Madeleine Peyroux is a jazz singer who was born in 1974 in Athens, Georgia,… Read Full Bio ↴Madeleine Peyroux is a jazz singer who was born in 1974 in Athens, Georgia, USA, and raised in New York City and Paris, France. She is noted for her vocal style, which is highly reminiscent of Billie Holiday. Madeleine also has qualities similar to Ella Fitzgerald. Though Peyroux may remind some listeners of Holiday, there are differences, and she has her own sense of phrasing and interpretation.

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.

A Little Bit
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics

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And it will take a little bit of extra time
To make it shine, to make it shine
And it will take a little bit of extra care
To bring it where you think it's there
And there's no one else around
This is what I've found Anyone you see
Anyone you meet
Some one at your feet

Anyone could be that one
Anyone you know
Anywhere you go
Some one in a show
Could be that one
And it will take a little bit of all you've got
To get a shot, get a shot
And it will take a little bit of extra care
To bring it where you think it's there
And there's nowhere else to go
This is what I know
Anyone you see
Anyone you meet
Maybe down the street
Anyone could be that one
Everywhere you look
Pages of a book
All the years it took
Everything got you down
And it will take a little while to get back home
The road is long, the road is long
And it will take a little work to get it back
To mend the cracks, to bridge the gaps
Anyone you see
Could be the one
Anyone you meet
Could be that one
Some one at your feet
Could feel the same
Maybe you'd complete
Could share your name
Anywhere you look
Pages of a book
Everything she took
Never let it keep you down
Holding out for used
Broken up and bruised
Losable to lose
Anywhere you go
Anyone you know
Think it doesn't show
Everybody knows
Anyone you meet
Maybe down the street

(And it will take a little time to get back home)
Some one at you feet

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Madeleine Peyroux’s song “A Little Bit” are a message of hope and encouragement, suggesting that achieving something worth having requires extra effort and care. The song begins with the lines, “And it will take a little bit of extra time / To make it shine, to make it shine.” This sets the tone for the rest of the song, indicating that what follows will be a discussion of what is required to attain something worthwhile.

The song goes on to describe the importance of being attentive, both to oneself and to others, in order to achieve what one wants. The lines “And it will take a little bit of extra care / To bring it where you think it's there” suggest that attention to detail is paramount, and that being mindful of one’s own actions and those of others is key to achieving success.

Throughout the song, the message is clear: anything worth having takes effort and dedication. Whether it’s a relationship or a personal goal, it requires extra care and time. This is made most clear in the chorus, which repeats the phrase “Anyone could be that one” multiple times, suggesting that opportunities and people are all around, and it is up to the individual to grab them and make them shine.

Overall, the song’s lyrics are optimistic and optimistic, reminding listeners that with a little extra effort and care, anything is possible.

Line by Line Meaning

And it will take a little bit of extra time
It will require some additional time and effort to perfect it.

To make it shine, to make it shine
To bring it to its potential level of brilliance.

And it will take a little bit of extra care
It will require some extra attention to detail.

To bring it where you think it's there
To take it to the place where you believe it belongs.

And there's no one else around
There is nobody else present to assist with this task.

This is what I've found
From my experience, this is the case.

Anyone you see
It could be anybody that you happen upon.

Anyone you meet
Anyone who you make contact with.

Some one at your feet
Even somebody who is seemingly beneath you.

Anyone could be that one
Anyone could be the one who makes a difference.

Anyone you know
Even people you are already familiar with.

Anywhere you go
In any location you may visit.

Some one in a show
Somebody who you see in a performance or public event.

And it will take a little bit of all you've got
To achieve success, you must give it your all.

To get a shot, get a shot
To have any chance of success, you need to take a risk.

And there's nowhere else to go
This is the only option available.

This is what I know
I am certain of this fact.

Maybe down the street
Even people you haven't encountered yet, who may be nearby.

Everywhere you look
In every direction you turn.

Pages of a book
In the content that you read.

All the years it took
It may have taken many years to find it.

Everything got you down
You have been feeling overwhelmed by life.

And it will take a little while to get back home
It will take some time before you feel comfortable again.

The road is long, the road is long
The path ahead may be arduous and lengthy.

And it will take a little work to get it back
It will take some effort to regain that which has been lost.

To mend the cracks, to bridge the gaps
To fix any issues, smooth out any problems.

Could feel the same
Somebody else may be experiencing the same emotions as you.

Maybe you'd complete
Perhaps you will find fulfillment together.

Could share your name
Perhaps you will become known for your successes together.

Holding out for used
Waiting for something that is already claimed or has been utilized before.

Broken up and bruised
Feeling damaged or hurt from previous experiences.

Losable to lose
Something that can easily be lost or taken away.

Think it doesn't show
Perhaps it may not be immediately evident.

Everybody knows
The truth of the situation is widely understood.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JESSE HARRIS, LARRY KLEIN, MADELINE PEYROUX

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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