Almo Sounds was sold and when Frou Frou's label staff focused on promoting other acts), Heap decided to form her own record label on which to release the new record. At the end of 2004, Heap premiered two album tracks online, enabling fans to pay for a digital download, entitled "Just For Now" (which was up for a limited time as a Christmas gift), and "Goodnight And Go", which had been featured on the second season of hit US TV drama The O.C.
In April 2005, The O.C. season two finale featured another track, the sparse vocodered-vocal track, "Hide And Seek". The track was released immediately to digital download services such as iTunes where it became an instant fixture in the chart. The track was released as a digital download on the 5th July 2005 in the UK and peaked at #8 on the iTunes download chart.
The album, entitled "Speak For Yourself" was then released in the UK on July 18th 2005 on her own record label, Megaphonic Records. The album was also released on iTunes UK, where it entered the top 10, selling strongly. "Hide And Seek" also received radio attention from the popular UK radio station BBC Radio One, with DJ Scott Mills featuring it as his "Record of the Week", and provoking strong reactions ("love it or hate it") from other DJs at the station. Due to popular demand, the track was commercially released on a special limited edition (1500 copies were printed) 7" vinyl in the UK in September. Speak For Yourself was licensed to Sony BMG imprint RCA Victor in August 2005, enabling the record to be released in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It was released in those territories in November, and Heap appeared on the Hotel Cafe Tour promoting the record. Imogen also performed "Goodnight And Go" on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 11, 2006. Heap is slated to continue touring in 2006 in the US and UK to support the record.
As well as TV soundtracks (Frou Frou and Heap's solo records have been featured in shows as varied as The O.C. to CSI, among others), Heap has also contributed solo tracks to movie soundtracks. Her cover of the song "Spooky" (made famous by the band Classics IV, and previously covered by Dusty Springfield) for the soundtrack to the Reese Witherspoon movie Just Like Heaven. Heap also wrote a special track entitled "Can't Take It In" for the soundtrack to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She has also appeared on the second soundtrack for the HBO television series "Six Feet Under", entitled "Six Feet Under Vol. 2: Everything Ends" with a 50-second track that closed the Season 4 episode "I'm A Lonely Little Petunia (In An Onion Patch)". Three versions were recorded and are available from Heap's official web site.
In addition to producing her own records, she has also produced a track for Nik Kershaw and has collaborated with artists as diverse as Joshua Radin, Jeff Beck, Temposhark, LHB, Way Out West, Jon Bon Jovi, Mich Gerber, Sean Lennon, Urban Species, Blue October, Jon Hopkins and Acacia.
Heap's 2009 album 'Ellipse' features Canvas, Aha! and Half Life.
Sites: Twitter
www.imogenheap.com
Glittering Cloud
Imogen Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A terrible weakness, in my nature, in my blood
Save me, oh save me,
Save me from myself
Before I hurt somebody else again
Domino motion
Jump starts when we touch
It's all over, it's all over, it's all over in a flash
I can't remember
What have I done now?
Go, go, faster wider
More, more get it down yeah
Dance, dance
Take me over glittering clouds
Go, go faster wider
More more get it down yeah
Dance, dance
Take me over glittering clouds
Oh, my head hurts.
Oh dear, oh dear
It's all over the papers
And the TV, wagging tongues
The artist's impression looks just like me, only better
Don't blame me, don't maim me, I can't help what I am
Oh, Lord knows I've tried to
Go, go, faster wider
More, more get it down yeah
Dance, dance
Take me over glittering clouds
Go, go faster wider
More more get it down yeah
Dance, dance
Take me over glittering clouds
Go, go, faster wider
More, more get it down yeah
Dance, dance
Take me over glittering clouds
Go, go faster wider
More more get it down yeah
Dance, dance
Take me over glittering clouds
Glittering clouds
Glittering clouds
Go
More
Dance
The lyrics of Imogen Heap's song Glittering Clouds describe a person acknowledging their own dangerous tendencies and pleading for help before they hurt someone again. The opening line, "I'm not always like this, it's something I've become," suggests that the person has developed this weakness over time and it is now ingrained in their nature. They recognize that they are a danger to others, hence the plea for someone to save them from themselves. The chorus lines, "Go, go faster wider, more more get it down yeah, dance dance take me over glittering clouds," suggest that the person might turn to drugs or some other escape to deal with their issues. And the chorus might indicate the person wanting to live life to its fullest and to forget about their problems.
The phrase "Domino motion," in the second verse, could refer to the idea that one small action can lead to a larger, uncontrolled outcome. It might suggest that the person is worried they will lose control and that their actions will soon spiral out of control. The lines "Oh dear, it's all over the papers and the TV, wagging tongues," imply that the person's fears have become a reality, and they have hurt someone, and the media has caught wind of it. The phrase, "the artist's impression looks just like me, only better," suggests that the media has exaggerated the story and blamed the person for something they did not do. In the end, the person acknowledges that they have tried to overcome their weakness, but they cannot help who they are.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not always like this, it's something I've become
My behavior has changed and I have developed a weakness.
A terrible weakness, in my nature, in my blood
My weakness is innate and part of me.
Save me, oh save me
Help me escape from this situation.
Save me from myself
I need to be rescued from my own shortcomings.
Before I hurt somebody else again
I fear causing harm to others due to my actions.
Domino motion
Our relationship is in motion like a chain reaction.
Jump starts when we touch
Our connection is sudden and powerful when we make contact.
A blackout approaching, here it comes now, wish me luck
I am anticipating a loss of consciousness and hope for the best.
It's all over, it's all over, it's all over in a flash
The situation quickly spirals out of control and is finished just as quickly.
I can't remember
I have no recollection of what happened.
What have I done now?
I am asking myself what I may have done wrong.
Go, go, faster wider
Encouragement to move forward with greater energy and ambition.
More, more get it down yeah
Emphasizing the need for even more success and accomplishment.
Dance, dance
Invitation to enjoy life and be carefree.
Take me over glittering clouds
Escaping from reality and being transported to a more beautiful place.
Oh, my head hurts.
Comment on the pain and confusion felt after a wild night.
Oh dear, oh dear
Feeling remorse and regret.
It's all over the papers
News outlets have spread the story everywhere.
And the TV, wagging tongues
People are gossiping about me on television.
The artist's impression looks just like me, only better
The artist's rendering of me is flattering but still recognizable.
Don't blame me, don't maim me, I can't help what I am
I am asking for understanding and compassion despite my flaws.
Oh, Lord knows I've tried to
I have put forth effort to be a better person but still struggle.
Glittering clouds
The beautiful, otherworldly land I want to escape to.
Go, go, faster wider
Urging for more success and momentum once again.
More
Focusing on material success and achievement.
Dance
Finding joy and abandoning stress in the moment.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IMOGEN JENNIFER JANE HEAP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cmking35
This song was actually a part of a musical project the British Council put together and assigned artists to. It’s about the Biblical Plagues mentioned in Exodus. Hence the name, Plague Songs. Each artist was assigned a specific plague and off they went. It’s an NPR favorite.
@AdmiringObserverR
which plaque was this one about?
@alexhunter1220
@@AdmiringObserverR plague of locusts i believe
@forlornhauntedghost
Cool!
@tyunsion
This song is part of my childhood, I love this song with all of my heart
@raultudorfilip9669
Mee too
@CarnivalBox
Listen to the walk. Glittering Cloud and The Walk are my two single favorite songs from her, and probably my two favorite songs completely. The walk tops it though, it really explains the situation and to have been in that situation myself, it's seriously magical. Off you go!
@hautxtalons
Shuffled through my playlist the other day and this came up.... I love this so much, especially the ending. Most underrated artist ever!
@drhoust
Awesome I really love this lady! Its even cooler when you know that the entire rhythm / beat was made with audio samples of real locusts. she is super creative like that!
@Ice.muffin
Such a beautiful song, its tonality simply gives me shivers, I wish this effect would last forever :'(