According to Songfacts, Nettles made inroads on the independent circuit, gaining a small degree of national attention, then later becomes a pop-country superstar. With Jennifer Nettles Band, the future Sugarland artist released three independent albums and went on the Lilith Fair in 1999. The band drew praises from a number of music publications including Performing Songwriter magazine, and accumulated a substantial fan base along the East Coast.
Nettles formed Sugarland in 2003 and when they hit it big, her Jennifer Nettles Band pretty much vanished
With a presentation of engaging tunes, dynamic vocals, and poetic flair in a passionately charged live setting, Jennifer Nettles and her band were quite successful during the mid- to late '90s. Originally a native of Atlanta, GA, Nettles successful career began with the release of Story of Your Bones and quickly a following was created. Over the course of her touring, Nettles received rave reviews from many publications including Jezebel, Atlanta City Mag, the Album Network, Southeastern Performer, and the Performing Songwriter. Nettles was rewarded with gigs at such momentous occasions such as the 1999 Lilith Fair Tour, Big Day Out 2000, and Music Midtown 1999.
Though much of her crafty songwriting and poetic expression merited a listen on their own, Nettles joined the royal company of a gifted and charismatic backing band. Drummer Brad Sikes put forth the group's ever-changing and diverse rhythms. Scott Nicholson bought to life the magic of the piano's keys with stirring ebony-and-ivory passages. Wesley Lupold lays down the framework of the songs chord structures with bass. And Mike Cebulski presented an eclectic array of sounds and rhythms with his gift of percussion. Nettles received airplay in major cities such as New York, Cleveland, Memphis, Atlanta, and throughout the Carolinas. Because of her songwriting magic and growing fan base, and those behind the scenes who devote their time toward helping market her music, Jennifer Nettles received the distinguished honor of being presented the Independent Musician of the Year award for 2001.
Nettles was influenced and inspired by a splendid mix of rock, blues, folk, and soul, and those influences reflected clearly in her work. She began her singing career in 1996 while performing with Soul Miner's Daughter in the Atlanta and Decatur music scene. A singer since the age of seven, Nettles certainly was not shy of showing her witty charm, and was not afraid of challenging herself to continually write and sing powerful, honest, soul-charging songs with engaging lyrical content. At times her tunes were filled with amazing richness and personality, while others left the listener dazed and haunted.
Jennifer Nettles Band made routine trips to such notable venues as the Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), the 40 Watt (Athens), and the Mercury Lounge (New York City). Her songs are full of poetic meaning, and the band plays with a sense of attitude, winning over her audiences each and every time, and making a crop of fresh new listeners happy as well. Her release Gravity: Drag Me Down appeared in February 2002.
Shift
Jennifer Nettles Band Lyrics
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"Now isn't she the girl that's all daisy and clover? She's so easy to work with. She's so easy to push over."
And I will open up my mouth and you can whore me out cause the yin, the yin is what it's about
You say "art" in this business and you might as well be flogged "justice" in this business and you can look for another job
But you say "money" in this business and the suited worms will crawl, they will take all your sweat and make another strip mall
And it's gonna be tit for tat
And it's gonna be "how do you like that?"
Look out cause I'm about to shift your paradigm
Guess I should have known, guess I should have expected you'd abuse your own family at best I'd be neglected
Wasn't I baptized by fire to be brave? Cut my teeth on the devil, didn't need you as savior;
And I did open up my heart and you did play me out cause the yin, the yin is what it's about
You said art is your business, you believe in what I do justice was as long as I made four times less than you
And money was "so scarce" and your family "would starve" and we watched you drive away in fifty thousand dollar cars
I will keep my mouth shut and won't say a word
Buy him a drink little girl
Look out, look out, look out
The Jennifer Nettles Band's song Shift is a powerful commentary on the music industry and the way it exploits artists. The first verse sets the tone with the lines, "Nobody would've ever thought, nobody should've ever guessed that I would open my mouth and fire would breathe from my chest." Nettles is declaring that she's had enough and is ready to speak up. The next line, "Now isn't she the girl that's all daisy and clover? She's so easy to work with. She's so easy to push over," is a direct rebuke to the common practice of taking advantage of women in the industry. Despite this, Nettles is willing to use her voice and her body to get ahead, as she sings, "And I will open up my mouth and you can whore me out cause the yin, the yin is what it's about." This line suggests that Nettles is aware of the way the industry works and is willing to play by its rules, even though she knows it's not right.
The second verse continues the critique of the industry, declaring, "You say 'art' in this business and you might as well be flogged, 'justice' in this business and you can look for another job." This line suggests that in the music industry, art and justice are irrelevant and that the only thing that matters is money. Nettles goes on to accuse the industry of taking advantage of artists, saying, "they will take all your sweat and make another strip mall." The chorus is a declaration of Nettles' intent to change things: "And it's gonna be tit for tat, and it's gonna be just fine, and it's gonna be 'how do you like that?' Look out cause I'm about to shift your paradigm." Nettles is warning the industry that she's not going to take it lying down and that she's going to fight back.
Line by Line Meaning
Nobody would've ever thought, nobody should've ever guessed that I would open my mouth and fire would breathe from my chest
Nobody expected me to speak up boldly and unleash my true potential
"Now isn't she the girl that's all daisy and clover? She's so easy to work with. She's so easy to push over."
People undermine my capability and think I'm easy to manipulate
And I will open up my mouth and you can whore me out cause the yin, the yin is what it's about
I will stand up for myself and let you exploit me because I believe in harmony and balance
You say "art" in this business and you might as well be flogged "justice" in this business and you can look for another job
The art is given less importance and justice is a distant dream in this industry
But you say "money" in this business and the suited worms will crawl, they will take all your sweat and make another strip mall
Money fuels the greed of powerful people in this business who would take away all your hard work to build something worthless
And it's gonna be tit for tat
There will be consequences for your actions
And it's gonna be just fine
Things will fall in place and work out just fine in the end
And it's gonna be "how do you like that?"
You will get a taste of your own medicine
Look out cause I'm about to shift your paradigm
Get ready, because I'm going to change the way you think and work
Guess I should have known, guess I should have expected you'd abuse your own family at best I'd be neglected
I should have realized that you would mistreat your own people and neglect me
Wasn't I baptized by fire to be brave? Cut my teeth on the devil, didn't need you as savior;
I have been through tough times and learned to be fearless without any help from you
And I did open up my heart and you did play me out cause the yin, the yin is what it's about
I trusted you and you betrayed me because you ignore the importance of balance and harmony
You said art is your business, you believe in what I do justice was as long as I made four times less than you
You claim to value art and believe in me, but only if I earn less than you do
And money was "so scarce" and your family "would starve" and we watched you drive away in fifty thousand dollar cars
You said you were struggling for money and your family was in need, but you spent extravagantly on cars
I will keep my mouth shut and won't say a word
I will not waste my words on someone who doesn't deserve them
Buy him a drink little girl
Go ahead, be friendly with him and play a part in his game
Look out, look out, look out
Be careful, watch your step and be cautious
Contributed by Sydney O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
micah brew
Nettles rocked back in the day. I used to see her in Decatur, GA when she was Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band. She is way too brilliant for Sugarland.
emily latour
officially addicted to this song! <3
Thomas Lewis
jennifer nettles can sing ANYTHING lol LUV it lol :-)
Old School
I want her to go back to rock.
Kaylee
Anyone else listening to this in 2019?
olivia whitney
obsesssedddddd