Born on the 2nd February 1985 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gardot took up piano and played as a youngster on the nightclub scene of Philadelphia, influenced by jazz, folk, rock, and pop musics. At the age of nineteen she was a fashion student at the Community College of Philadelphia. While cycling in Philadelphia in November 2003 she was hit by a car whose driver had ignored a red traffic light. In the accident she suffered serious head and spinal injuries, and her pelvis was broken in two places. Because of these severe injuries she was confined to her hospital bed for a year. Her musical beginning was prompted by a tending physician who was concerned with her cognitive impairment as a result of head injury sustained in the accident. He believed that music would help her brain injury improve, as it has been known to show remarkable results in improving people's cognitive ability after such trauma.
Following her doctor's suggestion, Gardot made recordings bedside, while still unable to walk, and eventually released the works as an EP: Some Lessons: The Bedroom Sessions (2005). Gardot's desire to be well, combined with a bit of luck, brought her to the attention of a local radio DJ at the AAA station WXPN (known for launching the careers of artists such as Amos Lee and Norah Jones). Her cognitive powers slowly but surely became pronounced, leading to the independent recording and release of her debut CD, Worrisome Heart, which was reissued in 2007 by Verve records.
Gardot is hypersensitive to light and noise, so wears dark glasses; she also uses a cane to walk. Onstage she requires a special seating unit, and wears a Transcutaneous Electro-Nerve Stimulator, a TENS device, to assist in alleviating her neuralgic muscle pain. Though touring is difficult, she has been performing in major cities on the East Coast of the U.S. to support her recordings. In 2009, working with producer Larry Klein and arranger Vince Mendoza - both known for their work with Joni Mitchell - Gardot followed up her Verve debut with My One and Only Thrill.
In 2012, she released the album The Absence.
Cry Wolf
Melody Gardot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Always honest always right
You come off like a brave soul
Truthful and noble
And then you go
(refrain)
And lie to me Lie to me
Make me promises you can't keep
Why you always lie to me
Every time that we speak
I get dizzy I get weak
You don't know the things you say
You're quick to talk then walk away
And lie to me Lie to me
Make me promises you can't keep
Lie to me Lie to me
Why you always lie to me
You're always telling lies
You're always telling lies
Lie to me Lie to me
Make me promises you can't keep
Lie to me Lie to me
Why you always lie to me
In Melody Gardot's song, "Cry Wolf," she addresses the dishonesty and untrustworthiness of another person. The lyrics seem to be directed towards someone who presents themselves as an honorable and truthful person, but then goes on to repeatedly lie to Gardot. The first verse starts with the line, "You come off like a white knight," which implies that the person in question may see themselves as a hero figure. Gardot describes them as always honest and right, which could mean they have an overly confident and self-righteous attitude. She is taken in by the persona they present of being truthful and noble, only to later discover that they are not what they appear to be.
The refrain of "lie to me, make me promises you can't keep" repeats multiple times throughout the song, emphasizing that the person lies often and makes promises that they are unable to fulfill. Gardot becomes dizzy and weak when dealing with this person, which could allude to the emotional toll that repeatedly being lied to can take. The song ends on the line, "You're always telling lies," which again highlights the deceitful nature of the person in question.
Overall, "Cry Wolf" is a song about betrayal and the disappointment that comes with realizing that someone you thought was trustworthy has repeatedly lied to you. The lyrics convey the frustration and disillusionment that this can cause, expressing a sense of hurt at being deceived by someone who seemed to be a model of honesty and integrity.
Line by Line Meaning
You come off like a white knight
You give the impression of being a virtuous person.
Always honest always right
You always seem truthful and correct in your actions and words.
You come off like a brave soul
You give the impression of being courageous and bold.
Truthful and noble
You are perceived as honest and morally upright.
And then you go
However, your behavior changes unexpectedly.
And lie to me Lie to me
You make false statements to me, repeatedly.
Make me promises you can't keep
You give me commitments that you are incapable of fulfilling.
Every time that we speak
Whenever we communicate,
I get dizzy I get weak
I feel disoriented and vulnerable.
You don't know the things you say
You are unaware of the impact of your words on me.
You're quick to talk then walk away
You speak hastily and then retreat quickly.
You're always telling lies
You have a habit of constantly deceiving.
Why you always lie to me
Why do you consistently make false statements to me?
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lizielue3411
Her songs are always deep -so true to life. I really dig her voice.
@esj9103
Wow, she's good. Such meaningful songs with a beautiful voice.
@orlandofrancini3750
this is my favorite song ever. Thank you very much Melody Gardot.
@heatherbrown1880
her story of acceptance & healing through music.is wonder-ful.
@lydiembl
Un réel plaisir de pouvoir se laisser bercer par vos mélodies.....
Merci pour ces moments de bonheur.
Vive la musique !
@natashagrant6846
Simply beautiful
@joetwocows3935
No better relaxation music then this sweet voice!
@goldis21
~~ making promises you can't keep .....why ! her music is such a gift to the world, nice acoustic sound on this one ! kissesssssssss....
@NicolaMilan
Lovely! I hadn't heard her singing this song before. 💕
@Pauliszon
I fell in love, it's so simple and pure.