Franks grew up in southern California with his father Gerald, his mother Betty and younger sister Christine who is the mother of Connor Sullivan (The lead singer of The Royal Nonesuch). Although no one in his family played music, his parents loved swing music and his early influences included Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Johnny Mercer. At age 14 Franks bought his first guitar, a Japanese Marco Polo for $29.95 with six private lessons included - the only music education that he received.
At University High in Irvine, Franks discovered the poetry of Theodore Roethke with his off-rhymes and hidden meter. In high school, he began singing folk-rock, accompanying himself on guitar. Studying English at UCLA Michael discovered Dave Brubeck, Patti Page, Stan Getz, João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Miles Davis. He never studied music in college or later, but earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in comparative literature in 1966 and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Oregon in 1968. He had a teaching assistantship in a Ph.D. program in American literature at the University of Montreal before returning to teach part-time at UCLA.
During this time Franks started writing songs, starting with the antiwar musical Anthems in E-flat starring Mark Hamill. He also composed music for the films Count Your Bullets, Cockfighter, and Zandy's Bride, starring Liv Ullmann and Gene Hackman. Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee recorded three of his songs, including "White Boy Lost in the Blues" on their album Sonny & Brownie. Franks played guitar, banjo and mandolin on the album and joined them in touring. In 1973, he recorded an eponymous album, later reissued as Previously Unavailable, which included the minor hit "Can't Seem to Shake This Rock 'n Roll".
In 1975 Franks released his second album The Art of Tea, beginning a long relationship with Warner Brothers Music. The Art of Tea featured Joe Sample, Larry Carlton and Wilton Felder of The Crusaders and included the hit song "Popsicle Toes". His third album, Sleeping Gypsy (1977), which includes the song "The Lady Wants to Know", was partially recorded in Brazil. Around this time, percussionist Ray Armando gave Franks a cabasa, which became a signature instrument for him to play on stage when he was not playing guitar. Burchfield Nines (1978), which includes the song "When the Cookie Jar Is Empty", reflects his move to New York City and features more of an East Coast sound. Since then, Franks has recorded more than 15 albums.
His best known works include "When I Give My Love to You", "Popsicle Toes", "Monkey See, Monkey Do", "Tiger in the Rain", "Rainy Night in Tokyo", and "Tell Me All About It". His biggest hit came in 1983 with "When Sly Calls (Don't Touch That Phone)" from the album Passionfruit. Radio hits include "Your Secret's Safe With Me" from 1985's Skin Dive, and "Island Life" from 1987s The Camera Never Lies.
Heart Like An Open Book
Michael Franks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Assuming my heart could remain concealed
You sure were full of surprises
Saw through me - my secrets were soon revealed
To crash all my coconuts down you shook
Examined my heart like an open book
And weak from your sweet Ingrid Bergman look
(Take you time, just continue reading me)
Quite an ecstatic sensation, surrender
What more is there left to say?
I cling to one consolation, remember
That love's a game two much play
Kissing in the kitchen while you cook
I see your heart too is an open book
I flash my perfected Rhett Butler look
You hand me you heart like an open book
(All the time I continue reading you)
The lyrics of Michael Franks's song "Heart Like An Open Book" portray vulnerability, surrender and the act of letting go. The singer puts his "faith in disguises" and hides his emotions, hoping to preserve his heart. However, his love interest was able to see through him and reveal his secrets. Despite initially feeling weak and exposed, the singer eventually surrenders to the "ecstatic sensation" of love and realizes that it's a game that two must play. The song also references the classic films "Casablanca" and "Gone with the Wind," alluding to the emotions and drama of love in these famous movies.
Overall, the song is about the act of falling in love and allowing oneself to be vulnerable. The singer realizes that it's impossible to hide his heart and decides to take the risk of opening up, despite feeling scared and uncertain.
Line by Line Meaning
I put my faith in disguises
I tried to hide my true feelings and intentions behind a mask
Assuming my heart could remain concealed
Believing that I could keep my heart secret and protected from others' sight
You sure were full of surprises
You exceeded my expectations and amazed me with your insight
Saw through me - my secrets were soon revealed
You easily identified my true self and my hidden feelings
To crash all my coconuts down you shook
You made me realize my vulnerabilities and broke down my defenses
Examined my heart like an open book
You scrutinized my heart and understood my emotions without me telling you
And weak from your sweet Ingrid Bergman look
Your charming appearance made me feel powerless and captivated me deeply
I gave you my heart like an open book
I revealed my true feelings and emotions to you without any hesitation
(Take you time, just continue reading me)
Please take your time to understand me better and know my true self
Quite an ecstatic sensation, surrender
It was a euphoric feeling to give in to my emotions and trust you completely
What more is there left to say?
There is nothing more to express as my heart is now an open book to you
I cling to one consolation, remember
I hold onto one hope, that love is a game for two people to enjoy
That love's a game two much play
Love is a wonderful experience that should be enjoyed by both partners equally
Kissing in the kitchen while you cook
We are so comfortable with each other that we can share intimate moments even while doing mundane tasks
I see your heart too is an open book
I can also understand your emotions as you have also revealed your true self to me
I flash my perfected Rhett Butler look
I try to impress you with my charm and sophistication like Rhett Butler from 'Gone with the Wind'
You hand me your heart like an open book
You also show me your true self and trust me with your emotions
(All the time I continue reading you)
I am still trying to understand you better and know your true self completely
Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.