Karen Elson (born 14 January 1979 in Bolton, England) is a supermodel and s… Read Full Bio ↴Karen Elson (born 14 January 1979 in Bolton, England) is a supermodel and singer/songwriter. She provided vocals for Robert Plant's song "Last Time I Saw Her", which featured guitars by James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins fame. She has also done other minor collaborations with Iha. She also dated Iha, along with guitarist David Pajo. She sang the provocative "I Love You (Me Neither)" with Cat Power on a tribute album to French songwriter and singer Serge Gainsbourg. Karen is currently a creative director and performer with the politically-minded cabaret troupe The Citizens Band and has performed with them at various night life hotspots as well as at downtown power-house gallery Deitch Projects.

Elson released her debut solo album The Ghost Who Walks in 2010. The album was produced by Jack White and released under the Third Man Records label. Her first music video for "The Ghost Who Walks (Acoustic)" was made available on her website and the Third Man Records' Modlife website.

On June 1, 2005, Elson married Jack White (of the bands The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather and The White Stripes) in Brazil. The wedding took place in a canoe in the Amazon River and was officiated by a shaman. A Catholic priest later blessed the ceremony. She met Jack while filming the White Stripes video for the single "Blue Orchid" directed by Floria Sigismondi. Elson gave birth to the couple's first child, daughter Scarlett Teresa, on May 2, 2006 in Tennessee. The couple announced their divorce in June 2011.

Her trademarks are her red hair and her eyebrows, which photographer Steven Meisel persuaded her to shave off. She has walked the runways of many top fashion designers including Marc Jacobs (which she did while pregnant), Chanel and Roberto Cavalli. She has appeared in international campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Jean Paul Gaultier. In 2005, Elson won the British Fashion Award for Best Model, over Lily Donaldson and Danny Beauchamp. In 2002 she had admitted to battling bulimia nervosa for the previous 4 years.

The Last Laugh
Karen Elson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hush little darling
Don't have any fear
For I'm here to protect you
When the stars fall I'll be near
Little stars are shining up above
Shining down for you
To remind you of love

Won't you save the last laugh for me
Save the last laugh for me

Cause in the end
We're a small grain of sand
Running through fingers
And blowing out with the wind

So won't you save the last laugh for me
Save the last laugh for me

Won't you save the last laugh for me
Save the last laugh for me

Save the last laugh for me
Save the last laugh for me

Overall Meaning

Karen Elson's song, The Last Laugh, is a touching and tender ode to the protective instincts of a caregiver for a child. The first stanza of the song sees the caregiver reassuring the child and telling them not to be afraid because they will always be there to protect them, even when the stars fall. The stars in the sky serve as a reminder to the child that they are loved and that the caregiver will always be there, watching over them and keeping them safe.

The chorus of the song makes a poignant plea to the child to save the last laugh for the caregiver, implying that time is fleeting and that we are all transient creatures. The second stanza of the song continues this theme, making references to the fleeting nature of human existence, and how we are all like grains of sand, running through fingers, and blowing away with the wind.

Overall, The Last Laugh is a beautiful and powerful song that highlights the importance of love, care, and protection. The lyrics convey a sense of deep emotional connection and the imperative to treasure every moment we have with the people we love, for we never know when they will be gone.

Line by Line Meaning

Hush little darling
Be at peace my dear

Don't have any fear
You are safe with me

For I'm here to protect you
I will always stand by your side

When the stars fall I'll be near
I will never leave you, even in dark times

Little stars are shining up above
There is always beauty in the world

Shining down for you
Reminding you to keep hope alive

To remind you of love
And that you are loved

Won't you save the last laugh for me
Please let us end with joy

Save the last laugh for me
Let us remember the good times

Cause in the end
Ultimately

We're a small grain of sand
We are small parts of a vast universe