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.
Over The Rainbow
Melody Gardot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind meWhere troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh, why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh, why can't I?
Melody Gardot's rendition of "Over The Rainbow" is an emotive take on the classic tune from The Wizard of Oz. The first verse conjures a magical image of a faraway place, a land that's only been heard of in a lullaby. The portrayal of a place that exists only in the realm of imagination is aptly tied to the lyrics in the second verse. While the skies over the rainbow might be blue, what really pulls at the heartstrings is the notion that the dreams you dare to dream can actually come true if you believe in them. These lines speak to the childhood innocence that is lost when we grow older and our dreams become more grounded in reality.
The singer's wistful longing for a place where troubles melt away at the drop of a hat, where everything seems possible, is echoed in the third verse. There's a sense of escape from the mundane, where one can dream big and lofty. The lyrics paint a beautiful picture of a place where one can be free from worry and live life to the fullest. The final verse captures the singer's despair at not being able to attain that place. The parallel drawn between happy bluebirds flying over the rainbow and the singer's own helplessness to do so speaks volumes.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There is a place far beyond our reach.
There's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby
Years ago I heard of a magical place that only existed in a dream.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
The sky is always blue in this heavenly land.
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
In this magical land, all your dreams and aspirations come true, no matter how impossible they may seem.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
One day, I'll make a wish, and when I wake up, all my problems and worries will be left behind.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
In this magical land, all your troubles will disappear, like melting sugar in tea, and that's where I'll be.
Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh, why can't I?
How come, even though bluebirds can fly into this magical land, I'm still grounded?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh, why can't I?
If these small and frail creatures can make it into the land of dreams, then why can't I, a person with purpose and deams?
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kamillavegso9260
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh, why can't I?
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh, why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
@Izzy1949able
I love Melody's version of "Over the Rainbow". Her velvety and husky voice wraps you up like a soft blanket! Wonderfully jazzy!
@KenNickels
she has a rare vibrato that can bring one to tears ... the beautiful string arrangements are also stellar.
@artxploiter
I cry every time I hear this version. But tears of joy because of the simple artistic arrangement and angelic voice. The voice from the music Gods...
@kdotcomy
Fantastic artist, a voice that stands out. I heard her live in Stavanger, Norway and it was an pleasurably evening.
@pmotilla
Simply, irresisteble.... what a nice voice, what a nice version, it drove me to the stars...
@jg1205
If you're going to cover a classic, make it your own, make it new, make it special, Gardot has done ALL of that, the superb original now has a happy and upbeat tone, and a sexy little samba. Really wonderful.
@СильверАлый
Увидев название мирового хита в Её исполнении, можно не сомневаться - Вы услышите абсолютно новое и очаровательное прочтение! 👏💐
@Mermaid587
I´ve heard it yesterday on the radio and I fell in love with the song and with her voice.
@RockStudioLive
Everything Melody does is exotic and wonderful!
@ArandoMarquez
So let's go together over the rainbow! Beautiful voice..... With love from România!!!