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.
Don’t Misunderstand
Melody Gardot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't mind if you ebb and flow
River-bound or a river stream
I don't question what the future means
I said now, mmm
I want you
I want you
I want you
I want you
I want you
I want you
Who we are is what we got
Whether fire or flame or not
Take me in under your embrace
I will be your kindlin' place
I said now, mmm
I want you
I want you
I want you
I want you
I want you
I want you
I want you
We are who we are
Who we are
We do what we can
When we can
We only have gotten this far now
So don't misunderstand
Don't misunderstand
Who I am
Come on, baby
Don't misunderstand me now
Come on, baby
Don't misunderstand
No, go on, take it like a man
Don't you go misunderstand
In Melody Gardot's song "Don't Misunderstand," the singer expresses her acceptance of the impermanence of relationships. She states that she is okay with how her partner comes and goes, just like a river ebbs and flows. She doesn't question what the future holds, but instead focuses on the present moment. Despite this nonchalant attitude, she declares her love and desire for her partner repeatedly, wanting them to know how she feels.
The chorus acknowledges that who they are and what they have is all they've got, whether it's passionate and fiery or calm and steady. The singer then asks her partner to accept her fully and take her in their loving embrace, promising to be their kindling place. The song concludes with the repeated chorus reminding listeners that they are who they are and have come this far in their relationship, so there should be no misunderstandings.
Overall, the song is a poignant reminder of the transience of relationships and the importance of cherishing the present moment. The singer's acceptance of her partner's movements makes this song so realistic and relatable. We all have people who come and go in our lives, but it is up to us to make the most of the time we spend with them.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm okay how you come and go
I'm fine with you entering and exiting my life at different times
I don't mind if you ebb and flow
I don't care if your presence increases and decreases
River-bound or a river stream
Whether you are on a path in life or just going with the flow
I don't question what the future means
I'm not concerned about the future or the fate of our relationship
I want you
I desire you
Who we are is what we got
Our true selves define us
Whether fire or flame or not
Regardless of whether our passion is burning bright or not
Take me in under your embrace
Hold me close to you
I will be your kindlin' place
I will be the one to ignite your passion
We are who we are
Our identity is fixed
Who we are
Our true selves
We do what we can
We make the best of what we have
When we can
In the moment
We only have gotten this far now
We've only come a certain distance so far
So don't misunderstand
Don't mistake my intentions or feelings
Come on, baby
Let's talk this out
No, go on, take it like a man
Don't be overly emotional or sensitive about it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MELODY GARDOT, JESSE HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind