Peyroux started singing at the age of fifteen, when she discovered street musicians in the Latin Quarter in Paris. She joined a group called the Riverboat Shufflers, first passing round the hat, and then singing. At sixteen she joined the The Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band, spending two years touring Europe performing songs by the likes of Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and others, which provided the basis for her first album, Dreamland.
Dreamland was released in 1996, and gained widespread attention. Time called it "the most exciting, involving vocal performance by a new singer this year". Dreamland, is a brilliant recording, as Peyroux's distinctive voice is not hindered by overly intricate arrangements. Most of the accompaniment on the record is light and sparse, the way it should be for a singer with such a unique voice. Peyroux soon found herself opening for Sarah McLachlan and Cesária Évora, and made appearances at jazz festivals and on the Lilith Fair tour.
In May 2002 she joined multi-instrumentalist William Galison, and together they appeared at such venues as the Bottom Line, Joe's Pub, and the Tin Angel. In 2003 the duo released a seven-song EP entitled Got You on My Mind, which they sold at shows and online. Got You on My Mind was re-released by William Galison in August 2004; the original EP was expanded by the addition of four tracks by Gallison.
Peyroux released her own sophomore effort, Careless Love, in September 2004. The album received generally positive reviews.
Her new album, Half the Perfect World, was released on September 12, 2006. She collaborated with several artists, including Jesse Harris, Walter Becker, Larry Klein (who also produced the album), and K.d. lang, with whom Peyroux duets on a cover of the Joni Mitchell song, "River".
On July 12, 2007, she was awarded Best International Jazz Artist at the BBC Jazz Awards.
01. I'm All Right
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He made me cry
He smoked his stoggies in bed
But I'm alright
I'm alright
I've been lonely before
I asked the boy for a few kind words
But I'm alright
I'm alright
I've been lonely before
It's fine, it's okay
It was wrong either way
I just wanted to say
It isn't much fun when you're drinking for one
He got drunk, he fell down
He threw a few of my things around
But I'm alright
I'm alright
I've been lonely before
I'd like to believe that it's easy to leave
But I have to conceive that wherever you are
You're still driving my car
Sticks and stones'll break my bones
But tears don't leave any scars
So I'm alright
I'm all alright
I've been lonely before
Mm, and I'm alright
I'm alright
I'm alright
Yeah
He played solitaire in bed
Used to blow bubbles in bed
He sang Christmas songs in bed
The lyrics to Madeleine Peyroux’s song “I’m All Right” convey a sense of resilience and acceptance after a tumultuous relationship. The opening lines, “He made me laugh, he made me cry, he smoked his stoggies in bed” paint a picture of a man who is flawed but also captivating. Despite the ups and downs of the relationship, the singer declares that she is “all right” and that she has been “lonely before” – hinting at a history of past relationships that have not worked out.
The singer then tells the story of how she asked the man for “a few kind words” and he gave her “a novel instead” – perhaps indicating that communication was not one of the strong points of their relationship. She also reflects on how there isn’t much fun in drinking wine alone and describes a scene where the man got drunk, threw her things around, but ultimately she is still “all right”.
The song ends with a poetic verse about the struggles of moving on after a relationship has ended. The line “sticks and stones break my bones, but tears don’t leave any scars” expresses the idea that while emotional pain can be intense, it does not leave visible markings. Ultimately, the singer declares that she is “all right” three times in a row, suggesting a sense of finality and closure.
Line by Line Meaning
He made me laugh
He had a good sense of humor that made me happy.
He made me cry
He was capable of making me feel intense emotions, including sadness.
He smoked his stoggies in bed
He used to smoke cigars while in bed.
But I'm all right
Despite any negative consequences of his actions, I am okay.
I've been lonely before
I have experienced loneliness in the past.
I asked the boy for a few kind words
I requested some gentle and affectionate remarks from him.
He gave me a novel instead
Instead of responding with caring words, he gave me a lengthy and convoluted explanation.
It's fine, it's OK
The situation is acceptable, despite any issues that may be present.
It was wrong either way
Regardless of how it played out, the situation was not ideal.
I just wanted to say
I simply desired to express myself and communicate.
There isn't much fun when you're drinking wine
I am not finding pleasure in my current activity of drinking wine.
He got drunk, he fell down
He consumed too much alcohol and lost his balance, causing him to topple over.
He threw a few of my things around
He tossed some of my possessions in an aggressive way.
But I'm all right
Despite any chaos that ensued, I am okay.
I'd like to believe healthy cigarettes
I wish to have faith in the notion that there exists a kind of cigarette that is less damaging to health.
But I have to conceive that wherever you are
I must accept that, wherever he is, he is living his own life, separate from mine.
You're still driving my car
You continue to hold a significant place in my life, akin to that of a driver in a car.
Sticks and stones break my bones
Physical harm can hurt me.
But tears don't leave any scars
Emotional pain, expressed through tears, does not cause any permanent physical damage.
So I'm all alright
Despite any challenges that may arise, I am doing okay.
Yeah
An interjection used to express affirmation.
He played solitaire in bed
He would pass the time by playing solitaire while in bed.
Used to blow bubbles in bed
He would create and play with bubbles in bed.
He sang Christmas songs in bed
He would sing festive songs while in bed.
I'm all alright
I am doing okay despite any past or current troubles.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Walter Becker, Larry Klein, Madeleine Peyroux
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kurt
on The Summer Wind
Unbelievable Saxophon solo!