Jewel is the daughter of Nedra Carroll, an artist and personal manager, and Atz Kilcher, an elementary school music teacher, folk singer and social worker. Her mother of Irish descent and her father is of Swiss-German origin. She is the cousin of actress Q'Orianka Kilcher. She spent most of her young life in Homer, Alaska, United States, living with her father. The home she grew up in did not have indoor plumbing; it had a simple outhouse instead. She and her father sometimes earned a living by singing in bars and taverns. It was from these experiences she learned to yodel, a quality demonstrated in many of her songs. Her father was a Mormon, but they stopped attending the church shortly before she turned eight. Yule Kilcher, her grandfather, was a state senator involved in drafting Alaska's constitution for its admission into a state from a territory in 1959.
During high school, Jewel was known to spell her name "Jule" or "Juel," but she attributes this to simply playing with her name.
Jewel learned to play the guitar while at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan, United States where she majored in operatic voice. She started writing songs at the age of seventeen.
For a time, she was poverty-stricken and lived in her van while traveling about the country doing street performances and small gigs. She gained some recognition by singing at the Innerchange Coffeehouse and Java Joe's in San Diego, California, United States. Her friend Steve Poltz's band, The Rugburns, played at the same venues. Jewel later collaborated with Poltz on some of her songs, including "You Were Meant For Me" (He also appeared in the second, best-known, video for this song). The Rugburns opened for Jewel on her Tiny Lights tour in 1997. Poltz appeared in Jewel's band on the Spirit World Tour 1999 playing guitar.
In 1993, Michael Balzary (better known by the stage name – Flea) of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers met Jewel after he saw her perform at a local cafe. He went back to her van where she was living, where she sang a few of her songs to him. He described her singing voice as being "beautiful" and "breathtaking".
Jewel was discovered by Inga Vainshtein in August 1993, when a musician from a local San Diego band, Rust, whom Vainshtein was managing at the time, called to tell her about a girl surfer who sang at a local coffee shop on Thursdays. Vainshtein drove to Innerchange coffee shop with a rep from Atlantic Records, and after the show they called Danny Goldberg, the head of Atlantic Records west coast operations, and asked him to pay for Jewel's demo. Vainshtein eventually became Jewel's manager, and was instrumental in creating a major bidding war, which led to Jewel's deal with Atlantic Records. She cut her debut album, Pieces of You, when she was nineteen and it was released in 1995. Jewel recorded "Pieces of You" in a studio on Neil Young's ranch, and was backed by his band, The Stray Gators, who played on Neil Young's "Harvest" and "Harvest Moon" albums. Part of the album was cut live at the Innerchange Coffeehouse in San Diego where she had risen to local fame. The album stayed on the Billboard 200 for an impressive two years, reaching number four at its peak. The album spawned the Top 10 hits "You Were Meant for Me", "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "Foolish Games". The album was a huge success and eventually sold over 12 million copies in the United States. alone, more than all of her subsequent albums put together.
Due to her successes, she was chosen to sing the American national anthem at the opening of the Super Bowl in January 1998 in San Diego. She was introduced as "San Diego's own Jewel!" However, she was criticized for lip-syncing the anthem to a pre-recording. This was especially noticeable due to her missing her cue and not mouthing the first words.
In November 1998, Jewel released her second album, Spirit. The album peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 4 million copies in the United States. The songs "Hands" and "Down So Long" hit the Top 10. Other singles followed, a new version of "Jupiter (Swallow The Moon)", "What's Simple Is True", the theme song to her upcoming movie, and the charity single "Life Uncommon".
A year later, In November 1999, Jewel released Joy: A Holiday Collection. The album sold over a million copies and peaked at #32 on the Billboard 200. She released a cover of "Joy to the World" from the album.
In November 2001, the album This Way was released. The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 1 million copies in the United States, standing as her most critically acclaimed album to date. Jewel hit the Top 10 with the song "Standing Still" and the Top 40 with the song "Break Me". Other singles released were "This Way" and "Serve The Ego", the latter giving Jewel her first number one club hit.
In 2003, Jewel released the album 0304. She writes in the liner notes, "I wanted to make a record that was a modern interpretation of big band music. A record that was lyric driven, like Cole Porter, that also had a lot of swing. And a lot of it is thanks to Lester, because when I told him I wanted to make a record that combined dance, urban, and folk music, he didn't look at me like I was crazy." While some fans considered 0304 an innovative album that held to the tradition of her previous albums, others felt that it was too much of a departure from the style of her previous albums. Following the limited success of "Serve the Ego", Jewel moved to a more pop-oriented sound with the release of the single "Intuition". The song, which strays from her usual folk style with simple guitar instrumentation, starts off with a French accordion and experiments with pop beats using synthesizers. The song was successful, reaching #5 on the Billboard Adult Top 40. However, a number of Jewel's fans criticized her for abandoning her traditional folk style in exchange for a new pop sound. Accusations of "selling out" for personal gain, among other things, were made. Despite the different sound style, the song is lyrically similar to her previous work. It has a number of references to culture, including mentioning celebrities such as pop star Jennifer Lopez, model Kate Moss, magazines, film culture and commercialism.
On May 2, 2006, Jewel released her sixth album, Goodbye Alice In Wonderland. The album received mixed reviews, but still managed to debut at #8 on the Billboard Albums Chart. The album sold 82,000 copies in its first week out. The lead single "Again and Again" has had moderate success on Adult Top 40 Radio, peaking at #16. The second single, "Good Day", was released to radio in late June but failed to gain any traction on the radio airplay charts. Later, a video for "Stephenville, TX", her next single, has been seen on Yahoo! Launch.
As of December 2006, the album barely sold 270,000 copies. It is notable in that it is the only Jewel album not to achieve Gold certification, even though it has been hailed as arguably one of her best albums. As one music critic, Timothy Duggan, notes: "This album showcases Jewel's unique talent as a lyricist, alongside a definite growth in her musicianship. It is what 'Pieces of You' might have been had Jewel had the musical knowledge then that she has now. A very satisfying work, all in all". Rolling Stone however, called the album "overdone and undercooked" with a rating of 2 stars out of 5.
In early February 2007, Jewel recorded a duet with Jason Michael Carroll, "No Good in Goodbye (With Jewel)", that was featured on Carroll's debut CD, "Waitin' in the Country". She also made a promotional appearance on the T in Boston for the Verizon Yellow Pages, playing songs on a moving subway car and then doing an hour-long acoustic concert in South Station for a large crowd of adoring fans. In an interview with the Boston Globe, Jewel confirmed that she is no longer affiliated with a record label, confirming rumors that Atlantic Records failed to renew her contract after the lackluster sales of her then-latest album. She also hinted that she would like to do a country album next. She is working with John Rich of Big & Rich fame. He says that she is "probably one of the greatest American singer-songwriters we have had". He also said that "every label in Nashville" is talking to her now.
In November 2007, Jewel was signed to Valory Records, a newly formed division of the independent Big Machine Records label. Her first country album, Perfectly Clear, is currently scheduled for release on June 3, 2008; its lead single, Stronger Woman was released to country radio on January 17, 2008, and has entered the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. As of the April 26, 2008 country charts, the single was #13 on the charts, which is its peak position thus far.
She will tour with Brad Paisley, Chuck Wicks, and Julianne Hough on Paisley's 2008 tour.
Official site: www.jeweljk.com
2. Jewel is also japanese heavy metal band. Activity (1984-1989, 2000-2001).
3. Jewel is also a raw black metal band from Canada.
Half Life
Jewel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't have a whole lot to say
Just thumbed the Saint Jude around her neck
Took a drag off her cigarette
Gary's still stuck at work
Spilled a green juice on his shirt
Steps outside for a little air
Half a glass of wine and half a cigarette
Half the truth, and see how far you get
For all of that struggle and all of that strife
And your consolation prize, half life (half life)
Sally gets herself into bed
Takes half a pill to quiet her head
Watches a little TV
And drifts on in a half a sleep
Half a husband, half a car
Going half the distance
Not getting very far
Half mother, half wife
And your consolation prize, half life (half life)
Gary gets home after dark
Sits a while with his car in park
Just daydreaming, smoking a little green (yeah)
Half the time a dad
Half the time at work
Half the time worrying
Exactly what a soul is worth
For all of that struggle and all of that strife
Your consolation prize, half life
Half baked plans and
Half hearted dreams
Half the time wondering
Exactly what it means
You hurry going nowhere
Time cuts you like a knife
And your consolation prize
Oh half life
Half life, half life
Sally came home today
The lyrics to Jewel's song "Half Life" tell the story of two individuals, Sally and Gary, who are trapped in a mundane and unfulfilling existence. Sally returns home with a lack of enthusiasm, only finding solace in the St. Jude pendant around her neck. She takes a drag from her cigarette, signaling a disconnection from her surroundings. Meanwhile, Gary is still stuck at work, feeling unfulfilled and careless enough to spill a green juice on his shirt. Stepping outside for some fresh air, he only half-listens to those around him, indicating a lack of engagement and a feeling of being trapped.
The chorus emphasizes the theme of being stuck in a half-lived life. Half a glass of wine, half a cigarette, half the truth - these imply a lack of commitment and a fragmented reality. The lyrics suggest that despite all the struggles and strife we face, the consolation we receive is a half-lived existence.
Moving on to the second verse, Sally takes half a pill to quiet her head and escapes into a half-asleep state. Gary, on the other hand, returns home after dark and sits in his car to daydream and smoke marijuana. The lyrics portray them as being only partially present in their roles as a husband, father, and employee. They are constantly split between different aspects of their lives, never fully immersed or accomplished in any area. The song ultimately conveys the idea that living a half life, constantly divided and unfulfilled, is a profound source of dissatisfaction.
Line by Line Meaning
Sally came home today
After a long day, Sally returned to her place of comfort
Didn't have a whole lot to say
She was not in the mood for conversation
Just thumbed the Saint Jude around her neck
As a symbol of hope, she lightly touched the Saint Jude pendant hanging around her neck
Took a drag off her cigarette
She indulged in a moment of relaxation by taking a puff from her cigarette
Gary's still stuck at work
Meanwhile, Gary remains trapped in his work obligations
Spilled a green juice on his shirt
Inadvertently, he spilled a green juice on his clothes
Steps outside for a little air
Seeking a breather, he steps outside for a brief moment
Half listens to whoever's standing near
Engaging only partially, he pays partial attention to whoever is nearby
Half a glass of wine and half a cigarette
Indulging in half measures, only savoring a portion of wine and a fraction of a cigarette
Half the truth, and see how far you get
Dishonesty and partial disclosure will only lead to limited progress
For all of that struggle and all of that strife
Despite enduring hardships and challenges
And your consolation prize, half life (half life)
The prize one receives in return is a life that is only half-lived
Sally gets herself into bed
Sally prepares herself for rest in her bed
Takes half a pill to quiet her head
She relies on medication to calm her restless mind
Watches a little TV
She engages in a brief escape by watching television
And drifts on in a half a sleep
Slowly, she falls into a semi-conscious state of sleep
Half a husband, half a car
Sally's husband is only partially committed, just like her car
Going half the distance
Both her husband and car fall short in reaching their full potential
Not getting very far
They struggle to make significant progress
Half mother, half wife
Sally's roles as a mother and wife are only partially fulfilled
And your consolation prize, half life (half life)
In the end, she is left with a life that is only half-lived
Gary gets home after dark
At the end of the day, Gary arrives home when it's already nighttime
Sits a while with his car in park
He spends some time sitting in his parked car
Just daydreaming, smoking a little green (yeah)
Lost in his own thoughts, he calmly smokes marijuana
Half the time a dad
Gary is only partially present as a father
Half the time at work
His work responsibilities consume a significant portion of his time
Half the time worrying
Remaining half the time, he is preoccupied with various concerns
Exactly what a soul is worth
Wondering about the true value of a soul
For all of that struggle and all of that strife
Despite experiencing various challenges and difficulties
Your consolation prize, half life
The outcome is a life that is only half-lived
Half baked plans and
Incomplete and poorly thought out plans
Half hearted dreams
Lacking enthusiasm and dedication, dreams that are only partially pursued
Half the time wondering
Spend a significant amount of time in contemplation
Exactly what it means
Trying to decipher the true meaning
You hurry going nowhere
Rushing through life, yet making no tangible progress
Time cuts you like a knife
Time feels like a painful, slicing force in one's life
And your consolation prize
The reward one receives in return
Oh half life
Is a life that is only half-lived
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jewel Kilcher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aaron Sensei
I absolutely love Jewel. What an incredible talent, I have had the joy in following Jewel since the early 90s. Jewel always has something amazing to say, something real and music that is timeless.
Rickey Miguez
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Marla Rae
Her messages are as powerful as her beautiful voice. She marches to the beat of her own drum. We love her for it.
Aziamnow
Just listened to the entire album. Hitting replay again and again lovin' the vibe, even when it makes me cry.
Mountainman
A true musician! It just don’t get no better than this.
Marc CHANLIAU
Many many tanks Jewel to be the beautiful person you're! And thanks for this freewheelin' album! Love from France🥰
lisa kelso
Love all music by Jewel she s on a mission doing great ! Love this
Collin Fraser
This Album just arrived to my “Tidal” account. Going to be worth many listens. Love this song ! 🙏🇨🇦
disheveled angel
Thank you Jewel, your music forever changed my life in growing and strengthening my god-given gift of singing❤️
Steve M
Jewel delivers lyrics like no other . The gift to our ears then soul . We love you Jewel