Her real exposure though came at the age of sixteen when she auditioned for Australian Idol. She quickly received high praise with one judge claiming that she was "the best thing musically that has ever came out of this country." While on the show, Lisa performed such songs as Collide, Diamonds on the Inside, Fall At Your Feet and Heart of Glass. Despite receiving positive reviews, Lisa felt vulnerable without her guitar providing solace.
Nevertheless, she was finally reunited with the instrument as she performed a rare track from Coldplay entitled See You Soon. Despite the pressure to perform it well, due to her growing reputation as an authentic guitar-playing songwriter ("reminiscent of an early Joni Mitchell"), she mesmerized millions with her enticing rendition. After two more performances, including an original entitled Too Far Gone, Lisa was ready to go her own way and that she did.
Soon after leaving the show, she was offered a couple of recording contracts but rejected the offers, claiming that such an album would be too manufactured. Instead, admirably, Lisa decided to continue developing her craft as both a performer and songwriter. She quickly built a grass-roots following after touring with Old Man River, as well as performing both at National Youth Week and on MySpace (four performances) to a viewership of over ten thousand. Her page has now received over three hundred thousand views. It was around this time that Lisa felt she was ready to sign with both Scorpio Music and Warner Music, and recently with Sony Publishing, all with the support of Dan Hume from Evermore.
On August 4th 2007, her first EP entitled Said One to the Other was released, which included the tracks Slow and Incomplete Lullaby. The EP debuted at number 27 on the ARIA charts and number 1 on the Australian iTunes chart. Of late, after putting school on hold temporarily, Lisa has been touring with the likes of Sparkadia, The Hampdens and Evermore, with an upcoming tour supporting Ben Lee. She has also expressed interest in producing another EP in the future.
Lisa is currently on a tour of the eastern states of Australia. Much to the chagrin of fans from her home town of Albury-Wodonga, Lisa has decided to leave her home town off the tour in favour of larger cities.
Pirouette
Lisa Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're all sons and daughters,
Rest your head on the altar, oh,
Come lay down in the water
Piroutte, single step
Won't you spin me around the room,
Like a marionette?
And lonely maestro
Spin me real slow,
I just need something to get me through
The thick of it.
I have everything, from time to time (x2)
Come lay down in the water,
We're all sons and daughters,
Rest your head on the altar, oh,
Come lay down in the water
These silent offerings,
That only cowards sing,
Oh darling I was never free, for the taking
We had everything from time to time
Yeah,
We had everything (x2)
Come lay down in the water,
We're all sons and daughters,
Rest your head on the altar, oh,
Come lay down in the water
Yeah, we had everything
Come lay down in the water,
We're all sons and daughters,
In the water
The song Pirouette by Lisa Mitchell is a hauntingly beautiful masterpiece that captures the listener with its enchanting melody and thought-provoking lyrics. The song seems to be a plea for comfort and escape from the harsh realities of life. The song starts with an invitation to lay down in the water followed by the phrase "We're all sons and daughters" which refers to humanity's collective identity as descendants of Adam and Eve, but also suggests the need for a shared sense of belonging and unity as a means of solace. The phrase "Rest your head on the altar" adds to the solemnity of the invitation, encouraging the listener to surrender their fears and worries to a higher power.
The chorus of the song is where the metaphor of a pirouette is introduced. The phrase "Pirouette, single step, won't you spin me around the room like a marionette?" is a plea to be swept away from reality, to be caught up in the dizzying spin of life's dance as a means of distraction. The lonely maestro referred to in the following verse becomes the symbol of the turbulent nature of life, always moving and ever-changing, but also able to provide a moment of respite. The plea for the maestro to "Spin me real slow, I just need something to get me through the thick of it" captures the sentiment of needing something to hold on to, a steady rhythm amid the chaos of life to help endure a difficult phase.
The bridge of the song shifts the mood and brings in a note of resignation. The singer acknowledges the fleeting nature of happiness and how even the things we hold dear are temporary. The phrase "We had everything from time to time" suggests the passing of joy and pain in equal measure. And yet, the invitation to lay down in the water, repeated throughout the song, is a reminder that despite the transience of experiences, there is still a chance for renewal and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Come lay down in the water
Let's submerge ourselves in the water and forget about everything else
We're all sons and daughters
We are a part of a bigger picture and connected with every other human
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Relax and surrender to the surroundings without any reservations
Pirouette, single step
Dance with me in a slow, elegant and graceful way
Won't you spin me around the room, like a marionette?
Dance with me like we are being controlled by strings to escape the reality
And lonely maestro
The person who leads the dance is also struggling with loneliness
Spin me real slow
Dance slowly as if we have all the time in the world
I just need something to get me through the thick of it
I am searching for a way to overcome my struggles
I have everything, from time to time (x2)
Sometimes I have everything in life, even if it's temporary
These silent offerings, that only cowards sing
The things that we truly desire are often unspoken and hidden
Oh darling I was never free, for the taking
I was never truly free to give myself away to anyone
Yeah, We had everything from time to time
We had moments when we had everything we needed but they were temporary
Come lay down in the water
Let's submerge ourselves and escape from reality
We're all sons and daughters
We are all connected, and we are not alone
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Relax and let go of your inhibitions
Come lay down in the water
Let's dance and forget about everything else
Yeah, we had everything
We had everything we needed at some point, but it was fleeting
Come lay down in the water
Let's escape from the monotony of everyday life
We're all sons and daughters
We are all connected, and we can support each other
In the water
In the freedom of the water, we can let ourselves be free
Contributed by Addison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chrissy
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Come lay down in the water
Piroutte, single step
Won't you spin me around the room
Like a marionette?
And lonely maestro
Spin me real slow
I just need something to get me through
The thick of it
I have everything, from time to time (x2)
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Come lay down in the water
These silent offerings
That only cowards sing
Oh darling I was never free, for the taking
We had everything from time to time
Yeah
We had everything (x2)
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Come lay down in the water
Yeah, we had everything
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
In the water
Vancouver1123
My favourite Lisa Mitchell song, by far. It's just such a beautiful and moving song. It makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.
Athena Zelandonii
Such a breathtakingly beautiful song, I heard this for the first time live at Woodford Folk Fest and it brought tears to my eyes; even my boyfriend was effected! Gorgeous...
Clare Rachel
I love ALL of Lisa's music but this would have to be my favourite song. Brilliant, haunting. She's oh so gorgeous too.
Peps
I absolutely adore her voice! It's more different than anything else on the charts today. She sounds so innocent and sweet.
Chrissy
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Come lay down in the water
Piroutte, single step
Won't you spin me around the room
Like a marionette?
And lonely maestro
Spin me real slow
I just need something to get me through
The thick of it
I have everything, from time to time (x2)
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Come lay down in the water
These silent offerings
That only cowards sing
Oh darling I was never free, for the taking
We had everything from time to time
Yeah
We had everything (x2)
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
Rest your head on the altar, oh
Come lay down in the water
Yeah, we had everything
Come lay down in the water
We're all sons and daughters
In the water
Emaginary Inemy
every time i hear it, it makes me melt like a little school girl!
Clare Rachel
My favourite Lisa Mitchell song - so far! She is amazing.
YourMicrophone
This song just enters your head and makes you feel so peacefull.
Felix C
This song is Utterly moving.. best in headphones when you shut your eyes it's weird how her voice just enters inside your head
Remi Carter
i luv techno but lisa tops any type of music, she should be on top charts.