Born with Asperger's Syndrome, Pip Brown came from a musical family, with her mother being a singer-guitarist and her stepfather, a jazz drummer. During her childhood, various illnesses and allergies kept her in and out of the hospital. At age 10 she contracted erysipeloid, a disease that is common in seagulls but had not been seen in humans in New Zealand for 20 years. Her allergies to antibiotics, penicillin, and antihistamines greatly complicated treatment efforts and had put her in a coma and she came close to dying.
While attending Chanel College, she played in several grunge bands. After high school, Brown moved from Masterton to Wellington and formed in 2001 the hard rock band Two Lane Blacktop with some friends, playing lead guitar. Brown relocated to Melbourne, Australia after Two Lane Blacktop parted ways in late 2003, when their lead singer and drummer quit the band.
In Melbourne she met Nick Littlemore of Pnau (and later Empire of the Sun), formed the duo Teenager and moved together to Sydney. In 2006 Brown decided to leave Teenager to focus on a personal project she had been developing for sometime, a persona she had dubbed "Ladyhawke", inspired by the Richard Donner film from 1985 with the same name.
In 20 September 2008, her debut album Ladyhawke was released on Modular and gained mostly positive reviews. The album peaked at #16 at UK Albums Chart, #16 Australian Albums Chart, #41 at U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers, #62 at European Top 100 Albums, #1 at New Zealand Albums Chart. Ladyhawke ranked #23 on MusicOMH Best Albums of 2008.
She released five singles from the debut album: "Back of the Van" (1 April 2008, re-released in 18 May 2009; #93 UK), "Paris Is Burning" (6 July 2008, re-released in 2 March 2009; #47 UK, #52 AUS, #40 NZ), "Dusk Till Dawn" (8 September 2008; #78 UK), "My Delirium" (8 December 2008; #33 UK, #8 AUS, #9 NZ) and "Magic" (28 September 2009; #31 NZ).
In 2008 Pip Brown collaborated with the Australian band Pnau on the song "Embrace".
In 2009 Ladyhawke won five awards (Album of the Year, Best Dance/Electronica album, Single of the Year for "My Delirium", International Achievement Award, Best Female Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year) and was nominated for People's Choice Award at New Zealand Music Awards. In the same year she was nominated for Best Solo Artist at NME Awards, Best Kiwi & Independent Spirit at MTV Australia Awards and for six categories on ARIA Music Awards 2009 (she won two of them: Breakthrough Artist – album for "Ladyhawke" and Breakthrough Artist – single for "My Delirium"). Ladyhawke was also nominated for International Female Solo Artist at Brit Awards 2010.
In 4 May 2010, Ladyhawke released a digital live EP entitled iTunes Live from SoHo. Currently she is writing material for a second album.
Official site: http://www.ladyhawkemusic.com
Paris Is Burning
Ladyhawke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sing to the night without sight but with madness
I can't keep up, I'm a wreck but I want it
Tell me the truth, is it love or just Paris?
All of the boys and the girls here in Paris
Sing to the night without sight but with madness
I can't keep up, I'm a wreck but I want it
My heart is yearning but Paris is burning
Paris is burning all night long
My heart is dreaming but Paris is screaming
Paris is screaming all night long
My heart is yearning but Paris is burning
Paris is burning all night long
My heart is dreaming but Paris is screaming
Paris is screaming all night long
Kids in the street drinking wine, on the sidewalk
Saving the plans that we made, 'til it's night time
Give me your glass, it's your last, you're too wasted
Get me one too, 'cause I'm due any tasting
Kids in the street drinking wine, on the sidewalk
Saving the plans that we made, 'til it's night time
Give me your glass, it's your last, you're too wasted
Get me one too, 'cause I'm due any tasting
My heart is yearning but Paris is burning
Paris is burning all night long
My heart is dreaming but Paris is screaming
Paris is screaming all night long
My heart is yearning but Paris is burning
Paris is burning all night long
My heart is dreaming but Paris is screaming
Paris is screaming all night long
I've lost my way, it's hard to find it through
I see the night but I'm lost outside of you
I've lost my way, it's hard to find it through
I see the night but I'm lost outside of you
My heart is yearning, but Paris is burning
Paris is burning all night long
My heart is dreaming, but Paris is screaming
Paris is screaming all night long
My heart is yearning, but Paris is burning
Paris is burning all night long
My heart is dreaming, but Paris is screaming
Paris is screaming all night long
I've lost my way, it's hard to find it through
I see the night, but I'm lost outside of you
I've lost my way, it's hard to find it through
I see the night, but I'm lost outside of you
I've lost my way, it's hard to find it through
I see the night, but I'm lost outside of you
I've lost my way, it's hard to find it through
I see the night, but I'm lost outside of you
The lyrics to Ladyhawke's "Paris Is Burning" are about the chaos and madness of Paris nightlife, mixed with a yearning for love and connection. The repetition of "all of the boys and the girls here in Paris" reinforces the idea of a collective experience, as everyone sings to the night in their own way. The singer of the song is overwhelmed by the energy and intensity of Paris, feeling like a wreck but still wanting to be a part of it. The question "is it love or just Paris?" suggests that the excitement of the city might be clouding their judgment about what they really want in relationships.
The chorus, "my heart is yearning but Paris is burning," uses a clever play on words to convey both longing and destruction. The image of Paris burning all night long brings to mind both the passion and danger of the city. The verse about the kids in the street drinking wine adds to the sense of youthful rebellion and spontaneity. However, the line "I see the night but I'm lost outside of you" brings the focus back to the singer's personal struggles with love and connection.
Overall, "Paris Is Burning" is a song that captures the thrill and chaos of a night out in Paris, while also exploring deeper themes of love and self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
All of the boys and the girls here in Paris
Everyone in Paris, regardless of gender, is included in the following description.
Sing to the night without sight but with madness
People in Paris celebrate without thinking of the consequences or the future.
I can't keep up, I'm a wreck but I want it
The singer is overwhelmed but still desires to be a part of the celebration.
Tell me the truth, is it love or just Paris?
The artist is unsure if their feelings are genuine or just a result of the excitement of being in Paris.
My heart is yearning but Paris is burning
The artist's heart is longing for something, but the chaos and excitement of Paris is distracting them.
Paris is burning all night long
Paris is full of intense celebration and energy throughout the night.
My heart is dreaming but Paris is screaming
The singer's heart has desires and wishes, but the loud celebration of Paris is overwhelming them.
Paris is screaming all night long
The celebration in Paris is loud and intense all throughout the night.
Kids in the street drinking wine, on the sidewalk
Young people in Paris are drinking wine in public spaces.
Saving the plans that we made, 'til it's night time
People in Paris are holding off on their plans until the nighttime when the celebration is in full swing.
Give me your glass, it's your last, you're too wasted
The singer is asking for someone's last glass of wine because they are too drunk to finish it themselves.
Get me one too, 'cause I'm due any tasting
The artist wants a glass of wine for themselves because they haven't had any yet.
I've lost my way, it's hard to find it through
The singer feels lost and uncertain in the midst of the chaos in Paris.
I see the night but I'm lost outside of you
The singer sees the excitement of the night in Paris but feels disconnected from it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: ANUROOP PILLAI, PHILLIPA BROWN, ROY KERR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@duncanmaclennan9624
This song was 14 years ahead of its time
@craigsg01
... and indeed again !
@blackswan5034
She is so underrated it's a shame really
@DionHewson
its burning again in 2024 too - the farmers are mad as heck
@bangablebang
Ladyhawke = Nostradamus
⛪🔥
@Brahams
This might be one of my favorites songs of all time.
@Grayvorn
One of mine for sure. The whole album is just incredible.
@sarahl9398
Such a dreamy song. Music from that time period, and being in my late teens then, made for an incomparable experience. ❤️
@Brandon-os1db
Same! I was 17 when I first heard this song :)
@ramoneprakash8694
same ! doesn't help that i always doing a lot of ecstasy , so that plays a part as well lmao .