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 Talking
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 to Madeleine Peyroux's song "Everybody's Talking" paint a picture of someone who feels disconnected and out of touch with the world around them. The chorus repeats the phrase "Everybody's talkin' at me, I don't hear a word they're saying," emphasizing the singer's feelings of isolation and apathy towards the conversations and happenings around them. The line "Only the echoes of my mind" hints at the idea that the singer is caught up in their own thoughts and inner world, unable to fully engage with the world outside of them.
The verses further explore this theme, describing how people are "stopping, staring" but their faces are not visible, only the shadows of their eyes. This reinforces the idea that the singer is not truly present, and is viewing the world through a dissociative lens. The second verse introduces the idea of escapism, with the singer describing their desire to go "where the sun keeps shining through the pouring rain," and "where the weather suits my clothes." The concept of "skipping over the ocean like a stone" emphasizes the desire to break free and explore, unburdened by the weight of daily life.
The final line of the song, "No I won't let you leave my love behind," is a sudden shift in tone and communicates a sense of loss and fear. It is unclear who the singer is addressing, but it hints at the idea that their retreat into their own mind and desires could have negative consequences for their relationships and connections with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talkin' at me
Everyone around me is saying things to me
I don't hear a word they're saying
I am not listening to what they are saying
Only the echoes of my mind
I am only hearing the thoughts in my head
People stopping, staring
Random people are stopping and staring at me
I can't see their faces
I am unable to recognize them
Only the shadows of their eyes
I can only see their eyes through the shadows
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
I am going where the weather is always bright and cheerful
Through the pouring rain
Despite the heavy rain falls
Going where the weather suits my clothes
I am moving to a place where the climate is suited for my attire
Backing off the north east wind
I am avoiding the cold chill of the winter wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
I am effortlessly moving in the direction of flowing wind
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I am crossing the ocean playfully
No I won't let you leave my love behind
I cannot afford to let go of my love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FRED NEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kurt
on The Summer Wind
Unbelievable Saxophon solo!