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.
Always a Use
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe ain't no use in playin' a tune
Maybe ain't no use in singin' my blues
But there's always a use in you and me
Maybe ain't no use in watchin' through the window
As the towns and our lives roll on by
Maybe it ain't worth all the trouble in thinkin'
We can make it true
We can work on it too
We can be what we want it to be
We can be together
As two or as three
'cause there's always use in you and me
Maybe ain't no use in sayin' what I want it to be
Maybe ain't no use in playin' a tune
Maybe ain't no use in singin' my blues
But there's always a use in you and me
We can make it true
We can work on it too
We can be what we want it to be
We can be together
As two or as three
'Cause there's always use in you and me
Maybe ain't no use in watchin' through the window
As the towns and our lives roll on by
Maybe it ain't worth all the trouble in thinkin'
But there's always use in you and I
The lyrics to Madeleine Peyroux’s “Always a Use” are essentially about the idea that there might not be any point in trying to control the things that happen around us or in trying to impose our own desires and expectations onto the world. Perhaps there is no use in struggling against the flow of time or in trying to force events to unfold in a certain way. But even if all of this is true, there is still value and purpose to be found in our connections with other people. We might not be able to control everything, but we can always find use and meaning in our relationships with others.
The chorus of the song emphasizes this point, saying that “we can make it true” and “we can work on it too” – “it” presumably referring to whatever we want our lives to be. But more important than any individual desires or goals is the knowledge that we will always have each other, that we can always find a use in each other. The song encourages us to look beyond the superficial distractions and troubles of daily life and to focus on the deeper connections that bring us together.
This message is particularly relevant in a time when people are feeling increasingly isolated and disconnected from each other. In a world where it can be all too easy to succumb to anxiety, despair, and hopelessness, Peyroux’s lyrics remind us that there is always a use for compassion, kindness, and genuine human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe ain't no use in sayin' what I want it to be
Perhaps there's no point in speaking my mind about what I desire
Maybe ain't no use in playin' a tune
Maybe there's no purpose in attempting to create music
Maybe ain't no use in singin' my blues
Perhaps there's no benefit to expressing my sadness through song
But there's always a use in you and me
However, you and I can always be valuable to each other
Maybe ain't no use in watchin' through the window
Perhaps it's pointless to observe our surroundings from afar
As the towns and our lives roll on by
As the world keeps turning and we experience life
Maybe it ain't worth all the trouble in thinkin'
Perhaps thinking too much isn't worth the effort
But there's always use in you and I
Still, we can always be useful to each other
We can make it true
We have the power to make our dreams a reality
We can work on it too
We can put in the effort to achieve our goals
We can be what we want it to be
We can become whoever we aspire to be
We can be together
We can join forces and collaborate
As two or as three
Whether it's just the two of us or with another person too
'Cause there's always use in you and me
Because we can always be valuable to one another
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: PEYROUX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kurt
on The Summer Wind
Unbelievable Saxophon solo!