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).
Lose Myself to Loving You
Joanne Shaw Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You′re mad enough to start a war
No idea what it is you're fighting for
Yes we′ve seen less highs than lows
But still you could soften the blows
Instead I'll hide my heart so it won't close
I know where you are and who you′re with when you go
Don't my leaving′s slow
I know I needed well away from blue
Don't let my regrets get misconstrued
I won′t lose myself to loving you
Relationships are versatile
We've been up and down for a while
Maybe we could sit back and adjust the dials
I think I′ll better run until you're out of sight
Await on the sun to set fire to this night
Get back to where I'm living right
I know where you are and who you′re with when you go
Wish that I could stay but I′ll never say so
Don't my leaving′s slow
I know I needed well away from blue
Don't let my regrets get misconstrued
I won′t lose myself to loving you
I can bend but I won't break
Like to give more than I take
I expect some falls but I also expect to find a meaning in them all
So won′t play safe
I'll embrace my mistakes
For me regrets
Are just another way to say what is true
I care more about me than I do about you
Here we are once more
You're mad enough to start a war
No idea what it is you′re fighting for
There′ll never be no amount of reason
That I could ever apply to your believing
Where I stand is somewhere you can command
I know where you are and who you're with when you go
Wish that I could stay but I′ll never say so
Don't my leaving′s slow
I know I needed well away from blue
Don't let my regrets get misconstrued
I won′t lose myself to loving you
In "Lose Myself to Loving You," the songwriter begins by describing a turbulent relationship where the other person frequently instigates arguments and conflicts, even though it is unclear what exactly they are fighting for. Despite experiencing more lows than highs in the relationship, the songwriter decides to protect their heart by putting up emotional barriers instead of allowing it to close off completely.
Next, the songwriter acknowledges their awareness of the other person's whereabouts and company when they leave, but they withhold their desire to stay and express their feelings. They emphasize the importance of not misinterpreting their actions; their choice to distance themselves is not a result of regret, but a necessity to move away from feeling blue or unhappy. They firmly declare that they will not lose their identity or sense of self by completely surrendering to their love for the other person.
The songwriter then discusses the unpredictable nature of relationships, stating that they have been through ups and downs for some time. They suggest that perhaps they need to find a middle ground, adjusting the intensity of the relationship. It seems the songwriter decides to distance themselves from the other person's influence, waiting for the sun to rise and bring a new day, a fresh start away from the toxicity.
Continuing their self-reflection, the songwriter expresses their resilience and desire to give more than they take in relationships. They understand that mistakes and regrets are part of life, but they choose not to play it safe and embrace the lessons learned from these experiences. Ultimately, the songwriter prioritizes their own well-being and personal growth over the need to hold onto a relationship that is causing them pain.
In the final verse, the songwriter reiterates the inexplicable nature of the other person's actions and beliefs, recognizing that reason may never prevail in their relationship. They assert their own stance, standing somewhere that the other person can exert control or have power over them. Despite this, they maintain their determination to not lose themselves completely in loving the other person, reaffirming their decision to protect their own identity and prioritize their own happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we are once more
We find ourselves in this situation again
You're mad enough to start a war
Your anger is strong enough to cause a conflict
No idea what it is you′re fighting for
You lack understanding of the purpose behind your fight
There′ll never be no amount of reason
There is no amount of reasoning
That I could ever apply to your believing
I cannot comprehend your mindset and beliefs
Where I stand is somewhere you can command
I am in a position where you have control over me
Yes, we've seen less highs than lows
Our relationship has experienced more low points than high points
But still you could soften the blows
However, you could make the negative experiences less harsh
Instead I'll hide my heart so it won't close
Instead, I will protect my emotions from being hurt
I know where you are and who you're with when you go
I am aware of your whereabouts and the people you spend time with
Wish that I could stay but I'll never say so
I secretly desire to remain but will never express it
Don't my leaving's slow
Don't interpret my departure as a gradual process
I know I needed well away from blue
I'm aware that I needed to distance myself from sadness
Don't let my regrets get misconstrued
Don't misunderstand my feelings of remorse
I won't lose myself to loving you
I won't sacrifice my own identity and well-being for the sake of loving you
Relationships are versatile
Relationships can adapt and change
We've been up and down for a while
Our relationship has experienced many ups and downs over a period of time
Maybe we could sit back and adjust the dials
Perhaps we can take a step back and make some changes
I think I'll better run until you're out of sight
I believe it's best for me to distance myself until you are no longer present
Await on the sun to set fire to this night
I will patiently wait for a new beginning to emerge from the darkness
Get back to where I'm living right
Return to a state of contentment and fulfillment in my own life
I can bend but I won't break
I am flexible, but I will not allow myself to be completely broken
Like to give more than I take
I prefer to be generous and selfless in my actions
I expect some falls but I also expect to find a meaning in them all
I anticipate encountering challenges, but I believe there is a purpose behind each of them
So won't play safe
Therefore, I won't choose the safe and predictable path
I'll embrace my mistakes
I will accept and learn from my errors
For me regrets
In my perspective, regrets
Are just another way to say what is true
Are simply another form of expressing the truth
I care more about me than I do about you
I prioritize my own well-being over my concern for you
Writer(s): Joanne Shaw Taylor
Contributed by Gabriella F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.