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
Just For Now (live at Studio 11 103
Imogen Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just for now
Just for now
Just for now
Just for now
Just for now
It's that time of year
If just for a little while
Tears stop right here
I know we've all had a bumpy ride
I'm secretly on your side
How did you know?
It's what I always wanted
You can never have had too many of these
Will ya quit kicking me under the table?
I'm trying, will somebody make her
Shut up about it?
Can we settle down please?
It's that time of year
Leave all our hopelessnesses aside
If just for a little while
Tears stop right here
I know we've all had a bumpy ride
I'm secretly on your side
Bite tongue
Deep breaths
Count to ten
Nod your head
(sniff sniff)
I think something's burning
Now you've ruined the whole thing
Muffle the smoke alarm
Whoever put on this music
Had better quick sharp remove it
Pour me another
Oh, don't wag your finger at me
It's that time of year
Leave all our hopelessnesses aside
If just for a little while
Tears stop right here
I know we've all had a bumpy ride
I'm secretly on your side
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Get me out of here
Just for now
The song "Just for Now" by Imogen Heap is all about finding momentary peace in the holiday season. The lyrics suggest that it's a time to put aside all of the frustrations and challenges that one has faced throughout the year and embrace the joys of the holiday season, even if it's only for a little while. The repeated chorus "Just for now" emphasizes this point - it's a call to put aside everything else and just focus on being present in the moment.
The first verse speaks to the hardships that we've all faced, but ends with the declaration that the singer is "secretly on your side." It's a reminder that even though we may feel alone or overwhelmed, there are people who care about us and are there to support us. The second verse takes a bit of a sarcastic turn, with the singer asking someone else to "shut up about it" and "can we settle down please?" This could be interpreted as a commentary on the stresses of the holiday season - with everyone frantically trying to prepare for celebrations, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.
The bridge of the song is short and sweet, with the singer reminding listeners to take a moment to breathe and stay calm. However, the mood shifts again in the final verse, with the sound of a smoke alarm interrupting the festivities. The singer's frustration is palpable as she demands to be taken out of the situation.
Overall, "Just for Now" is a reminder to take a step back from the madness and simply enjoy the present moment, even if it's just for a little while.
Line by Line Meaning
Just for now
Reminding us that the following lines will only apply to the present moment, nothing beyond that
Just for now
Reinforcing that this is only temporary, and not permanent
Just for now
Highlighting that this perspective is only applicable in the immediate moment, and not for the long term
Just for now
Repeating the previous lines to emphasize the temporary nature of the situation
Just for now
Final reminder that this mindset is only applicable for a limited period
Just for now
Echoing the previous lines once more to solidify the limited duration
It's that time of year
Time of the year when we can put aside our negative feelings and focus on the present
Leave all our hopelessnesses aside
Putting a pause on our melancholic thoughts and feelings for the time being
If just for a little while
Indicating that this positive outlook will only last for a short amount of time
Tears stop right here
Encouragement to let go of sadness and not dwell on negative emotions
I know we've all had a bumpy ride
Acknowledging that life has its ups and downs
I'm secretly on your side
Affirming that the artist is empathetic and supportive, even if silently
How did you know?
Surprised reaction to the following statement
It's what I always wanted
The singer's desire for this specific scenario to occur
You can never have had too many of these
Implying that these occurrences (a positive outlook) cannot happen too frequently
Will ya quit kicking me under the table?
Asking someone to stop miscalaneously bothering the artist
I'm trying, will somebody make her
Struggling to focus due to another person's unwanted behavior
Shut up about it?
Asking the other person to stop bringing up the topic they are discussing
Can we settle down please?
A plea to calm the situation and continue as planned
Bite tongue
A reminder to hold back from speaking impulsively
Deep breaths
Suggesting to take a moment to inhale and exhale deeply
Count to ten
An additional coping mechanism to deal with frustration or distress
Nod your head
Agreeing with someone else, even though different opinions might exist
(sniff sniff)
Transcribing the sound of someone sniffing
I think something's burning
Noticing an anomaly, such as a potential fire danger
Now you've ruined the whole thing
Reference to how something important was affected negatively
Muffle the smoke alarm
Suggesting to quieten the sound of the alarm
Whoever put on this music
Pointing out the person responsible for the music selection
Had better quick sharp remove it
Cryptic phrasing to indirectly say to remove the music immediately
Pour me another
Requesting another drink, possibly as a coping mechanism
Oh, don't wag your finger at me
Responding to someone's admonitory or disapproving behavior with annoyance
Get me out of here
Desperately wanting to leave the situation and environment
Contributed by Brody E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.