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.
Everybody's Talkin'
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody's talkin' at me
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off the north east wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
[Chorus]
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off the north east wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
No I won't let you leave my love behind
No I won't let you leave my love behind
The lyrics in Madeleine Peyroux's song Everybody's Talkin' are clearly about someone who feels overwhelmed by the noise and chatter around them. They feel isolated and disconnected, and while others are talking and looking at them, they seem to be lost in their own thoughts. They see only shadows and echoes, rather than real human beings. They feel as if they are on a journey, where they want to go "where the sun keeps shining, through the pouring rain, going where the weather suits my clothes."
The repetition of the chorus "(Everybody's talkin' ...) and the use of the phrase "echoes of my mind" create an almost dreamlike quality to the song. The singer is struggling to find their place in the world and is searching for a sense of belonging or purpose. They want to break free from the noise and chaos around them, and their journey is a response to this feeling of being lost.
In the final lines of the song, the singer declares that they will not let their love be left behind, which suggests that the song is not just about being lost and disconnected, but also about the importance of connection and relationships with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talkin' at me
People are talking to me, but I am not paying attention
I don't hear a word they're saying
Their words don't register in my mind
Only the echoes of my mind
I am lost in thought, unable to engage with real-life conversations
People stopping, staring
Strangers are pausing to observe me
I can't see their faces
Their individual features are masked by the act of staring itself
Only the shadows of their eyes
All I can perceive are the dark pools of their pupils gazing at me
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
I'm seeking an eternal summer, an unchanging source of warmth and light
Through the pouring rain
Even when circumstances are wet and dismal, I won't turn back
Going where the weather suits my clothes
I'll travel to places where my current attire is fitting and appropriate
Backing off the north east wind
I will not be pushed around by external forces
Sailing on a summer breeze
I'll let the gentle winds guide me towards my destination
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I am moving fluidly and effortlessly towards my future
No I won't let you leave my love behind
I will hold onto my love without letting go, even if it means leaving everything else behind
No I won't let you leave my love behind
My love is a constant that cannot be abandoned
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Fred Neil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elena Zoia
Everybody's talkin' at me
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off the north east wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
Everybody's talking at me
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off the north east wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
No I won't let you leave my love behind
No I won't let you leave my love behind
Mays Shalash
I love how she takes her time, such a beautiful voice.
Clifton Jamison
A really cool version of a great tune...she always picks good songs and makes them her own.
Richard Light
Beautiful
John Gifford
Makes them better nearly every time too.
capone70
This is one of the most beautiful compositions I've ever heard; voice, rhythm, piano and bass. Perfect.
Lex C
Great song......smoothly, peacefully presented....
Marilu Parreiras
Apaixonante. Adoro sua voz, seus arranjos.
Rhondaapple
Love the drums on this! I enjoy singing this song on the gig. We use a latin beat.
Paul M
I absolutely love this song!
Devin Marbury
So nice to hear this one again