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.
Muddy Water
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Headed homebound just once more
To my Mississippi delta home
Southland got that grand garden spot
Although you believe or not
I hear those trees a-whispering
"Come on back to me"
Muddy water 'round my feet
Muddy water in the street
No God don't shelter
Down on the delta
Muddy water in my shoes
Reeling and rocking to them lowdown blues
They live in ease and comfort down there
I do declare
Been away a year today
To wander and roam
I don't care it's muddy there
But this is my home
Got my toes turned Dixie way
'Round the delta let me lay
My heart cries out for muddy water
Been away a year today
To wander and roam
I don't care it's muddy there
But this is my home
Got my toes turned Dixie way
'Round the delta let me lay
My heart cries out for muddy water
The song "Muddy Water" by Madeleine Peyroux is a nostalgic tribute to the Mississippi delta home where the singer grew up. The opening lines describe the peacefulness of the Dixie moonlight on the Swanee shore, as the singer heads homebound once more. The singer reflects on the beauty of the Southland and how the trees seem to be calling out to her, asking her to come back home.
As the singer arrives home, she is greeted by the familiar muddy water that surrounds her, as if it's been waiting for her return. Despite the difficulties that come with the muddy water and lowdown blues, the singer declares that she doesn't care because this is her home. As she puts her toes in the Dixie way, she feels a sense of belonging and yearning for this place.
Overall, the lyrics of the song express a mix of nostalgia, longing, and acceptance of the singer's roots and home, even if it means dealing with hardship and muddy water. The imagery of the song captures the essence of Mississippi delta, with its natural beauty, waterways, and blues music.
Line by Line Meaning
Dixie moonlight Swanee shore
The singer is reminiscing about the Dixie moonlight on the Swanee shore.
Headed homebound just once more
The singer is returning home after being away for some time.
To my Mississippi delta home
The singer is going back to their home in the Mississippi delta.
Southland got that grand garden spot
The South is a beautiful place to live.
Although you believe or not
Some people may not believe that the South is beautiful.
I hear those trees a-whispering
The singer feels a connection to the trees in the South.
"Come on back to me"
The trees are calling the singer back to the South.
Muddy water 'round my feet
The artist is standing in muddy water.
Muddy water in the street
The streets are also muddy.
No God don't shelter
Even God cannot protect the artist from the muddy water and difficult living conditions in the delta.
Down on the delta
This muddy water and difficult living conditions are specific to the Mississippi delta.
Muddy water in my shoes
The artist's shoes are wet and muddy from walking in the delta.
Reeling and rocking to them lowdown blues
The singer is listening to music and feeling the blues blues deeply.
They live in ease and comfort down there
Even though the conditions are difficult in the delta, people still manage to live comfortably there.
I do declare
The singer is making a strong declaration about their experiences in the delta.
Been away a year today
The artist has been away from home for a year.
To wander and roam
During this time away, the artist has been traveling and exploring.
I don't care it's muddy there
Despite the muddy conditions of the delta, the singer still loves it there.
But this is my home
The delta is the singer's true home.
Got my toes turned Dixie way
The artist is turning towards the South, and the delta specifically.
'Round the delta let me lay
The artist wants to lay down and rest in the delta.
My heart cries out for muddy water
The artist's heart longs for the muddy water and difficult conditions of the Mississippi delta.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Richman, Jo Trent, Peter De Rose
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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