Taylor has toured Europe with the supergroup D.U.P. with fellow band members Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Candy Dulfer (Prince), Mudbone Cooper (Parliment-Funkadelic) and Jimmy Cliff. If you can imagine the love child of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Dusty Springfield then you are beginning to get a feel for Taylor's mixture of fiery guitar playing, sultry vocals and 100% pure soul. But unlike many other young phenoms, she has quickly developed a resumé to back up the hype. Born and raised amidst the coal mines of Britain's Black Country, she picked up a guitar and got turned on to the blues as a very young teenager.
Dave Stewart first discovered Joanne when he saw her play at the tender age of 16. He describes his reaction as follows. 'I have played with all sorts of blues musicians all over the world, such as R.L. Burnside and Jesse-Mae Hemphill. I heard something I thought I would never hear, a British white girl playing blues guitar so deep and passionately it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end! Not only was I in total shock but it took me a good few minutes to ask her how long she had been playing like that. "A few years," she replied. "How old are you now?" "Sixteen." I woke up a few seconds later on the floor.'
Taylor has toured the U.K. with her own band since she was 14, headlining top clubs such as Ronnie Scott's and the Marquee; she has also performed at several of the top European festivals, playing alongside many of her heroes like B.B. King. It is a safe bet that Taylor is the only teenage girl invited to sit in on one of Bill Wymans recording sessions.
Her own writing has led her to something beyond the blues, a soulful mix of roots and pop influences sung in a haunting smoky voice. Taylor has written with Bruce McCabe (Jonny Lang) and grammy winning songwriter/producer Kevin Bowe (Jonny Lang, Etta James, Paul Westerberg).
Human
Joanne Shaw Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this
See what′s behind
Got no way to prove it
So maybe I'm blind
But I'm only human after all
I′m only human after all
Don't put your blame on me
Take a look in the mirror
What do you see
Do you see it clearer
Or are you deceived
In what you believe
′Cuz I'm only human after all
I′m only human after all
Don't put ya blame on me
Don′t put your blame on me
Some people got the real problems
Some people out of luck
Some people think I can solve them
Lord heaven above
I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
And brother, blame on me
Don′t put the blame on me
Don′t ask my opinion
Don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness
For making you cry
For making you cry
′Cuz I'm only human after all
I′m only human after all
Don't put your blame on me
Don′t put your blame on me
Some people got the real problems
Some people out of luck
Some people think I can solve them
Lord heaven above
I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don′t put the blame on me
Don′t put the blame on me
I'm only human
I make mistakes
I′m only human
That's all it takes
To put the blame on me
Don′t put the blame on me
I'm no prophet or Messiah
Should go looking somewhere higher
I′m only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
Don′t put the blame on me
I′m only human
I do what I can
I'm a woman
I do what I can
Can both blame on me
Don′t put the blame on me
The lyrics to Joanne Shaw Taylor's song 'Human' speak to the universal experience of being flawed, imperfect beings trying to navigate through the world. The first verse acknowledges the limitations of our perception and how we can easily be fooled or deceived. The repetition of the phrase "I'm only human after all" throughout the song serves as a reminder that despite our best efforts, we are fallible and make mistakes. The chorus encourages listeners to take responsibility for their own actions and not place blame on others.
The second verse highlights the idea that everyone deals with different types of problems and struggles, and that it's important to have empathy and understanding towards others. The bridge acknowledges that the singer is not a savior or a figure with all the answers, but simply a human doing the best she can. The final repetition of "Don't put the blame on me" is a plea to not be held solely responsible for the problems or conflicts we encounter in life.
Overall, 'Human' is an inspiring and relatable song that encourages people to see themselves and others with empathy and understanding, recognizing and accepting our shared human flaws.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I’m foolish
I acknowledge that I may be naive or impractical
Maybe I’m blind
I am acknowledging that I may not understand everything
Thinking I can see through this
I am confident that I can comprehend this situation entirely
See what’s behind
I’m curious to know the root cause of this situation
Got no way to prove it
I have no evidence supporting my beliefs that I can see through the situation
So maybe I’m blind
I may not be correct in my initial assessment
But I’m only human after all
I acknowledge that I am human and prone to error
Don’t put your blame on me
I am not responsible for the current situation or problems in your life
Take a look in the mirror
You should introspect and examine your own actions and behavior
What do you see
What you perceive when you look at yourself in the mirror says a lot about your inner self
Do you see it clearer
Are you able to understand yourself and your actions better after introspection
Or are you deceived
Have you misled yourself into thinking that you are faultless
In what you believe
In whatever concept regarding yourself, you hold on to
‘Cuz I’m only human after all
Don't expect me to be infallible as I am just another human
Some people got the real problems
Some people have struggles far more significant than yours or mine
Some people out of luck
Some people are unfortunate and live in disadvantageous conditions beyond their control
Some people think I can solve them
Certain people have unreasonable expectations of my ability to help them when I can't
Lord heaven above
An exclamation expressing hope for divine intervention
I’m only human after all
I make mistakes, suffer and experience pain just like any human
And brother, blame on me
Don't blame anyone else but me
Don’t ask my opinion
Don't request my input
Don’t ask me to lie
Don't ask me to be dishonest
Then beg for forgiveness
Then ask for pardon
For making you cry
For causing you to be upset
‘Cuz I’m only human after all
I'm not immune to making mistakes that cause others to suffer
Some people got the real problems
People suffering from trauma, poverty, war or disaster have more severe difficulties
Some people out of luck
People born without access to education, healthcare, and opportunities are in more dire need of help.
Some people think I can solve them
People sometimes expect unrealistic solutions from me, which I cannot deliver
I’m only human after all
I can only do so much, and I have my limitations
Don’t put the blame on me
I’m not responsible for the challenges that you face
I’m only human
I am an individual with my strengths and limitations
I make mistakes
I am not infallible, and I can err
That’s all it takes
It only takes one error to have blames pointed towards me
To put the blame on me
Holding me responsible for circumstances beyond my control
I’m no prophet or Messiah
I do not have divine wisdom or capabilities.
Should go looking somewhere higher
Suggesting looking for inspiration in the divine realm or superior beings
I’m only human after all
Reminding others that we are all flawed and bound to make mistakes.
Don’t put the blame on me
Holding me accountable for something I'm not responsible for is unjustified.
I’m only human
I am a fallible human being, not infallible
I do what I can
I do the best I can within my limitations
I’m a woman
Identifying myself as a female
I do what I can
Acting within my expertise and capabilities
Can both blame on me
Do not hold me responsible for your mistakes.
Writer(s): Jamie Hartman, Rory Charles Graham
Contributed by Isaac S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.