Early public performances by Kimbra included singing at JBC (now the dive bar Nivara Lounge) in Hamilton at age 9, the Waikato Times Gold Cup race meeting in 2000 as a 10-year-old, and singing the national anthem at age 12 before 27,000 people at the Auckland vs Waikato NPC rugby final. In 2007, after winning the Juice TV award for best breakthrough music video for her second single "Simply on My Lips", she came to the attention of ex-Independient Records boss Mark Richardson (Jamiroquai, Paula Abdul) and his newly-formed management company and independent label Forum 5 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Before her debut album, Kimbra released 2 singles: 'Simply On My Lips' and 'Deep For You'.
Kimbra's debut album, Vows was released in 2011. Three singles have been released from this album - 'Cameo Lover', 'Settle Down', 'Good Intent'. According to the Settle Down Songfacts, Vows spans five years of Kimbra's life from age 17 to 22. and explores love, identity and coming of age.
Kimbra also collaborated with Australian artist Gotye for the single 'Somebody That I Used To Know ' in 2011. This song has peaked on the charts in The USA, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium and The Netherlands at #1.
A significantly reworked version of her debut album was released in the U.S. in May of 2012. At the end of that year Kimbra triumphed in five categories at the New Zealand Music Awards, most notably Best Female Solo Artist and Best Pop Album. She also continued to receive plaudits for her Gotye collaboration well into 2013, among them the 2012 Grammy for Record of the Year.
Along with touring with Gotye and making festival appearances, including a spot at Brazil's Rock in Rio festival, Kimbra began work on her second album, The Golden Echo. She returned to the studio with producer Rich Costey and a host of collaborators including Bilal, Van Dyke Parks, Muse's Matt Bellamy, the Mars Volta's Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez, and Silverchair's Daniel Johns, who co-wrote some of the album's songs. Singles such as the genre-hopping "'90s Music" and the smooth disco-funk homage "Miracle" hinted at The Golden Echo's eclecticism ahead of its August 2014 release.
Kimbra reunited with Bilal in 2015, appearing on his album In Another Life, and debuted her own single "Sweet Relief" in 2016. The 2017 single "Everybody Knows" offered the first taste of her third album Primal Heart. Featuring songs co-written and co-produced by Kimbra -- as well as collaborations with John Congleton and Skrillex -- Primal Heart appeared in April 2018.
Sally I Can See You
Kimbra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been down the street, where they offer good deals
I'm shaking hands with the man who says he'll give me my dreams
Reaching up for a taste from the hand that feeds
I feel it growing from a whisper, to a shout and a fist in the air
I could smell the fire from miles away,
But I was always going to run after the chase
I didn't leave you, I just went my way
I know I've been here before
It must have been years or more
Like the first the day that I got off of the plane
And nobody cared to know of my name
I think I've been here
Sally I can see you, I'm not the girl I once used to be
I've grown out of my own muse
But my heart, it hasn't changed
Sally I can see you, you're not the girl you once used to be
I don't know how I got here
But my heart, it hasn't changed
There's a melody I'm missing
But your song travels out to me still
Like the eyes of the dusk in the hot of the glow
But I was always going to run after the storm
I didn't leave you, I just leapt out from the shore.
Ooh it's not like it was before.
My hair's short and my jeans are tight.
Time passed in the night time over my head
Suddenly, I'm in the sea, and I'm unprepared
I wish you'd been here.
Sally I can see you, I'm not the girl I once used to be
I feel so light in my years
In my heart, it has no sense
Sally I can see you, you're not the girl you once used to be
I don't know how I got here
But my heart it hasn't changed
I let go of your hand, I knew our time was measured
I sailed out to foreign lands, just to fly together
There's a child that I left in the town I treasure
I'm running fast but I'm not running away
Sally I can see you, I'm not the girl I was
I don't know how I got here.
Sally I can see you, I'm not the girl I once used to be
I feel so light in my years
And my heart, it hasn't changed
Sally I can see you, you're not the girl you once used to be
I don't know how I got here
But my heart, it hasn't changed
In Kimbra's song "Sally I Can See You," the lyrics tell a story of change and growth, and of the relationship between two women who have known each other for a long time. The singer is reflecting on her own journey, acknowledging that she has changed a lot since she last saw Sally, and wondering how Sally has changed as well. She describes feeling like she was always meant to be chasing something big and exciting, even though it sometimes takes her away from the people she loves.
The lyrics also touch on themes of nostalgia and homesickness, as the singer thinks about the town she left behind and the child she left there. There's a sense of longing for the past, but also an acceptance that things have changed and that life moves on. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of growth and personal evolution, even if it means going through difficult times and leaving people behind.
Overall, "Sally I Can See You" is a heartfelt and introspective song that explores the complexities of relationships and personal growth. It's a beautiful showcase for Kimbra's unique voice and poetic songwriting style.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a heartbeat in the distance, a flicker of light ahead
There's something pulling me towards it, but it's still far away.
I've been down the street, where they offer good deals
I've been tempted by things that seem too good to be true.
I'm shaking hands with the man who says he'll give me my dreams
I'm making deals with people who promise to help me achieve my dreams.
Reaching up for a taste from the hand that feeds
I'm trying to get what I want from those who have the power to give it to me.
I feel it growing from a whisper, to a shout and a fist in the air
I can feel my passion and desire growing stronger and more intense.
I could smell the fire from miles away,
I could sense that something big and exciting was happening.
But I was always going to run after the chase
I've always been driven to pursue my goals, even if it means taking risks.
I didn't leave you, I just went my way
I didn't abandon anyone, I simply followed my own path.
It must have been years or more
It feels like it's been a long time since I was last in this place.
Like the first the day that I got off of the plane
It's a new beginning, like I'm starting fresh in this place.
And nobody cared to know of my name
I felt like no one paid attention to me or knew who I was.
Sally I can see you, I'm not the girl I once used to be
I've changed a lot since the last time we met, Sally.
I've grown out of my own muse
I've evolved and grown beyond the things that once inspired me.
But my heart, it hasn't changed
Despite all my growth and change, my core values and feelings remain the same.
There's a melody I'm missing
There's something important that's missing from my life right now.
But your song travels out to me still
Your presence and influence can still be felt in my life, even if we're apart.
Like the eyes of the dusk in the hot of the glow
There's something beautiful and poignant about the way things are changing in my life.
But I was always going to run after the storm
I'm not afraid of the challenges and obstacles that come my way, I'll face them head on.
I didn't leave you, I just leapt out from the shore
I didn't abandon you, I just took a risk and explored new horizons.
Time passed in the night time over my head
I lost track of time as I followed my dreams and passions.
Suddenly, I'm in the sea, and I'm unprepared
I find myself in a situation that I wasn't ready for, feeling overwhelmed.
I let go of your hand, I knew our time was measured
I had to let go of someone I cared about because I knew that our time together was limited.
I sailed out to foreign lands, just to fly together
I took a risk and traveled to new and unfamiliar places in pursuit of my dreams, hoping to find a way to stay connected with those I cared about.
There's a child that I left in the town I treasure
There's someone important to me that I had to leave behind in order to pursue my goals.
I'm running fast but I'm not running away
I'm moving quickly towards my goals, but I'm not trying to escape anything.
I feel so light in my years
I feel unburdened by the weight of the past, like I'm starting fresh.
And my heart, it hasn't changed
Despite all the changes in my life, my emotions and values remain the same.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KIMBRA JOHNSON, GREGORY KURSTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind