Inara George (born July 4, 1974) is a Los Angeles, California-based singer-… Read Full Bio ↴Inara George (born July 4, 1974) is a Los Angeles, California-based singer-songwriter, one half of The Bird and the Bee and a member of the band Merrick, with Bryony Atkinson. Her 2006 solo album All Rise was a KCRW hit. George is the daughter of Lowell George, the late founder of the rock and roll group Little Feat. She was five years old when he passed away. Inara is married to director Jake Kasdan.

George has appeared on two of Idlewild's studio albums, providing backing vocals, and has recorded with the jazz/rock group Kneebody (formerly known as Wendel), on their first release; she sang the introduction to the song "I'll Watch Your Life to See".

In 2006, George recorded an album with Idlewild guitarist, Rod Jones, entitled George is Jones. The album remains unreleased, however, four songs can be heard on the duo's MySpace.

In August 2008 second studio album An Invitation was released.

What A Number
Inara George Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What a number
Like the rest of them
How can you bear?
What everyone is bearing.

I want for you to want
To vaporize them
Start with nothing

Do you recognize?

I'm lying in lake alive
Living out someone else's life.
I could be wrong, I could be right
For the rest of time.

In the basement
Like in the old days
Under the covers
Under the covering
Like a governor
In the old days
You keep me handled
Never letting on

I want to a big surprise
I want a remedy

You're outnumbered
Like the rest of them
How can you bear
What everyone is bearing
I want for you to want
To vaporize them
Start with nothing
Do you recognize?

I want a big surprise
I want a remedy

Overall Meaning

The song "What A Number" by Inara George begins with a perplexing line, "What a number, like the rest of them, how can you bear? What everyone is bearing." The singer is referring to a situation where everyone is going through the same thing, yet it seems unbearable to her. She wants someone to take ownership and challenge the status quo. In the next verse, she talks about living someone else's life, like lying in a lake alive but still living someone else's life. She is unsure if she is right or wrong, and this ambiguity contributes to her desire for change. In the next verse, she talks about being controlled by someone else, without giving away who it is, and she wants a big surprise to break away from this situation.

The song's title is a play on the phrase "what a number," which is typically used to express one's feeling about something that has happened. Here, Inara is using it as a metaphorical expression to describe how overwhelming it feels to be part of the crowd dealing with something difficult. The chorus then repeats the singer's desire for something to break the monotony, to bring a remedy to the unbearable situation.

Overall, the song's lyrics portray a feeling of helplessness and the need for change. Inara wants to stand out, to take ownership of a situation, and make a change, but she struggles with the ambiguity of being right or wrong.

Line by Line Meaning

What a number
This situation is overwhelming and seemingly unmanageable.

Like the rest of them
This is a common occurrence or experience shared by many.

How can you bear?
It's difficult to cope with or endure this situation.

What everyone is bearing.
Many people are experiencing this same thing.

I want for you to want
I hope you have the desire to make a change.

To vaporize them
To make them disappear or go away completely.

Start with nothing
Begin the change from the very beginning, with no preconceived notions.

Do you recognize?
Do you understand the gravity and importance of making a change?

I'm lying in lake alive
I am living, but it's not my own life that I am living.

Living out someone else's life.
I am living the life that someone else wants or expects me to live.

I could be wrong, I could be right
I might not know for sure what the right decision is in my situation.

For the rest of time.
This decision will have a long-lasting impact on my life.

In the basement
Hiding away from the world.

Like in the old days
In a way that reminds me of past times.

Under the covers
Hiding from the world and seeking comfort.

Under the covering
Covering up my true feelings or identity.

Like a governor
Controlling my life and decisions too strictly.

You keep me handled
You have too much control over me and my life.

Never letting on
Not revealing your true motives or intentions to me.

You're outnumbered
Your opinion or position is in the minority.

I want a big surprise
I want something unexpected and exciting to break up the monotony of my life.

I want a remedy
I want a solution to my problems or a way to fix what's wrong in my life.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MICHAEL ANDREWS, INARA GEORGE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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