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.
Painters
Jewel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching the clouds roll by
They remind her of her lover, how he left her, and of times long ago,
When she used color carelessly, painted his portrait
A thousand times, or maybe just his smile,
Her and her canvas would follow him wherever he would go
'Cause they were painters and they were painting themselves
Oil streaked daisies covered the living room walls
He put water colored roses in her hair
He said, "Love, I love you,
I want to give you the mountains, the sunshine,
The sunset too
I want to give you a world as beautiful as you are to me"
'Cause I'm a painter and I want to paint you
A lovely way
So they sat down and made a drawing of their love,
They made it an art to live by
They painted every passion, every home, created every beautiful child
In the winter they were weavers of warmth,
In the summer they were carpenters of love
They thought blue prints were too sad so they made them yellow
And they were painters and they had painted themselves
A lovely world
Until one day the rain fell as thick as black oil
And in her heart she knew something was wrong
She went running through the orchard screaming,
"No God, don't take him from me!"
But by the time she got there, she feared he already had gone
She got to where he lay, water colored roses in his hands for her
She threw them down screaming, "Damn you man, don't leave me
With nothing left behind but these cold paintings, these cold portraits
To remind me!"
He said, "Love I only leave a little, try to understand
I put my soul in this life we've created with these four hands
Love, I leave, but only a little, this world holds me still
My body may die now, but these paintings are real"
La li lai la li lai la li lai
So many seasons came and many seasons went
And many times she saw her love's face watering the flowers,
Talking to the trees and singing to his children,
And when the wind blew, she knew he was listening,
And how he seemed to laugh along, and how he seemed to hold her
When she was crying
'Cause they were painters and they had painted themselves
A lovely world
Eighty years, an old lady now, sitting on the front porch
Watching the clouds roll by
They remind her of her lover, how he left her, and of times long ago,
When she used color carelessly, painted his portrait
A thousand times, or maybe just his smile,
Her and her canvas would follow him wherever he would go
Yes, she and her canvas still follow
'Cause they are painters and they are painting themselves
A lovely
'Cause they are painters and they are painting themselves
A lovely world
"Painters" is a touching song by Jewel that tells the story of a couple who were painters and created a beautiful world for themselves. The song begins with an eighty-year-old lady sitting on her porch, reminiscing about her lover, who had left her long ago. The clouds remind her of him and the times when she would carelessly use color to paint his portrait. She would follow him and her canvas wherever he went, and together they created a lovely world.
The couple not only painted each other but also their surroundings, creating a beautiful world for themselves. They even made it an art to live by, painting every passion, every home, and creating beautiful children. They were weavers of warmth in the winter and carpenters of love in the summer. They believed that blueprints were too sad and made them yellow. They painted their world with love and beauty, leaving behind a legacy that the lady cherished long after he had gone.
However, all this came to a sudden end when her lover died, and she was left with nothing but the paintings and portraits that reminded her of him. But, he had a different perspective, leaving behind a little of himself in the world they had created, and his soul would live on in the paintings. The lady continued to follow him and her canvas, painting a lovely world even in her eighties.
Overall, "Painters" is a heartwarming, emotional song that showcases Jewel's ability to tell a compelling story through her music.
Line by Line Meaning
Eighty years, an old lady now, sitting on the front porch
An elderly woman, who has lived for eighty years, sits on the front porch of her house.
Watching the clouds roll by
She observes the movement of the clouds in the sky.
They remind her of her lover, how he left her, and of times long ago
The clouds remind her of her past lover and the memories of the time they spent together, including his departure from her.
When she used color carelessly, painted his portrait
During the time when he was with her, the woman painted her lover's portrait frequently and without any hesitation.
A thousand times, or maybe just his smile,
She painted him many times, may it be his smile only or a thousand other things about him.
Her and her canvas would follow him wherever he would go
She and her canvas would go wherever her lover went, as she was fond of painting him and his surroundings.
'Cause they were painters and they were painting themselves a lovely world
The woman and her lover were painters, painting the world they wanted to live in - a world full of love and beauty, full of happiness.
Oil streaked daisies covered the living room walls
The living room walls were covered with daisies that were painted using oil colors.
He put water colored roses in her hair
Her lover put roses painted with water colors in her hair.
He said, "Love, I love you, I want to give you the mountains, the sunshine, The sunset too
The woman's lover expressed his love for her, wanting to give her everything like mountains, sunshine, and even the beautiful sunset.
I want to give you a world as beautiful as you are to me"
Her lover wanted to give her a world as beautiful as she was to him.
'Cause I'm a painter and I want to paint you a lovely way
The lover was also a painter who wanted to paint her in a lovely way since he already painted a lovely world for her.
So they sat down and made a drawing of their love, They made it an art to live by
They both made a drawing of their love and treated it as an art to live by, something they both could cherish.
They painted every passion, every home, created every beautiful child
They painted everything they were passionate about, including their home and children, everything that makes their life beautiful.
In the winter they were weavers of warmth, In the summer they were carpenters of love
They provided warmth during winter and made love like carpenters during summer, different from the usual activities associated with those seasons.
They thought blue prints were too sad so they made them yellow
The couple believed blueprints were a bit gloomy so they used yellow instead.
And they were painters and they had painted themselves a lovely world
The couple painted themselves a world that was beautiful and full of love.
Until one day the rain fell as thick as black oil
One day, heavy rain fell, as if it was black oil.
And in her heart she knew something was wrong
The woman knew in her heart that something was amiss when the rain was falling heavily.
She went running through the orchard screaming, "No God, don't take him from me!"
She went running through the orchard, screaming and pleading to God not to take him away from her.
But by the time she got there, she feared he already had gone
She was afraid he was already gone by the time she reached him.
She got to where he lay, water colored roses in his hands for her
Sadly, she went to where he was lying and noticed that he had water colored roses in his hands for her.
She threw them down screaming, "Damn you man, don't leave me With nothing left behind but these cold paintings, these cold portraits To remind me!"
The woman threw the water colored roses down in anger and cried out, blaming her lover for leaving her with just the paintings and portraits, which served only as a reminder of him.
He said, "Love I only leave a little, try to understand, I put my soul in this life we've created with these four hands Love, I leave, but only a little, this world holds me still My body may die now, but these paintings are real"
Her lover appeared to her in a vision and said that he had left only a little and that she needs to understand that he put his soul in the life they created together. He explained that even though his body has died, he still lives through the paintings that they made together.
La li lai la li lai la li lai
This is a refrain to the song, and it does not particularly mean anything.
So many seasons came and many seasons went
Many seasons have come and gone since the lover's departure.
And many times she saw her love's face watering the flowers
The woman saw her lover's face in the flowers many times after he left.
Talking to the trees and singing to his children, And when the wind blew, she knew he was listening, And how he seemed to laugh along, and how he seemed to hold her When she was crying
The woman felt her lover's presence as he talked to the trees and sang to their children. When the wind would blow, she knew that he was with her, and she felt that he would laugh with her and hold her when she cried despite his absence.
'Cause they were painters and they had painted themselves a lovely world
The couple painted a world full of love and beauty, which they saw even in their lives after death.
They remind her of her lover, how he left her, and of times long ago
The clouds remain a reminder of her departed lover and the time that they spent together.
When she used color carelessly, painted his portrait
The woman recollects how she carelessly painted her lover's portrait.
Her and her canvas would follow him wherever he would go, Yes, she and her canvas still follow
She remembers how she would take her canvas with her wherever her lover went, and she feels like she is still following him with her canvas.
'Cause they are painters and they are painting themselves a lovely
This is the final line of the song, which emphasizes that the couple continues to paint themselves a lovely world despite the lover's absence from the real world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JEWEL KILCHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@19msssb94
I cry everytime I hear this song and many of the others songs on this album. She puts so much true emotion into her music. You can truly feel it through the tune and lyrics.
@Arose444
Just cried just before seeing this comment :-)
@bassbinladen8556
Everytime I hear this I think Im over this song now, right?. There's NO way after all these years I'm going to still cry listening to this, "Jewel" song?! Just listened to it again now. Same thing 🤣
@jasonmitsch1337
This entire album is beautiful. One of the most underrated there is.
@Stellaaahhh
Same #MeToo
@baylorsailor
I bought this CD in 8th grade (1998) and for the next three years listened to this CD at least once a day. Painters was always my favorite. I just rediscovered the CD in my stuff this week and listened to Painters for the first time since about 2000. It's just as beautiful as I remember, and now that I have my own love and family, feels even more relevant and heartbreaking.
@baylorsailor
I found my Pieces of You CD from 1998 the other day and decided to put it on in my car. I had almost forgotten about the song Painters. I used to listen to it over and over again, thinking of my future love, hoping it will be as beautiful as that song. I was in absolute tears listening to it again as I realized I really have found that kind of love. Such a beautiful song.
@danielernestoportela
My amazing wife passed away before last Christmas. This song I've known for 25 years now has a different meaning. We were actually "Gardeners", among other beautiful things. Thanks for the art, it helped and made my world brighter. We'll all meet at the end of the rainbow one day.
@nennepanrikefairytaleart4773
What a beautiful, moving comment ... I love this song as well!! Thank you for moving my heart ... I love to be moved. I wish you all the best, warm greetings from Nenne in Sweden
@danielernestoportela
@Nenne Panrike Fairytale Art I'm glad it helped in some way. Almost 9 months passed. What a journey. It still hurts, yet love always finds a way to heal us if we allow it to.