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
It's Good To Be In Love
Imogen Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say I'm tired or throw a party
These cucumber eyes are lying
The more that I smile about it
And all my clothes feel like someone's old throwaways
I don't like it
It's good to be in love
It really does suit you
Just like everything
I'm happy you're in love
Because every colour goes where you do
I'm adoring you
It's all good
You're so beautiful
I'm black & blue all over
You're breaking my flow
How could you know what I'm saying about it
When all my clothes feel like someone's old throwaways
I don't like it
It's good to be in love...
I feel so powerless
I've got to stop it somehow
Oh come on, what can I do
Why's it happening
How's it happening without me
How's it happening that he feels it without me
It's good to be in love...
The lyrics to Imogen Heap & Frou Frou's song "It's Good to Be in Love" convey a range of emotions, from confusion to adoration to powerlessness. The first few lines suggest an indecision about how to address one's fatigue or emotions, with the use of "throw a party" as an alternative to admitting tiredness. The "cucumber eyes" that are "lying" are likely referring to the use of cucumber slices as a remedy for tired or puffy eyes, but the singer clearly feels that this is not a sincere approach to dealing with the issue. The following lines appear to describe how the cover-up of emotions becomes difficult to maintain, because the more one smiles or pretends that everything is okay, the more it feels like a facade.
In the second verse, the lyrics have a more melancholic tone. The reference to "clothes feel[ing] like someone's old throwaways" suggests a lack of self-confidence or esteem. The singer doesn't like feeling this way, but acknowledges that being in love is a positive thing that seems to benefit others. The chorus repeats the sentiment that being in love is good, but it's unclear if the singer is speaking to themselves or to someone else. The phrase "you're breaking my flow" suggests that there is some conflict in this situation, perhaps due to unrequited feelings or jealousy.
The final verse focuses on powerlessness and confusion surrounding love. The singer feels like they are not part of the romantic situation happening around them, and questions why they can't feel the same thing without someone else. The repetition of "it's good to be in love" seems to be a way of convincing oneself that love is a great thing, even when it is not happening as expected. Overall, the lyrics of "It's Good to Be in Love" explore the complex and sometimes contradictory emotions surrounding love and how it can affect our sense of self.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know where to start
I'm unsure of how to approach my feelings
Say I'm tired or throw a party
I can't decide if I should share my emotions or put on a facade
These cucumber eyes are lying
My fake smile doesn't reflect my true emotions
The more that I smile about it
Pretending to be happy just makes it worse
And all my clothes feel like someone's old throwaways
I don't feel confident or comfortable in what I'm wearing
I don't like it
I'm insecure and unhappy with myself
It's good to be in love
Being in love feels amazing and suits you well
It really does suit you
You seem to be thriving and happy in love
Just like everything
Love enhances everything else in your life
I'm happy you're in love
I'm genuinely happy for you
Because every colour goes where you do
Love brings vibrancy and positivity to your surroundings
I'm adoring you
I have deep affection and admiration for you
It's all good
Everything is fine and under control
You're so beautiful
You have inner and outer beauty that I admire
I'm black & blue all over
I'm emotionally bruised and exhausted
You're breaking my flow
Your presence is disrupting my emotional stability
How could you know what I'm saying about it
It's difficult for you to understand what I'm going through
When all my clothes feel like someone's old throwaways
I don't feel like myself and lack confidence
I don't like it
I'm struggling with self-acceptance
It's good to be in love...
Love is a positive force that I want to experience
I feel so powerless
I feel like I have no control over my emotions
I've got to stop it somehow
I need to find a way to manage my emotions
Oh come on, what can I do
I feel helpless and unsure of what steps to take
Why's it happening
I don't understand why I'm struggling emotionally
How's it happening without me
I feel disconnected from my own emotions
How's it happening that he feels it without me
I'm confused about how my partner can feel love without my full presence
It's good to be in love...
Despite my struggles, I still believe love is a positive force in life
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GUY SIGSWORTH, IMOGEN JENNIFER HEAP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mcr00kes
This song should have been so much bigger than it was. Beautiful melodies!
@JaceToTheFace
Truth bothers the establishment.
@ryanchen3080
2 Decades Passed , But Frou Frou Is Still The Pioneer .......
@wyynnn
OMG FINALLY AN HD QUALITY OF ONE OF THE GREATEST SONGS IVE ALWAYS LOVED ON THIS ALBUM!
@bedroompantomimes
Her voice sounds like love. Its so warm it just hugs you. Incredible
@CroceAmicaFormia
Che ricordi... era la sigla della pubblicità del Cornetto Algida ❤
@arekkuson
the drop feels so much better than the album version, i wish this was on streaming platforms!!!
@Parisdelovemusic
I agree!
@eddieclole8553
Emotional maturity
@lukasblur3500
I just heard this song today because spotify jumped to it randomly. I put it on repeat the whole day.