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.
careless_love
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You fly though my head like wine
You've wrecked the life
Of many a poor girl
And you let me spoil this life of mine
Love, oh love, oh careless love,
In your clutches of desire
Then you set my very soul on fire
Love, oh love, oh careless love,
All my happiness bereft
'Cause you've filled my heart with weary old blues
Now I'm walkin' talkin' to myself
Love, oh love, oh careless love,
Trusted you now it's too late
You've made me throw my old friend down
That's why I sing this song of hate
Love, oh love, oh careless love,
Night and day I weep and moan
You brought the wrong man into this life of mine
For my sins till judgment I'll atone
The lyrics to "Careless Love" by Madeline Peyroux explore the complexities of love, particularly how it can be both intoxicating and destructive. The opening lines suggest that love is like wine, something that can be incredibly enjoyable but can also cause drunkenness and clouded judgment. The second stanza continues with this theme, using the image of being in the clutches of desire to describe how love has led the singer to break many true vows and has set their soul on fire.
As the song progresses, the tone shifts from one of intoxication to one of regret and pain. The third stanza implies that love has caused the singer to lose all happiness, filling their heart with "weary old blues." The final two stanzas suggest that the consequences of love's recklessness have been severe, with the singer now talking to themselves and singing a "song of hate" to the very thing they once trusted. The song concludes with the singer weeping and moaning over the wrong man that love has brought into their life, suggesting that they will be paying for their sins until judgment day.
Overall, "Careless Love" is a poignant exploration of the ups and downs of love, and how it can take us on a roller coaster ride of emotions. While love can give us immense joy and pleasure, it can also lead us down a path of destruction, causing us to lose sight of what truly matters.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, oh love, oh careless love,
Addressing love as the subject being discussed, with the adjectives 'careless' and 'oh' conveying the singer's negative feelings towards it.
You fly though my head like wine
Love is having a powerful effect on the singer's mind, similar to how wine might affect one's senses.
You've wrecked the life
Love has ruined the lives of many individuals, including the singer.
Of many a poor girl
The focus is on how love has negatively impacted women who are referred to as 'poor girls'.
And you let me spoil this life of mine
The artist blames love for allowing them to make poor life choices that have led them to their current state.
In your clutches of desire
Love is personified as having the ability to possess and control individuals through desire.
You've made me break a many true vow
The singer has betrayed their commitment to something or someone due to their feelings for love.
Then you set my very soul on fire
Love has ignited a passion within the artist that consumes their very being.
All my happiness bereft
The artist's happiness has been entirely stripped away due to their experiences with love.
'Cause you've filled my heart with weary old blues
Love has caused the artist to feel sadness and melancholy, with the blues being a metaphor for this feeling.
Now I'm walkin' talkin' to myself
The singer has been driven to madness as a result of their struggles with love, with the phrase 'walkin' talkin' to myself' suggesting they have lost touch with reality.
Trusted you now it's too late
The artist has placed their trust in love, but now realizes that it was a mistake that cannot be undone.
You've made me throw my old friend down
Love has caused the singer to betray someone they considered a friend.
That's why I sing this song of hate
The singer's negative experiences with love have led them to harbor feelings of hatred towards it, which they express through this song.
Night and day I weep and moan
The singer is in a constant state of emotional pain and expresses it through their tears and moans.
You brought the wrong man into this life of mine
The artist blames love for introducing them to someone who was not the right match for them.
For my sins till judgment I'll atone
The artist feels an overwhelming sense of guilt for their actions related to love and believes they will be punished for them in the afterlife.
Lyrics © HANDY BROTHERS MUSIC CO.,INC.
Written by: TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@irispereyra4780
Listen to the whole album, it's perfection!
@alexbrown5101
I agree
@MrNiceHk
it soo is
@franklinandrade3119
It is... she is great!
@andychang7137
it is~~~~
@yannisarzimanoglou7566
A lovely voice, arrangements, simplicity , sound and a cosmic voyage. Bravo...!! Listen to the whole album..!
@stevezettler3885
Can't get enough of this recording.
@JonTisch
My favorite song by this great artist. Although this is a cover, her voice is the new standard of jazz. Love this!!!
@christernordstrom8356
This has always been my favourite jazz/blues song and you have brought it to the utmost sofistication Thank you Madeleine
@jones616
Thank you ❤