Melody Gardot (b. 1985) is a Grammy-nominated U.S. jazz singer, writer, and… Read Full Bio ↴Melody Gardot (b. 1985) is a Grammy-nominated U.S. jazz singer, writer, and musician.

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.

Get out of town
Melody Gardot Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Get out of town,
Before it's too late, my love
Get out of town,
Be good to me please

Why wish me harm?
Why not retire to a farm?
And be contented to charm?

The birds off the trees

(2X)
Just disappear
I care for you much too much
And when you are near,
Close to me, darling
We touch too much

The thrill when we meet
Is so bittersweet
That, darling, it's getting me down

So, on your mark, get set,
Get out of town...

Overall Meaning

In "Get out of town" by Melody Gardot, the lyrics suggest a failed romance that has caused the singer emotional distress. The first verse indicates a longing for the lover to leave before it's too late, indicating that the relationship is doomed to fail. The second verse poses several questions, suggesting confusion towards the lover's harmful behavior towards the singer. The line "And be contented to charm? The birds off the trees" implies that the lover may have been leading the singer on. The chorus repeats the plea for the lover to leave and hints at a fear of getting hurt. Finally, the last verse emphasizes the conflicting emotions felt by the singer. Although the thrill of being close to the lover is intense, it's also bittersweet as it leaves them feeling emotionally drained. The final plea for the lover to leave highlights the emotional pain and anxiety the singer feels in the relationship.

Overall, the song presents a melancholy tone that accurately describes the complexities of a difficult romance. The lyrics delve into the emotional turmoil that comes with the realization that a relationship is inevitably going to fail. The song's gentle melody works to highlight the tender emotions and deep feelings of the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

Get out of town,
Leave this place as soon as possible.

Before it's too late, my love
Leave before something bad happens, my dear.

Get out of town,
I implore you to leave this place.

Be good to me please
Please show me kindness and leave.

Why wish me harm?
Why cause me pain?

Why not retire to a farm?
Why not retire to a peaceful place?

And be contented to charm?
You can live there contented and charming.

The birds off the trees
You can sing and make the birds happy there.

Just disappear
Please, vanish from my sight.

I care for you much too much
I love you so much that your presence hurts me.

And when you are near,
When you are close to me,