Lucy was born in London, but was raised in Amsterdam and New York City. She has a very musical background: her British father is a composer and conductor and her New Yorker mother is a musicologist and an opera singer.
Raised on classical and Middle-Eastern music, Lucy studied piano and flute before asking for singing lessons at age 12. She attended a Bronx high school renowned for its music department and made her first recordings singing house music in her friends’ basements. She spent part of each summer in music camp and part in Holland, where she frequently locked herself up in her father’s studio and listened to jazz and old R&B records. At 16 she was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music to study jazz, but after a year decided to learn her songwriting and performing skills on her own. She spent the next few years performing in swing-organ trios, working as a session singer, waiting tables, and singing jazz standards in Greenwich Village restaurants. She started off singing in jazz cafes and singing for tips or dinner. "You sing with a piano player and a tip jar on top of the piano." She said in an interveiw on NZGirl.
In 2003 Lucy signed with Atlantic Records and recorded her debut album While You Can, out of which came the Top 40 hit “Dumb Girls,” produced by Kevin Kadish; other songs on the record were produced by John Shanks at Jim Henson Studios. Although her efforts won her some mainstream notoriety, making slick, radio-ready pop proved artistically unsatisfying for her.
The following year, Lucy was asked by producer friend Jaime Houston to record a version of the big-band tune "It's Oh So Quiet" for the Disney film Ice Princess. The song had originally been recorded by Betty Hutton in 1948 and was subsequently popularized by Björk. Lucy credits it as being a major creative turning point for her, one that inspired much of the writing in her second album.
Lucy began her musical reinvention on her second album, the independently released Lucy Woodward Is... Hot and Bothered (2007), a transitional effort that incorporated R&B grooves and electronic beats, while mining deep-rooted jazz influences. Hot and Bothered was produced by longtime collaborator Itaal Shur and Tim K. . Barnes & Noble named her “Artist of the Month” for August 2008. Released in 2007 on Atlantic, it was initially only available through iTunes, on July 29, 2008 getting a physical release exclusively through Barnes & Noble.
Lucy’s third album, Hooked!, was recorded at Stratosphere Sound in New York and Jim Henson Studios in Hollywood and released on Verve Records in 2010. It was largely produced by Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T-Rex), but included contributions by Justin Stanley (Nikka Costa, Sheryl Crow), Itaal Shur and Tim K. Lucy penned much of the record with songwriters Dan Petty and Michelle Lewis, claiming she had been inspired by the music of Peggy Lee and Django Reinhardt. One song on the album, “Another Woman,” was written for her by longtime inspiration Nellie McKay (also Verve), who is also featured on background vocals.
In 2011, Lucy was asked to tour with Pink Martini after the band’s singer China Forbes had to undergo vocal surgery. Her quick study of Pink Martini’s repertoire of Croatian, Japanese, French, English and Turkish songs did not go unnoticed in the music press. She toured cross-continent with the band for a number of concerts the same year, including performances at the Toronto and Montreal jazz festivals and Ravinia, as well as a three-night stint with the San Francisco Symphony (Donato Cabrera conducting).
http://www.lucywoodward.com
What Can I Do
Lucy Woodward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So comfortable, yet we've come so far
But it's funny what it brings
So much love and so much trouble, some things
Oh when I turn bad and hard to recognize
Although things are said
Oh they make you cry
I hate what I'm goin' through
And all the things it makes me do
I hate what I'm goin' through
But most of all I hate what I can do to you
I don't show it on the outside
But I'm prouder than I should be tonight
And you know that something's wrong
Cause I act like I'm the only one
Oh when I turn bad and hard to recognize
Oh those little things
I wish I kept inside
I hate what I'm goin' through
And all the things it makes me do
I hate what I'm goin' through
But most of all I hate what I can do to you
It breaks me up to see you down
Still trying to make me better
This other side of me
And oh it's so not fair
When you ain't got nothin' to do with it
I hate what I'm goin' through
And all the things it makes me do
I hate what I'm goin' through
But most of all I hate what I can do to you
Oh it's beautiful how we are
So comfortable, yet we've come so far
The song "What Can I Do" is a reflection of the complexity of relationships and the struggle of coming to terms with one's own flaws and the effect they have on those we love. The opening lines, "Well it's beautiful how we are, so comfortable, yet we've come so far" set the tone for the overall content of the song. It speaks to the beauty of how comfortable the relationship is between two people, but that it has had its ups and downs, and the "so far" part of the line suggests the journey has not always been easy.
Lucy Woodward then quickly transitions to discussing the negative aspects of the relationship. The lines "But it's funny what it brings, so much love and so much trouble, some things" suggest that although there is love present, there have been some difficulties they have endured. The verses that follow are where the core of the song lies. The singer discusses how when they are feeling negative or upset, they lash out at their partner, which causes tension between them. The lines "I hate what I'm goin' through, and all the things it makes me do, I hate what I'm goin' through, but most of all I hate what I can do to you" perfectly encapsulate the internal struggle the singer is feeling.
The chorus serves as a refrain, with emphasis placed on the line "I hate what I'm going through." This repetition reinforces the intensity of the internal struggle going on within the singer. The song concludes on a somewhat positive note, with the line "It's beautiful how we are, so comfortable, yet we've come so far" repeated once again. This final line suggests that despite any hardships and flaws, the relationship is still valuable and worthy of appreciation.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's beautiful how we are
Lucy reflects on how wonderful their relationship is with her partner.
So comfortable, yet we've come so far
Lucy expresses her contentment with their relationship and how far they've come together despite any hurdles they've faced.
But it's funny what it brings
Lucy acknowledges that their relationship brings both love and trouble, which is ironic.
So much love and so much trouble, some things
Lucy reflects on the dichotomy of their relationship - both full of love and challenges.
Oh when I turn bad and hard to recognize
Lucy admits that she can become a different person when things get tough and she's difficult to recognize.
Although things are said
Lucy recognizes that words can hurt and impact someone emotionally.
Oh they make you cry
Lucy feels guilty that her actions have caused her partner to cry.
I hate what I'm goin' through
Lucy doesn't like who she becomes when things get hard in their relationship.
And all the things it makes me do
Lucy is uncomfortable with the actions she takes because of their relationship issues.
But most of all I hate what I can do to you
Lucy is most upset that her behavior negatively affects her partner.
I don't show it on the outside
Lucy tries to hide her negative feelings from her partner and the outside world.
But I'm prouder than I should be tonight
Lucy feels a sense of hubris despite their relationship being in a tough spot.
And you know that something's wrong
Lucy's partner can sense that something is off in their relationship.
Cause I act like I'm the only one
Lucy takes on a selfish attitude, acting like she's the only one experiencing difficulty in their relationship.
Oh those little things
Lucy is haunted by the small things she's said or done that have hurt her partner.
I wish I kept inside
Lucy wishes she'd kept her negative emotions and actions hidden from her partner.
It breaks me up to see you down
Lucy feels upset seeing her partner struggling because of their relationship issues.
Still trying to make me better
Despite the challenges, Lucy's partner is still trying to improve their relationship for the better.
This other side of me
Lucy feels that her bad behavior is a part of her that she doesn't like.
And oh it's so not fair
Lucy recognizes that it's not fair that her partner has to suffer because of her negative behavior.
When you ain't got nothin' to do with it
Lucy's partner is unintentionally caught in the crossfire of her negative feelings and behavior.
Oh it's beautiful how we are
Lucy reiterates that despite their issues, their relationship is still beautiful.
So comfortable, yet we've come so far
Lucy emphasizes the comfort and progress they've made together despite facing obstacles.
Contributed by Aiden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
siriwan paopatimakorn
I ain't no queen of hearts, I go through stages
I fall in love then complicate it
Yeah, you know the feeling
Without much hope just blind ambition
Pretending that there's nothing missing
I always kept believing that
More, I thought if I had more I wouldn't get so bored
But everything just left me empty
Love walkin in and out of my door
Wasn't good enough no more
Well I don't trust myself life really sucks and
First time I did it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
I'm just tryin to be creative
But everyones so oppinionated
Want to tell me what I'm feeling
'Cause one man's junks another's treasure
When its done its hard to measure or keep on believing that
More, if only I had more, I wouldn't get so bored
But I know its gonna leave me empty
Life, walkin in and out of my door wasn't good enough no more
Well I don't trust myself I'm gonna get stuck and
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
'Cause I don't want to live my life wondering if only I woulda, I shoulda, I coulda
But I didn't 'Cause I only blame myself
Again
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
So this time, this time, this time...
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
Paige Lovette
Now that I'm older I realize how deep this song actually is.
?
Exactly how i ended up hear too..
The words were just floating through me head.
So real… ThT
Eleonora Petkovic
Watched it today again after 10 years, I miss being a teen🥰 the music and the movies from 00's 😍
siriwan paopatimakorn
I ain't no queen of hearts, I go through stages
I fall in love then complicate it
Yeah, you know the feeling
Without much hope just blind ambition
Pretending that there's nothing missing
I always kept believing that
More, I thought if I had more I wouldn't get so bored
But everything just left me empty
Love walkin in and out of my door
Wasn't good enough no more
Well I don't trust myself life really sucks and
First time I did it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
I'm just tryin to be creative
But everyones so oppinionated
Want to tell me what I'm feeling
'Cause one man's junks another's treasure
When its done its hard to measure or keep on believing that
More, if only I had more, I wouldn't get so bored
But I know its gonna leave me empty
Life, walkin in and out of my door wasn't good enough no more
Well I don't trust myself I'm gonna get stuck and
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
'Cause I don't want to live my life wondering if only I woulda, I shoulda, I coulda
But I didn't 'Cause I only blame myself
Again
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
So this time, this time, this time...
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
First time I thought it but I didn't do it
Last time, that's when I really blew it
This time I'm gonna do it different 'cause I know, I know, I know
If I put everything I have into it
Eventually I'm gonna get what's good for me
Gabby Avila
This song is beautiful👌
Cassandra PJ
Yay ! This song was stuck in my head all day. Thank you for posting. I miss this movie, it was one of my favs and I can't believe that was so many years ago. I miss being 10.
Aishah Jackson
Love this song
Veronica R Rodriguez
Beautiful Song ❤
Bluestar918
This song is literally fire🔥🔥🔥
hitzel hdez
Amazing song!!