Jayme Dee's music is as sassy as it is sunny. Whether it's a witty remark or an irresistible hook, the Southern California singer and songwriter has more than a few surprises up her sleeve on her debut for Universal Republic Records. You'll enjoy them though. We promise…
Music has always surrounded Jayme. Growing up in Redondo Beach, her mom worked as a professional vocal coach and violin teacher, while her father was a pastor at a local church. Not only did she have the chance to perform every Sunday in front of a crowd, she also gained classical training on piano—all by middle school mind you. Simultaneously, she fell under the spell of Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Amy Winehouse, John Mayer, and Lilly Allen. However, this story really starts during her freshmen year of high school when she made a crucial discovery while rummaging around the family's garage.
"I found a guitar, and I started dabbling," she recalls. "I never looked back. That's when I started writing songs and making music. The guitar became my best friend."
With her best friend in hand and webcam turned on, she recorded acoustic covers of popular songs by Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga. After uploading them to YouTube, she began to amass some serious numbers. Jayme separated herself from the digital pack by posting original tracks too. To date, her channel has almost 13 million views and 100k subscribers. While she was buzzing online, she enrolled in school at USC for vocal performance.
"I decided it wasn't for me because I wanted to be immersed in the music industry and not reading books about it," she goes on. "I kept writing music though."
Within two months of leaving USC, her original track "Love Whiplash" caught the attention of Universal Republic Records. She showcased for the label and was signed shortly after in early 2011. About the song, she laughs, "I was driving to church, and I wrote the chorus. I actually recorded it with the janky voice memo recorder on my iPhone. I was pissed at a guy. I thought, 'You suck! I'm going to write a song about you.' All of my ideas come to me when I'm driving in the car. I'm going to crash one day trying to press record."
Luckily, she's recording in big studios now. Nevertheless, "Love Whiplash" is emblematic of her spunky and smart approach to pop. She's got a soulful croon that echoes over piano and acoustic guitar, echoing with energetic theatricality. However, she can also belt out vulnerable folk, as evinced by the elegantly ethereal "Rules", her contribution to the chart-dominating soundtrack, The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond.
With a national tour alongside Owl City and her debut for the label on the horizon, Jayme Dee is ready for anything. "This is me," she concludes. "My music is definitely autobiographical. I write about things a 20-year-old girl will go through. I hope it's empowering, and I hope it's upbeat. At the same time, I hope people have fun when they listen to it. Is that too corny or too much to ask?"
Heartbreaker
Jayme Dee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bet you're dreaming you could take it off
Standing in my high heel shoes
Seems is if your eyes can't get enough
Am I the girl for you? Probably not,
But you're pretty hot
Didn't say you're going to,
But don't fall in love with me
I'm a heartbreaker gotta let you know
I'm a risk taker if you want to go with me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
I'm a heartbreaker and my soul is free
I'm a gonna take you on a ride but promise me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
Heard they wrote a song about me,
Called the ballad of Jayme Dee
I never meant to hurt no one,
I was only having fun
That's why you should stay out of the kitchen,
You get the burn, haven't you learned
You've been warned but I'm just fishing,
Don't fall in love with me
I'm a heart breaker gotta let you know
I'm a risk taker if you want to go with me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
I'm a heartbreaker and my soul is free
I'm a gonna take you on a ride but promise me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
Stop now
You're the one who is bruised now
You'll be falling and I don't got the patience
To sweep up the pieces and put you together again, oh again
Cuz' I'm a heart breaker gotta let you know
I'm a risk taker if you want to go with me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
I'm a heartbreaker and my soul is free
I'm a gonna take you on a ride but promise me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
Cuz' I'm a heart breaker gotta let you know
I'm a risk taker if you want to go with me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
I'm a heartbreaker and my soul is free
I'm a gonna take you on a ride but promise me
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love
Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
The song "Heartbreaker" by Jayme Dee is a perfect description of a girl who is fully aware of the effect she has on men but is unwilling to stop teasing them. The opening lines "I put on this dress for you, Bet you're dreaming you could take it off" indicate that the girl is trying to attract a man's attention but is not necessarily interested in him. Instead, the girl is fully aware of her attractiveness and is using it to her advantage. She warns the man not to fall in love with her because she is a heartbreaker and a risk-taker. She has a free soul, and she is not someone to settle down with. The line "Don't you cry when it's time for goodbye" indicates that the girl has no intention of staying in a relationship for an extended period.
The next verse introduces the idea that the girl is a bit notorious for breaking hearts. She has heard that someone wrote a song about her called "The Ballad of Jayme Dee." However, the girl defends herself by saying that she never meant to hurt anyone, and she was just having fun. She warns the man not to fall in love with her, hoping he won't be hurt when she leaves.
Interestingly, the chorus is in French with the phrase "Au revoir, C'est la vie" meaning "Goodbye, That's life." It is adding an exotic touch to the song, emphasizing the girl's free spirit, who moves from one encounter to another without attachments. In the bridge, the girl warns the man that he could quickly end up being the one who is "bruised." She does not have the patience to put him back together again.
Overall, "Heartbreaker" is a catchy pop song that is honest about what it is trying to portray: a girl who knows she's attractive, unwilling to settle down and break hearts in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
I put on this dress for you
I dressed up just for you
Bet you're dreaming you could take it off
I know you want to undress me
Standing in my high heel shoes
I'm confident and sexy
Seems as if your eyes can't get enough
You can't stop looking at me
Am I the girl for you? Probably not, but you're pretty hot
I don't think we're a good match, but you're attractive
Didn't say you're going to, but don't fall in love with me
I'm not implying anything, but don't get too attached
Heard they wrote a song about me, called the ballad of Jayme Dee
I've become well-known and popular
I never meant to hurt no one, I was only having fun
I didn't mean to cause any harm, I was just enjoying myself
That's why you should stay out of the kitchen, You get the burn, haven't you learned
If you can't handle the heat, stay away from me
You've been warned but I'm just fishing, Don't fall in love with me
I'm giving a fair warning, but I'm still testing the waters
Stop now, You're the one who is bruised now
You need to step back and take care of yourself
You'll be falling and I don't got the patience, To sweep up the pieces and put you together again, oh again
If you can't handle the consequences of being with me, I won't fix you
I'm a heartbreaker gotta let you know
I break hearts, that's just who I am
I'm a risk taker if you want to go with me
I take risks and live life on the edge
Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love, Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
Don't be sad when we say goodbye, that's just life, and we'll move on
I'm a heartbreaker and my soul is free
My heart can't be tied down by anyone
I'm a gonna take you on a ride but promise me, Don't you cry when it's time for good bye, love, Au revoir, C'est la vie, Fly away dove
I'll take you for a wild ride, but you can't be upset when it's over
Contributed by Landon G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.