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.
Last Dance
Jewel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her voice is all you can hear
Red lips and a screwdriver
Wrapped around some mink-clad smear
And you know that she's a diamond
In this damn jukebox hell
'Cause fools gold only fools fools
In two-bit hotels.
She's a real high-class cat
She's queen of the last dance rodeo.
But under the gas lamp
The air is thick and velvety
Your bones filled with hunger
Your heart filled with longing
You're no longer human
You're an insatiable hole.
You wanna bury your face forever
In the navel of her soul
'Cause you know
All you need is a heart to call home
All you need is a heart to call home
That's all.
Light bulbs, and nylons
And plastic chandeliers
Objects are only objects,
They can't feel when you're near
And tangerine lips
And lily-white breasts
These things are eternal
Inside them humanity rests.
The skin is like a seashell
You listen to the soul
Like an old-time radio show.
But under the gas lamp
The air is thick and velvety
Your bones filled with hunger
Your heart filled with longing
You're no longer human
You're an insatiable hole.
You wanna bury your face forever
In the navel of her soul
'Cause you know
All you need is a heart to call home
That's all.
But don't wander too far
On one constant star
Darkness exists, except where you are
Your feet are filled with wandering
They follow your own
'Cause everywhere you are
Feels like home.
So search all you miners
You hunters of dreams
Look in the alleyways
For what you know is not what it seems
And fame, all you maidens,
It don't exist too long
But at least look behind you
And see your own shadow's gone
Don't you know it's the last rodeo
You gotta find yourself a cowboy
Or someone to keep you
Warm when it snows
But under the gas lamp
The air is thick and velvety
Your bones filled with hunger
Your heart filled with longing
You're no longer human
You're an insatiable hole.
You wanna bury your face forever
In the navel of her soul
'Cause you know
All you need is a heart to call home
All you need is a heart
All you need is a heart to call home
In the song "Last Dance" by Jewel, the artist portrays a picture of a person who is in a jukebox hell, listening to a woman's voice while his lungs are filled up with concrete. He describes the woman as a diamond in the middle of fools' gold, making her unique as she is a high-class cat that rules the last dance rodeo. The sound of the air is thick and velvety under the gas lamp, and it fills the person's bones with hunger and his heart with longing. He becomes insatiable and only craves to bury his face in the navel of the woman's soul.
Despite the chaos and the feeling of being lost, he understands that all he needs is a heart to call home. Objects such as light bulbs and nylons are just things and cannot feel when someone is near, but humanity rests within the person, such as the tangerine lips and lily-white breasts. The skin is likened to a seashell, where one can listen to the soul-like an old-time radio show. The artist encourages individuals to find themselves by searching for what they believe is not what it seems. Although people may search for fame, it doesn't last long, and it's vital to have someone to keep one warm during the snow.
One interesting fact about the song is that the song was featured in the American drama film "Ride with the Devil" directed by Ang Lee in 1999. The song has a country and western feel with upbeat drumming and guitars. Furthermore, the song is part of Jewel's second album "Spirit," which features popular hits such as "Hands" and "Down So Long." Additionally, the album won critical acclaim and was a commercial success, reaching platinum status in the United States.
Another fascinating fact about the song is that it was written by Jewel and produced by Patrick Leonard, who is known for his collaborations with Madonna. The song was not released as a single but still managed to attract fans due to its inclusion in the movie. Another critical aspect of the song is its powerful lyrics, which have been interpreted in numerous ways, including the concept of moving on and finding peace.
Chords:
Verse: Bb, F, Gm, Eb,
Chorus: Bb, F, Gm, Eb
Line by Line Meaning
Your lungs fill up with concrete
You feel suffocated and trapped in your current situation.
Her voice is all you can hear
The subject is completely enamored with the woman and can't focus on anything else.
Red lips and a screwdriver
The woman is both dangerous and alluring.
Wrapped around some mink-clad smear
The woman is surrounded by materialistic and superficial people.
And you know that she's a diamond
The subject recognizes the woman's true value and sees her as precious.
In this damn jukebox hell
The environment they are in is noisy and overwhelming.
'Cause fools gold only fools fools
Cheap and fake things only deceive or trick people who are foolish.
In two-bit hotels.
This kind of deception happens in cheap, run-down hotels.
But she's cooler than all that
The woman is beyond the fake and superficial environment around her.
She's a real high-class cat
The woman is sophisticated and classy.
She's queen of the last dance rodeo.
The woman is the most sought-after person in this final dance event.
Light bulbs, and nylons
These material things are nothing compared to human emotions and relationships.
And plastic chandeliers
Even the most glamorous of decorations can't compare to the importance of a person's inner self.
They can't feel when you're near
Objects can't return emotions or affection, unlike humans.
And tangerine lips
The woman's lips are compared to the color of a tangerine fruit.
And lily-white breasts
The woman's breasts are compared to the purity of a lily flower.
These things are eternal
These physical attributes may last forever, but they do not determine a person's worth.
Inside them humanity rests.
A person's true value comes from their humanity, not their physical appearance.
The skin is like a seashell
The comparison reveals how a person's soul resides underneath the surface of their physical shell.
You listen to the soul
The subject values a person's essence above anything else.
Like an old-time radio show.
The soul resembles a nostalgic and timeless radio program that always plays in the background of life.
But don't wander too far
The subject should not stray too far away from their true self.
On one constant star
Stay focused on what is important in life.
Darkness exists, except where you are
The subject is a light in the darkness and brings hope and positivity to others.
Your feet are filled with wandering
The subject has an urge to explore and discover new things.
They follow your own
The subject has an idea of what they are looking for, and will follow their intuition to find it.
Feels like home.
The subject feels at home wherever they go because their true home is within themselves.
So search all you miners
The subject urges others to search for what they truly desire.
You hunters of dreams
People who chase their dreams and aspirations should keep looking until they find what they're after.
Look in the alleyways
The subject advises to search in unexpected places and to the pay attention to the details that others may miss.
For what you know is not what it seems
One should be careful not to make assumptions about what they see and hear, as things are not always as they seem.
And fame, all you maidens,
The subject speaks to young women hoping for fame and fortune.
It don't exist too long
Fame can be fleeting and temporary, so it is not something to depend on for happiness.
But at least look behind you
One should take a moment to reflect on where they have been and the journey they have taken.
And see your own shadow's gone
One should let go of the past and not let it hold them back.
You gotta find yourself a cowboy
The subject advises to find someone to stand by you and support you through tough times.
Or someone to keep you
One should find a companion to rely on and be there for them.
Warm when it snows
This is a metaphor for finding someone who can provide comfort and security through hard times.
All you need is a heart to call home
What is most important in life is to have love and human connection.
All you need is a heart
The core of our being is our humanity and our capacity for love and connection.
That's all.
That is the most fundamental and valuable thing in life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JEWEL KILCHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hector Astete Zúñiga
Really love this song. All you need is a heart indeed
FRANK KILCHER
One of the best song that I've ever heard....🌹🙏💪🔥😘
J W
What??? A second song drop in one day?!?!
John Palmer
Such a voice . What a intelligent, gifted artist. Beautiful on the inside and out.
Macario Ramirez
Remember me dear oli ,my love remember me
Macario Ramirez
I am needing you dear.i am kolob