Her debut album, The Soul Sessions, consists of classic soul tracks by Betty Wright, Aretha Franklin, Laura Lee and Bettye Swann and was released in late 2003. It reached the top 5 in the UK albums chart, and also made the top forty of the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart.
Joss Stone was nominated for "British Breakthrough Act", and won "British Female Solo Artist" and "British Urban Act", entering the Guinness World Records for being the youngest BRIT Award solo winner at age seventeen.
After achieving critical acclaim for The Soul Sessions, Stone recorded an album full of original songs in 2004 titled Mind, Body & Soul.
It proved to be an even bigger success than her first album, as it debuted at #1 in the UK (breaking the record for the youngest female ever to top the albums charts there, a record previously held by Avril Lavigne).
Stone began working on her third studio album, Introducing Joss Stone, at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, in May 2006.
It was released on 12 March 2007 in the UK on Virgin Records, involving production by Raphael Saadiq and collaborations with Lauryn Hill, Common and Joi.
Stone describes it as "truly me. That's why I'm calling it Introducing Joss Stone. These are my words, and this is who I am as an artist".
The album debuted and peaked at number twelve on the UK Albums Chart. It also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 118,000 copies in its first week, becoming the highest debut for a British solo female artist on the U.S. chart, surpassing the record previously held by Amy Winehouse with Back to Black. It has sold 60,000 copies in the UK since its release.
Joss Stone was nominated for the MOBO Award for "Best UK Female" in September 2007, but lost out to Amy Winehouse.
Tell Me 'Bout It, the album's lead single, debuted and peaked at number twenty-eight on the UK Singles Chart—where it stayed for three weeks only, and peaked at number eighty-three on the U.S Billboard Hot 100.
The second single, Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now, a collaboration with rapper Common, made the top sixty-five of the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Joss Stone turned its music video to a Product Red — this means that the video is available online over iTunes Store and that the gains from these sales revert to Product Red, an organisation which helps women and children in Africa affected by HIV and/or AIDS.
Joss Stone is the first artist to do this, entering the Guinness World Records once again.
On 4 October 2007, Stone's official website confirmed Baby Baby Baby as the album's third single.
Stone's fifth album, LP1 was released on 26 July 2011. The Somehow Songfacts says that the long player was the first release through Stone's own Stone'd Records and was recorded in just a week at Blackbird Studios in Nashville. Stone fought a legal battle with her record company EMI to release her from her contract and The LP1 album title signifies the fresh start the singer felt she was making.
Trivia:
Worryingly for fans of Stone, she recently confessed that singing is not a career she plans to stick to: she told a journalist recently that she would like to give it up in a few years to become a normal housewife with a husband and children.
Singles:
* 2004 - Fell In Love With A Boy
* 2004 - Super Duper Love
* 2004 - You Had Me
* 2004 - Right To Be Wrong
* 2005 - Spoiled
* 2005 - The Right Time (Cover of Extra for the GAP-Ad)
* 2005 - Don't Cha Wanna Ride?
* 2007 - Tell Me 'Bout It
* 2007 - Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now
Stalemate
Joss Stone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did I give you up? No
So what's it all about now?
Was it not enough?
No, no, no
It's alright, yeah
It's okay, yeah
I'll be fine, yeah
I don't mind, yeah
I'll pretend at least
But if you give me something, that I'll believe in
Give me something and I will wait
But if you give me nothing
I can't help feeling I'm in stalemate with you
Stalemate with you
Used to pick me up, yeah
Like a sunken pill
And I've been thinking it through
And we worked so well
But it feels wrong, yeah
When I'm strong alone, yeah
Strong alone by you
And the words you say, yeah
Just to get your way, yeah
Well they just won't do
You got to
Give me something, that I'll believe it
Give me something and I will wait
But if you give me nothing
I can't help feeling I'm in stalemate with you
Oh I'm in stalemate
Oh I'm in stalemate, baby
(Stalemate with you)
I need more
I need more
What are you waiting for?
It's so frustrating
(So frustrating, baby)
You got to want it
(Yeah)
I'm so frustrated with your love
What you do to me
Oh, yeah, yeah
Hey
You got me in stalemate
Ooh
Hey, hey, hey
You got me in stalemate
Hey yeah
Ooh, don't mug me, baby
Don't mug me, love
You breakin' my heart now
Don't you break my heart, no
Don't you break my heart
The lyrics to Joss Stone's "Stalemate" explore a feeling of dissatisfaction and confusion in a relationship. The song poses the question of whether the singer has let their partner down or given them up, but ultimately concludes that it's unclear what the problem is. The repeated refrain of "It's alright" and "I don't mind" suggests a sense of resignation or complacency in the relationship, even if it's not fulfilling. Yet, the chorus also offers a glimmer of hope that things could improve if the partner were to give the singer "something to believe in" and break the stalemate.
The second verse of the song delves deeper into the singer's feelings, suggesting that while they once worked well together, something has changed. The partner's manipulation and lack of sincerity is called out: "And the words you say, yeah/ Just to get your way, yeah/ Well they just won't do." The frustration mounts in the bridge, as the singer declares, "I need more/ What are you waiting for?" The repeated use of the word "frustrating" drives home the sense of being stuck in a rut.
Overall, "Stalemate" is a poignant reflection on the complexities of relationships, particularly when communication breaks down and feelings go unexpressed. The lyrics highlight the importance of authenticity and openness in relationships, and suggest that progress can only be made by breaking through the stalemate.
Line by Line Meaning
Did I let you down? No
I am not responsible for your actions or choices.
Did I give you up? No
I did not leave you or abandon you.
So what's it all about now?
What is the current status of our relationship?
Was it not enough?
Were my efforts and love not sufficient?
It's alright, yeah
I am okay with the situation.
It's okay, yeah
I am accepting and understanding of our situation.
It's alright with me
I am at peace with the way things are.
I'll be fine, yeah
I will manage without you, and I will not let it affect me.
I don't mind, yeah
It does not bother me as much, and I am okay with it.
I'll pretend at least
I will put up an act of being okay even if I'm not.
But if you give me something, that I'll believe in
I want you to prove to me that you are committed to this relationship.
Give me something and I will wait
I am willing to give you a chance and wait for you to prove yourself.
But if you give me nothing
If you don't try to make this work, I feel stuck in this relationship.
I can't help feeling I'm in stalemate with you
I feel like we are stuck in an unchanging, unproductive relationship.
Used to pick me up, yeah
You used to make me feel better about myself.
Like a sunken pill
Like a pill relieved my pain.
And I've been thinking it through
I have been reflecting on our struggles.
And we worked so well
We used to work and understand each other.
But it feels wrong, yeah
Now it feels like our relationship is off.
When I'm strong alone, yeah
When I am by myself, I feel stronger and happier than in our relationship.
Strong alone by you
I feel stronger when I am away from the stress of the relationship with you.
And the words you say, yeah
The things you say to me are not enough to fix our relationship.
Just to get your way, yeah
You only say or do things to get what you want from me.
Well they just won't do
Your words and actions are not enough to save our relationship.
I need more
I need something different or more from you to repair our relationship.
What are you waiting for?
Can we work together to get our relationship back on track?
It's so frustrating
This situation is very difficult and challenging.
(So frustrating, baby)
This situation is very difficult and challenging to handle.
You got to want it
You have to be willing to put in the effort to make this work.
I'm so frustrated with your love
I am frustrated with the problems in our relationship.
What you do to me
This stalemate hurts my feelings and wellbeing.
Oh, yeah, yeah
Expressing agreement and understanding of the situation.
Hey
Attention-grabbing sound to refocus the conversation.
You got me in stalemate
The situation is stuck and unchanging, making it uncomfortable.
Ooh
Expressing frustration or discomfort.
Hey, hey, hey
Attention-grabbing sound to refocus the conversation.
Ooh, don't mug me, baby
Do not hurt me or take advantage of me in this situation.
Don't mug me, love
Do not harm or hurt me in this situation.
You breakin' my heart now
You are hurting me emotionally from this stalemate.
Don't you break my heart, no
Begging to not be hurt or pushed away.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: JAMIE ALEXANDER HARTMAN, JOSS STONE, CAMILLA BOLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind