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.
The Kind You Can't Afford
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got rented flat.
You got Persian kittens;
I got tabby cat.
You got art collections;
I got comic books.
You use plastic surgery;
You travel private jet;
I stand by overnight.
You romance with chandeliers;
I use candlelight
(Oh) There's one thing I got more
When I'm rich, you're poor
Is that real good lovin'
The kind you can't afford.
While you're enjoying banquets,
I'm eating cafй snacks.
You're in designer clothing-
I'm in plastic Macs.
Sippin' on a Napolean Brandy?
I'm slinging a can of beer.
Packing matching luggage?
I'm mostly staying here.
Your educated accent
Might beat the local slang.
Don't bet your staff and servants
Against my backstreet gang.
'Cause there's one thing I got more
When I'm rich, you're poor
Is that real good lovin'
The kind you can't afford.
Your dinner jacket and your ballroom gowns,
No warmer than my jeans.
Caviar?
No more filling than a can of beans.
Go to your class concerts,
I'll be with the local band.
You'll get brand-new everything,
I'll keep my second hand.
Ain't no fitted bathroom-
I got my water tap.
You think I'm full of envy?
I know where the money's at.
(Oh) There's one thing I got more
When I'm rich, you're poor
Is that real good lovin'
It's the kind
The kind
The kind you can afford.
You got palatial mansions,
I got rented flat.
You got Persian kittens,
I got tabby cat.
Cruising in a new Mercedes?
I'm broke down in a Ford.
You're out on your new yacht,
I'm on my surfing board.
Oohh, surfin' board.
In "The Kind You Can't Afford," Madeleine Peyroux presents a story about a lover who can't offer her the luxuries of a wealthy lifestyle, but instead provides her with the love that only comes from a deep emotional connection. This is illustrated through the lyrics that contrast their lifestyles; one owning palatial mansions while the other dwells in a rented flat, one owning Persian kittens while the other has a tabby cat, one owning an art collection while the other possesses comic books. Despite the differences in lifestyle, the singer is content because she has the "real good lovin'" that the affluent can't buy.
The lyrics also address themes of societal status and materialism; the wealthy are painted as having a life full of excess yet lacking the one thing the singer considers the most valuable: love. By presenting the wealthy as having plastic surgeries, designer clothes, private jets, and canapés that are no more filling than a can of beans, the song emphasizes the worthlessness of such materialistic trends. This theme transcends time and space, making it a relevant song in present times.
Line by Line Meaning
You got palatial mansions;
You have grand, luxurious houses;
I got rented flat.
I have a flat that is rented, rather than owned.
You got Persian kittens;
You possess Persian breed kittens.
I got tabby cat.
I have a cat which is a tabby breed.
You got art collections;
You own collections of valuable art.
I got comic books.
I have comic books instead.
You use plastic surgery;
You undergo surgeries for aesthetic purposes, using plastic material.
I stay the way I look.
I choose to maintain my natural appearance.
You travel private jet;
You fly via private jets.
I stand by overnight.
I wait overnight, and travel by any other means of transportation.
You romance with chandeliers;
You experience romantic moments with chandeliers.
I use candlelight
I rely on candlelight for romantic ambience.
(Oh) There's one thing I got more
I have one thing, which is greater than yours.
When I'm rich, you're poor
Your wealth becomes indigent when compared to mine.
Is that real good lovin'
It is a kind of love that cannot be bought with money.
While you're enjoying banquets,
While you indulge yourself in big feasts.
I'm eating café snacks.
I consume small bites, usually from a café.
You're in designer clothing-
You wear clothes designed by famous fashion designers.
I'm in plastic Macs.
I wear plastic raincoats.
Sippin' on a Napoléon Brandy?
Drinking expensive Napoléon brandy?
I'm slinging a can of beer.
I am drinking beer from a can, which is less expensive.
Packing matching luggage?
Packing matching sets of luggage?
I'm mostly staying here.
I do not travel much.
Your educated accent
Your accent, which is considered polished and elegant.
Might beat the local slang.
It may sound better than the commonly spoken language.
Don't bet your staff and servants
Do not bet that your hired help is better than mine.
Against my backstreet gang.
Against my friends from the streets.
Your dinner jacket and your ballroom gowns,
Your formal wear like dinner jackets and ballroom gowns.
No warmer than my jeans.
It does not provide any more warmth than my jeans.
Caviar?
Caviar, an expensive delicacy?
No more filling than a can of beans.
It is no more satiating than an ordinary bean can.
Go to your class concerts,
Attend your classical concerts.
I'll be with the local band.
I would rather listen to my neighborhood band.
You'll get brand-new everything,
You will always have new things.
I'll keep my second hand.
I am content with using previously owned things.
Ain't no fitted bathroom-
There is no bathroom with fittings or fixtures.
I got my water tap.
I make do with just a water tap.
You think I'm full of envy?
You assume I am envious of you.
I know where the money's at.
I know the value of money and what to do with it.
(Oh) There's one thing I got more
It is the same line as before, emphasizing my one and only advantage.
When I'm rich, you're poor
My wealth outshines yours.
Is that real good lovin'
It is a kind of love that cannot be bought with money.
It's the kind
The aforementioned love is special.
The kind
A way to restate the previous line.
The kind you can afford.
It cannot be bought with money but is rather a genuine connection and romantic bond.
Contributed by Olivia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tom Mitchell
Madeleine sounds GREAT on this... her producers should think about making her voice sound this clear/upfront on her CD's.
Kevin Smith
She sounded this clear live last night at the Sage Two, Gateshead!
lyesX
The fifty years playing of this unknown guitarist are now making him shining on the stage ! I wouldn't have expected to say that one day, but : Thanks Microsoft :D
Susan R
I got to see her in my area about 7 years ago. I love her style, her voice, her choices in lyrics, and I love her history, too. Busker in Paris....cool!
Ubiratan Vieira
Fantástico, simplesmente demais essa banda. Fortaleza/Ceará/Brasil
Yogi Bear
Totally cool! Just discovering Madeleine Peyroux - The guitarist is just good good good
Puppa Santana
Muito bom!!! Very good!!!
Cynthia Hamil
Great song, I love the jazz - very understated! This kind of reminds me of "Peel Me a Grape" - great song!
L YC
what an exceptional sound
Brent Jette
We visited a book store in Santa Barbara, CA 20 years ago and heard her first album. We bought it and have been huge fans ever since. An immense talent.