In November 2003, at the age of 19, Melua released her first album, Call off the Search, which reached the top of the United Kingdom album charts and sold 1.8 million copies in its first five months of release. Her second album, Piece by Piece, was released in September 2005 and to date has gone platinum four times. Melua released her third studio album Pictures in October 2007, which has been announced to be the last of her albums in collaboration with Mike Batt. According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2008, Melua has a fortune of £18 million, making her the seventh richest British musician under thirty.
In the summer of 2003, aged just 18 and still studying at the Brit School of Performing Arts in leafy Surrey, no-one, least of all Katie, would have predicted what the next few years would hold for the teenager. Four years later, Katie has sold more than 7.5 million albums becoming, in 2006, the year’s best selling British female in the world along the way.
Georgian born Katie relocated from Tbilisi to Belfast at the age of 8 due to her father’s profession as a heart surgeon and 5 years later moved to South East London. After her GCSEs Katie joined the Brit School for Performing Arts where she undertook a BTEC and Music A-level and discovered different styles of music including Queen, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Irish folk music and Indian music. On hearing an Eva Cassidy song Katie was blown away and when she discovered that Eva was no longer alive wrote the song ‘Faraway Voice’ as a tribute to her. It was this song that attracted the attention of the composer and producer Mike Batt. Katie signed to Batt’s record label Dramatico but stayed at the Brit School to complete her studies – she graduated with distinction in July 2003.
During the summer of 2003 her debut single, ‘The Closest Thing To Crazy’, attracted the attention of British station BBC Radio 2 and upon its release entered the charts at number 10. Released in November, Katie’s debut album ‘Call Off The Search’ hit the UK number 1 spot in January 2004 and has subsequently scored top 10 positions throughout Europe. The album has since been certified gold in Holland, Hong Kong and Switzerland, platinum in Denmark, New Zealand and Australia, 2 x platinum in Germany, Ireland, Norway and South Africa and received the IFPI Double Platinum Award for 2 million European Sales. In March 2005 ‘Call Off The Search’ hit the number 1 spot in Denmark, a year after its initial release and became a top five album in Japan. Katie was awarded Best International Newcomer at Germany’s ECHO Awards in April 2005. In Britain, Katie was the highest selling female artist in 2004 – ‘Call Off The Search’ has now sold 1.8 million copies and is 6 x platinum (in Britain alone) and worldwide sales exceed 3.5 million.
Katie joined the line up for the Band Aid 20 single to record a new version of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’. As an ambassador for Save The Children this was particularly poignant for Katie. In March 2005 Katie was invited by Nelson Mandela to perform at his 46664 concert in aid of Mandela’s AIDS foundation. In addition to performing a full live set, Katie joined Queen on stage to perform a moving version of ‘Too Much Love Will Kill You’. Katie flew from South Africa to Sri Lanka where she experienced the work that is being done by Save The Children, particularly with child soldiers.
In August 2005 Katie and her family swore allegiance to The Queen and became British Citizens following a ceremony in Surrey, England. Katie was asked to perform at the Royal Wedding of Prince Pieter-Christiaan in Holland and at the Norwegian Royal Gala Concert in the presence of the Crown Prince Of Norway. Continuing the royal theme, the American TV show ‘Good Morning America’ broadcast live from Buckingham Palace and Katie was invited by the show to perform ‘Nine Million Bicycles’ and ‘The Closest Thing To Crazy’. Katie performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Norway.
In between her overseas travel Katie recorded her new album, ‘Piece By Piece’, which was released in Europe on September 26th 2005. The album comprises more self-penned songs including the title track as well as a cover of the 1987 Cure hit ‘Just Like Heaven’ that Katie recorded for a new DreamWorks film starring Reese Witherspoon. The first single, ‘Nine Million Bicycles’, preceded the album release and gave Katie her highest UK single chart entry at number 5. One week later and Katie entered the UK album charts at number 1 and Europe swiftly followed with the album reaching #1 in Norway, Denmark and Holland, #2 in Ireland, #2 in Iceland, #3 in South Africa, #4 in Poland and #2 in Germany giving an overall chart position of #2 on the Billboard European Top 100 Chart.
Katie was nominated for two Brit Awards in the “Best Female” and “Pop” categories, for the “Best International Female” at the Edison Awards in Holland and was awarded “Best International Female (Rock & Pop)” at the Echo Awards in Germany. Once again Katie was pronounced the highest selling female artist in Britain in 2005 selling more than 1 million albums.
It is fair to say that 2006 was yet another extraordinary year for 22 year old Katie. In addition to the awards nominations, Katie had a Dutch tulip named in her honour, toured America coast to coast, raced at 160mph round Grand Prix circuit Silverstone, flew a plane, launched Save The Children’s ‘Rewrite The Future’ campaign, made the headlines with a Guinness World Record for the deepest concert when she performed 303 meters beneath the North Sea in the leg of a gas rig and was awarded the World Music Award for Britain’s Biggest Selling Female. Whilst in 2004 and 2005, Katie was the greatest selling female artist in Britain, in 2006 Katie was the highest selling European female artist in the world selling more than 3 million copies of her second album ‘Piece By Piece’.
Awarded the Golden Camera Award for International Pop Artist at the start of 2007, Katie was presented with the Echo Award for International Female Artist in March 2007.
October 2007 saw the release of Katie’s third album ‘Pictures’ – a record which has delighted her legions of fans, confirmed Katie’s status as a unique and remarkable vocalist, and revealed the third chapter in what is destined to be a long musical career.
Katie’s fourth album, “The Katie Melua Collection”, is a musical summary of the 24 year old’s journey so far and is being released to coincide with Katie’s arena tour in October and November 2008.
www.katiemelua.com/
I Cried for You
Katie Melua Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It lies beneath a shade of blue
It struck me so violently
When I looked at you
But others pass, they never pause
To feel that magic in your hand
To me you're like a wild rose
I cried for you
And the sky cried for you
And when you went
I became a hopeless drifter
But this life was not for you
Though I learned from you
That beauty need only be a whisper
I'll cross the sea for a different world
With your treasure, a secret for me to hold
In many years they may forget
This love of ours or that we met
They may not know how much you meant to me
I cried for you
And the sky cried for you
And when you went
I became a hopeless drifter
But this life was not for you
Though I learned from you
That beauty need only be a whisper
Without you now I see
How fragile the world can be
And I know you've gone away
But in my heart you'll always stay
I cried for you
And the sky cried for you
And when you went
I became a hopeless drifter
But this life was not for you
Though I learned from you
That beauty need only be a whisper
That beauty need only be a whisper
The lyrics to "I Cried for You" by Katie Melua speak to unrequited love and an unfulfilled connection. The opening lines suggest that the subject of the song is beautiful but unseen, "so silently," hidden beneath a "shade of blue." The singer is struck by this beauty, but others "pass" without taking the time to appreciate it. Despite the singer's admiration, they recognize that their perception is not widely shared, comparing the subject of the song to a "wild rose" that others do not understand.
The chorus expresses the singer's grief at the loss of this connection, with both they and the sky crying for the subject of the song when they leave. The singer feels adrift without them, but recognizes that the "life was not for" the subject of the song, even if they learned important lessons from them. The final lines acknowledge the idea that beauty can be fleeting, a "whisper" that must be listened to carefully.
Overall, the song conveys a bittersweet sense of longing and loss, tempered with an appreciation for the beauty that can still be found even in the face of such feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
You're beautiful so silently
You possess a stunningly serene beauty that is not loudly proclaimed.
It lies beneath a shade of blue
Your beauty is somewhat hidden and shines through only subtly, like a blue hue.
It struck me so violently
Your beauty was so powerful that it hit me like a thunderbolt.
When I looked at you
When I gazed upon you and took in your beauty, I was struck.
But others pass, they never pause
People pass by you all the time without stopping to take in the magic that you possess.
To feel that magic in your hand
They fail to feel the spell of beauty that you weave around them with your touch.
To me you're like a wild rose
To me, you resemble a wild rose that pops up unexpectedly among the weeds, baring its beauty unabashedly.
They never understand why
Others fail to recognize or appreciate the unique beauty that you carry within you.
I cried for you
When you left, I mourned your departure with tears.
And the sky cried for you
The world around me wept in sorrow, as if echoing my grief.
And when you went
Your absence left a hole in my world, a void that could not be filled.
I became a hopeless drifter
I wandered aimlessly, lost and forlorn, without direction or purpose.
But this life was not for you
You were meant for something greater than this world or this existence.
Though I learned from you
Even though you are gone, you left an indelible impression on me, teaching me important lessons and insights.
That beauty need only be a whisper
Your beauty did not need to be loud or boisterous, as it spoke for itself with just a whisper.
I'll cross the sea for a different world
I am willing to traverse across oceans and continents to seek out a new paradigm, a world where things are different from what they are now.
With your treasure, a secret for me to hold
I will take with me the treasure of your memory, something that only I will be privy to.
In many years they may forget
As time passes by, people may forget the love and the intensity of the emotions we shared.
This love of ours or that we met
They may not remember us, or the love we shared, or the circumstances that brought us together.
They may not know how much you meant to me
They may not fathom the depth and extent of the significance you held in my life.
Without you now I see
In your absence, I have gained a new perspective and understanding of life.
How fragile the world can be
I see how brittle and tenuous our world can be, and how much we need to cherish things while we have them.
And I know you've gone away
I realize that you have left my side and that I must carry on without you.
But in my heart you'll always stay
Despite everything, I will hold on to your memory and your love, allowing it to stay with me always.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Katie Melua
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@suddenmusic23
[Verse 1]
You're beautiful so silently
It lies beneath a shade of blue
It struck me so violently
When I looked at you
But others pass, they never pause
To feel that magic in your hand
To me, you're like a wild rose
They never understand why-
[Chorus']
I cried for you when the sky cried for you
And when you went, I became a hopeless drifter
But this life was not for you, though I learned from you
That beauty need only be a whisper
[Verse 2]
I'll cross the sea
For a different world
With your treasure
A secret for me to hold
In many years, they may forget
This love of ours or that we met
They may not know
How much you meant to me
[Chorus]
I cried for you and the sky cried for you
And when you went, I became a hopeless drifter
But this life was not for you, though I learned from you
That beauty need only be a whisper
[Bridge]
Without you, now I see
How fragile the world can be
And I know you've gone away
But in my heart, you'll always stay
[Chorus]
I cried for you and the sky cried for you
And when you went, I became a hopeless drifter
But this life was not for you, though I learned from you
That beauty need only be a whisper
[Coda]
That beauty need only be a whisper
@Banwagner
I lost my wife four years ago due to cancer. Our son was 2 yrs old, since then I am a single father. She loved to play her songs, I didn't know Katie Melua before. With this song we said good bye to Agnieszka at the funeral. Without her now I see how fragile the world can be. I will always love her, for ever and more. 'I cried for you' has become my bridge to Agnieszka, wherever she has gone...
@WeeeWriter
Big Hugs Mike xox
@priscarafito9249
Loosing a mate is not easy. I hope you get the strenght you need. Be there for your son. Much love and courage sent to you.
@paudelganess
A musical memento is more powerful than anything in the existence
@WeeeWriter
@गनेस पौडेल beautifully said.
@paudelganess
@WeeeWriter Hum. Thanks !
@Janickooooo
This song is too perfect for this world!
@universal-zy5bh
Speaking of perfect, check out her 'Perfect World' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3u8stDTwZY&list=TLPQMTQwMTIwMjK95bmR3KOqDg&index=17
@sh1669
@universal1 11 thank you 🤗
@universal-zy5bh
@S HYou're welcome. Precious, isn't it?!