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/
Creep
Ingrid Michaelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I couldn't look you in the eye
you're just like an angel
your skin makes me cry
you float like a feather
in a beautiful world
I wish I was special
you're so very special
but I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
what the hell am i doing here?
I don't belong here
I don't care if it hurts
I want to have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul
I want you to notice when i'm not around
you're so very special
I wish I was special
But I'm a creep
i'm a weirdo
what the hell i'm doing here?
I don't belong here
She's running out the door
she's running out
she runs runs runs
Whatever makes you happy
whatever you want
you're so very special
I wish i was special
But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
what the hell am I doing here?
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
Ingrid Michaelson's song "Creep" is a cover of Radiohead's original version, which was released in 1992. The song is about feeling like an outcast, someone who is not special or deserving. The singer is in love with someone who they believe is perfect and special, but they feel unworthy and inadequate in comparison.
The first verse sets the scene with the singer expressing their difficulty in facing the person they love. The second line, "I couldn't look you in the eye," suggests shame, and the following line, "you're just like an angel, your skin makes me cry," shows the singer's awe of their love interest's beauty. They go on to describe this person as floating "like a feather in a beautiful world," which emphasizes their view of their love interest as perfect and untouchable. The chorus then transitions to the singer's own self-loathing beliefs, as they repeat the lines "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, what the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here." They feel like they don't fit in or deserve to be near the person they love.
In the second verse, the singer elaborates on their desires for control, a perfect body and soul, and for their love interest to notice when they're not around. They want to be special and worthy of this person's attention and affection, but they feel like they're not. The pre-chorus and chorus repeat, emphasizing the singer's self-hatred and belief that they don't belong.
The final verse takes a different turn, with the singer acknowledging their love interest's autonomy and desire for happiness. They sing, "whatever makes you happy, whatever you want," showing their willingness to let go of their desire and focus on the other person's needs. However, they still express their wish to be special and worthy, concluding with the repeated line, "I don't belong here."
Overall, the lyrics of "Creep" are a poignant and honest portrayal of feeling like an outcast and unworthy of love. The singer's beliefs and feelings are relatable and touching, making the song an emotional classic.
Line by Line Meaning
When you were here before
I couldn't face you, I avoided eye contact
I couldn't look you in the eye
I had trouble making eye contact, feeling nervous
You're just like an angel
You're very beautiful and captivating
Your skin makes me cry
Your beauty moves me deeply, brings tears to my eyes
You float like a feather
You're light and graceful
In a beautiful world
Everything around you is beautiful
I wish I was special
I wish I was as captivating and wonderful as you
You're so very special
You're an amazing person
But I'm a creep
I feel like an outsider and weirdo
I'm a weirdo
I feel like I don't fit in and am strange
What the hell am I doing here?
I feel out of place and don't understand why I'm here
I don't belong here
I don't fit in and feel like I don't belong
I don't care if it hurts
I'm willing to endure pain to try and gain control
I want to have control
I want to feel in charge and powerful
I want a perfect body
I am striving for physical perfection
I want a perfect soul
I want to be morally perfect and flawless
I want you to notice when I'm not around
I want to be important to you and missed when I'm not there
She's running out the door
Someone I care about is leaving me
She runs, runs, runs
She's in a rush to get away from me
Whatever makes you happy
I want you to be happy, even if it hurts me
Whatever you want
I'll do anything for you to be happy
You're so very special
You're an amazing person
I wish I was special
I feel inferior and wish I was as special as you
But I'm a creep
I can't help feeling like an outsider and weirdo
I'm a weirdo
I feel like I don't fit in and am strange
What the hell am I doing here?
I feel out of place and don't understand why I'm here
I don't belong here
I don't fit in and feel like I don't belong
Contributed by Dominic G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Samanta Rico
When you were here before
I couldn't look you in the eye
You're just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
You think you're so special
I wish that I was special
But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am i doing here?
No, I don't belong here
And I don't care if it hurts
Cause' I want to have control
(Oh)I want a perfect body
And I want a perfect soul
I want you to notice when i'm not around
When i'm not around
You think you're so special
And I wish that I was special
But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
What the hell i'm doing here?
No, I don't belong here
Whatever makes you happy
Whatever you want
Whatever you want
You think you're so special
Well, I wish that I was special
Cause' I'm a creep
I'm and I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here? (Oh, no)
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I took my time to change the parts that she changed. I really love her voice and everything about her ♥️
Ruairi Mulvey
Big Radiohead fan, and this is one of my favourite songs to hear be covered. I think it's a great judge of someone's voice and artistic interpretation and I think she does a lovely job of it.
Steve Kampf
Yeah, me too. Interesting version but Thom's will never be surpassed.
Miles Hunt
She kills me with her voice... it is so beautiful
Cat Trent
I cannot get over her talent. she can literally cover any song and make it pure gold.
Nathan?
I love creep covers. It shows people are united in their isolation. No one is ever truly alone.
Pelzlaus
I saw her performing creep yesterday in cologne - it was one of the best performances I`ve ever heard in my life!!!!
Wordless06
I've been listening to this song non-stop all day. Ingrid is permanently engraved into my soul...
gdog
Wow. I wouldn't have thought she would have been able to do this song justice, because it's dark and broody, but she does and I enjoy it. I've come to realise she could cover any song and it would be good.
tabithaf12
I didn't think it was possible for me to love this song any more than I already did, but then I heard her cover. Absolutely amazing.
Dana
i really hate people who sing other singers songs and make them sound like crap but Ingrid doesn't copy it she actually puts her feeling into it making it sound so different Ingrid is amazing