Ingrid Michaelson (born 8th December 1979) is a U.S. singer-songwriter whos… Read Full Bio ↴Ingrid Michaelson (born 8th December 1979) is a U.S. singer-songwriter whose single "The Way I Am" reached number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

She took up piano at the age of five, attending Manhattan's Third Street Music School for two years, going on to the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island's Dorothy Delson Kuhn Music Institute. There she met vocal coach Elizabeth McCullough, who worked with her through high school. She is a graduate of Staten Island Technical High School and Binghamton University, where she received a degree in theatre.

Her influences range from Fiona Apple to Coldplay. She regularly appears at Manhattan venues such as The Knitting Factory, CBGB's Gallery, Bar 169, The Sidewalk Cafe, Kenny's Castaways, and Pianos.

She began recording music in 2002, releasing Slow the Rain independently in January of 2005. In 2006, Ingrid released her second album Girls and Boys. Her music has recently enjoyed a bit more commercial success with songs like "Breakable" and "Keep Breathing" being featured on ABC show Grey's Anatomy, as well as a 2007 Old Navy commercial being set to her song "The Way I Am".

http://www.ingridmichaelson.com/

Charlie
Ingrid Michaelson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Charlie don't let the girls hurt your heart
Don't let the angry boys tear you apart
I know you're tired of not fittin' in
But it's not fitting in that will help to begin
To show you, your beauty

Where is the red-headed girl?
The one with the green lunch box

Even though you had a brown paper bag
Sandwiches hard as rocks

Lunch was the happiest 45 minutes of the day
(Lunch was the happiest 45 minutes of the day)
For the red-headed angel would glide your way and say
"Hello, hello, Charlie hello"

Wake up it's after 9 and now you're late
Yellow school bus is brimming with hate
They love your face when it's blush as red
Get out of bed, you're stronger now
Get out of bed, you're stronger than before
Get out of your bed

Where is that red-headed girl?
The one with the green lunch box
Even though you had a brown paper bag
Sandwiches hard as rocks

Lunch was the happiest 45 minutes of the day
(Lunch was the happiest 45 minutes of the day)
For the red-headed angel would glide your way and say
"Hello, hello, Charlie hello
Hello, hello, Charlie hello

Hello, hello, Charlie hello
Hello, hello Charlie hello"

Overall Meaning

The song "Charlie" by Ingrid Michaelson provides a message of hope and encouragement to a boy named Charlie who is struggling with feeling like he doesn't fit in. Michaelson urges Charlie not to let the unkind actions of others hurt his heart and tear him apart. She acknowledges that fitting in may seem important, but it's not about fitting in that will help Charlie to see his beauty.

The disappearance of a red-headed girl with a green lunch box who used to make Charlie's day is a recurring theme throughout the song. Lunch was once the happiest time of the day for Charlie because the red-headed girl would come over and say "hello". In the second verse, Michaelson reminds Charlie that he's late for school and he needs to get out of bed. Michaelson prompts Charlie to remember that he's now stronger than before and he doesn't need to feel embarrassed or ashamed of what happened in the past.

Overall, the song "Charlie" offers comfort and encouragement to anyone who might be going through a difficult time, particularly those who are struggling with not fitting in. It's a reminder that even small acts of kindness, such as a friendly "hello", can have a big impact on someone's life.

Line by Line Meaning

Charlie don't let the girls hurt your heart
Don't let the girls who have hurt you in the past continue to affect you emotionally, Charlie.

Don't let the angry boys tear you apart
Don't let the boys who are angry and might try to bring you down affect you, Charlie.

I know you're tired of not fittin' in
I understand that you're tired of feeling like you don't belong, Charlie.

But it's not fitting in that will help to begin
Fitting in is not what matters, Charlie. What matters is being yourself and showing the world your beauty.

To show you, your beauty
I want to help you see your own beauty, Charlie.

Where is the red-headed girl?
Do you remember that red-headed girl, Charlie?

The one with the green lunch box
The girl with the green lunch box who used to make you happy during lunchtime, Charlie.

Even though you had a brown paper bag
Even though you brought your own lunch from home, Charlie.

Sandwiches hard as rocks
Your sandwiches were always so unappetizing, Charlie.

(Lunch was the happiest 45 minutes of the day)
Lunch was the only time of day that made you happy, Charlie.

For the red-headed angel would glide your way and say
The red-headed girl was like an angel to you and would come to you to say...

"Hello, hello, Charlie hello"
"Hello, hello, Charlie hello"

Wake up it's after 9 and now you're late
It's after 9 AM and you're running late, Charlie.

Yellow school bus is brimming with hate
The school bus is full of people who might not be kind to you, Charlie.

They love your face when it's blush as red
They enjoy seeing you blush and getting embarrassed, Charlie.

Get out of bed, you're stronger now
You can overcome these challenges, Charlie. You're stronger than you realize and can face the day with courage and strength.

Get out of bed, you're stronger than before
Each day, you grow stronger, Charlie. You can handle anything that comes your way and face the world with confidence.

Get out of your bed
Don't let fear hold you back, Charlie. Get up and face the world with courage.

(Hello, hello, Charlie hello)
"Hello, hello, Charlie hello"

(Hello, hello Charlie hello)
"Hello, hello, Charlie hello"

Lyrics © CABIN 24 RECORDS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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