Born in Oakdale, New York on Long Island, Monheit began singing professionally while attending Connetquot High School. At 17, she began studying at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City under the tutelage of Peter Eldridge. At the age of 20, as a senior, she won the first runner-up prize at the 1998 Thelonious Monk Institute Vocal Competition. In 1999, she received her Bachelor's degree in music.
Monheit's voice has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald, whom she lists as one of her influences. Songs she has recorded range from jazz standards to MGM/RKO musicals of the 1930s-1950s and Brazilian rhythms such as "Começar de novo".
Monheit released her debut album, Never Never Land in October 2000 and it became an instant success. This was followed shortly by her second album, Come Dream With Me (May 2001) and her third, In The Sun (October 2002).
Her fourth album, Live at the Rainbow Room, was released in December 2003. A similarly-titled DVD was released to complement the CD.
Her fifth album, Taking a Chance on Love, was released in September 2004. It debuted at the #1 spot on Billboard's traditional jazz chart and entered Billboard's top 100 pop chart the first week it was released. The album included the song Over the Rainbow, which had been included in her previous release recorded at the Rainbow Room, and also in the soundtrack for the film, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
The Taking a Chance on Love DVD was released in March 2005 and contains performances from the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales, UK. Monheit released her sixth album, The Season, in October 2005. Her first holiday-themed album, it debuted in the top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart. Monheit told jazzreview.com that it was inspired by Ella Fitzgerald's holiday album, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.
The singer recently signed a recording contract with Concord Records. Her most recent album, Surrender, debuted at #1 on Billboard's jazz chart.
Blame It on My Youth
Jane Monheit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blame it on my youth
If only just for you, I did exist
Blame it on my youth
I believed in everything
Like a child of three
You meant more than anything
If you were on my mind both night and day
Blame it on my youth
If I forgot to eat and sleep and pray
Blame it on my youth
If I cried a little bit
When first I learned the truth
Don't blame it on my heart
Blame it on my youth
If I cried a little bit
When first I learned the truth
Don't blame it on my heart
Blame it on my youth
Jane Monheit's song "Blame It on My Youth" is all about the naivety of youth and the power that a first love can hold. The lyrics read like a retrospective, with the singer looking back on a time when they were so young and full of love that they believed in everything.
The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, confessing that if the singer expected love when they first kissed their beloved, they can only blame it on their youth. The second stanza emphasizes the purity of the singer's love, likening it to that of a child of three. To the singer, their beloved meant more than anything, and they were the center of their world.
The third stanza details just how all-consuming this love was. The singer admits to thinking about their beloved day and night, forgetting to eat, sleep, and even pray. The final stanza doubles down on the idea that this was all just a product of being so young and inexperienced. If the singer cried upon discovering the truth about their love, they can't blame it on their heart, but rather, only on their youth.
Overall, "Blame It on My Youth" is a poignant reflection on the powerful emotions that can come with first love, and the innocence that often encompasses it.
Line by Line Meaning
If I expected love when first we kissed
I was naive and foolish to expect something serious when we first kissed, and it's because of my lack of experience and young age.
Blame it on my youth
My youth and inexperience are the reason why I had certain expectations and made certain mistakes.
If only just for you, I did exist
When I was with you, you were my whole world, and I would do anything just to be with you.
I believed in everything
I was very gullible and believed everything that was told to me, without questioning or doubting it.
Like a child of three
My innocence and lack of experience made me as vulnerable and impressionable as a young child.
You meant more than anything
You were the most important person in my life, and I valued you above anything else.
All the world to me
You were my entire world, and I revolved around you.
If you were on my mind both night and day
You were constantly on my mind, and I couldn't stop thinking about you, even when I should have been doing other things.
If I forgot to eat and sleep and pray
I was so obsessed with you that I neglected my basic needs, such as eating, sleeping, and praying.
If I cried a little bit
I was emotional and sensitive, and certain things could make me cry, even if they were not that significant.
When first I learned the truth
When I first found out about something that went against my beliefs or expectations.
Don't blame it on my heart
It's not because of my emotions or feelings that I made certain mistakes or had certain expectations.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Edward Heyman, Oscar Levant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind