Her first single, "Torn", reached number 2 in the UK charts and became the most played song on the radio in 1998. "Torn" is originally written by Anne Preven, Scott Cutler and Phil Thornalley. In 1995, "Torn" was recorded by Preven's and Cutler's band Ednaswap, although the band would record several more versions prior and following Imbruglia's hit recording. The first released version of "Torn", though, was a 1993 version by Danish singer Lis Sørensen, entitled "Braendt". Norwegian singer Trine Rein had a hit with an English language version of "Torn" in her home country, a year prior to Imbruglia's million selling single. Co-writer Phil Thornalley was involved in all of these versions and eventually offered the song to Natalie Imbruglia, whose album he produced. Imbruglia initially declined recording the song, stating she didn't want to do a cover. Ironically, "Torn" did not only become her biggest hit, it also became her signature song.
Following "Torn", Natalie's debut album "Left of the Middle", released on November 1997, became a million seller. Further singles ("Big Mistake", "Wishing I Was There", and "Smoke"), again proved to be hits in terms of radio and video airplay, but had a less than stellar chart run compared to "Torn".
In a 1999 cooperation with singer Tom Jones, she appeared on his duet album "Reload", on which the pair teamed up for a cover of INXS' ""Never Tear Us Apart".
Imbruglia's sophomore album, "White Lilies Island", was released in November 2001, although it met with significantly less success than its precursor. It did spawn the UK hit singles "That Day", "Wrong Impression" and "Beauty On The Fire".
She returned to acting in 2002 with a supporting role in British spy spoof Johnny English, playing alongside Rowan Atkinson. Natalie married her long-time boyfriend Daniel Johns, lead singer of Silverchair, on 31 December 2003.
In April 2005, Imbruglia released her third studio album "Counting Down The Days" in UK, which in its first week of sales hit number one on the album charts. The first single from this album "Shiver" became her longest running single on the UK charts since her debut "Torn" and also topped the UK Airplay charts for several weeks. The second single, the title track "Counting Down The Days", was released on 25 July 2005 and although it did not have as much success in the singles chart as "Shiver" it reignited interest in its parent album.
After "Counting Down the Days", Natalie switched labels and released in a greatest hits "Glorious: The Singles 97-07", which included five new tracks and was promoted by the single "Glorious".
Natalie's fourth studio album "Come to Life" was released on October 2009 in Europe, preceded by the music video of "Wild About It". The first official single issued on 28 September 2009, was "Want", a song written by Natalie Imbruglia, Daniel Johns (credited Kat Kourtney), Gary Clark and Chris Martin. The next single "Scars" was sent to radio in the UK on 22 March 2010; however, due to any support from radio networks, the single release was cancelled.
Appearances on other albums:
"Troubled by the Way We Came Together" on Go! O.S.T. (1999)
"Never Tear Us Apart" with Tom Jones on Reload (1999)
"Identify" on Stigmata O.S.T (1999)
"Cold Air" on Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too) O.S.T. (2001)
"Wrong Impression" (Radio Remix) on Mr. Deed O.S.T. (2002)
"Pineapple Head" on She Will Have Her Way (2005)
"All The Magic" on Winx Club O.S.T. (2007)
Cameo
Natalie Imbruglia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little closer and Ill prove
That I have something that you crave
But you know all about it
Try
Give me a minute of your time
And l can figure out a way
Cos I am drawn to you and
Everybody stares when you walk in the room
But you keep disappearing
Have I told you you're my cameo?
Wont you love it baby
Here we go
Cameo
Leave
Or you will find yourself in need
Of something more than you can take
And it'll drive you wild
I was a slave
To every signal that you gave
You had me ready for the chase
And there was no denying
Cos I am drawn to you and
Everybody stares when you walk in the room
But you keep disappearing
Have I told you you're my cameo?
Wont you love it baby
Here we go
Cameo
The lyrics of Natalie Imbruglia's "Cameo" tell the story of someone who is drawn to another person who seems to be a mystery. The singer is clearly fascinated by this person, as evidenced in the lines "Move/A little closer and I'll prove/That I have something that you crave/But you know all about it." She is trying to get their attention, and promises to make it worth their while if they just give her a chance. She's clearly enamored with this person, saying "Have I told you you're my cameo?/Won't you love it baby/Here we go/Cameo."
However, the object of her affections keeps disappearing, and she warns them that if they leave again, they will find themselves in need of something they can't handle. The singer reveals that she was once a slave to this person's signals, ready to jump at any opportunity to chase them. Despite being drawn to them, she also seems frustrated with their elusiveness, which is hinted at in the lines "But you keep disappearing."
Overall, the lyrics of "Cameo" are an ode to the thrill of attraction, but also highlight the frustrations that can come with not being able to fully connect with someone you are drawn to. The song is a great example of Imbruglia's talent for creating catchy pop tracks with lyrics that have depth and nuance.
Line by Line Meaning
Move
I want you to come a bit closer to feel the attraction that I hold.
A little closer and Ill prove
If you move closer, I can show you firsthand that what I offer is something that you are looking for.
That I have something that you crave
I possess something which you have been longing for and cannot resist.
But you know all about it
You are fully aware of what I offer and its potential effects on you.
Try
I want you to give me a chance to prove to you that what I offer is worth your time.
Give me a minute of your time
If you can spare me just a moment to hear me out, it will be worth it.
And l can figure out a way
I am confident that I can come up with a solution that will benefit both of us.
To make it worth your while
I will ensure that what I offer you, will make your time and effort worthwhile.
Cos I am drawn to you and
I am attracted to you because of a certain charisma that you possess.
Everybody stares when you walk in the room
Everyone notices you, and you command attention when you enter any room or space.
But you keep disappearing
Despite being someone who demands attention, you tend to shy away and keep to yourself.
Have I told you you're my cameo?
Do you know that you are the leading role in my life like a character in a movie, which is called a cameo?
Wont you love it baby
Won't you enjoy being the center of my world and basking in the attention that comes with it?
Here we go
Let's begin this new phase together.
Leave
If you remain in my life, it will inevitably lead to more intense emotions and attachments that you may not be able to handle.
Or you will find yourself in need
Otherwise, you will eventually realize that you need more from me than you initially thought.
Of something more than you can take
You will require more from a relationship with me than you expected, and it may overwhelm you.
And it'll drive you wild
The intensity of my affection may become too much to handle for you, and you may lose control over your emotions.
I was a slave
I was devoted to you like a loyal servant without any personal needs or desires of my own.
To every signal that you gave
I read into every move and gesture that you made, interpreting them as signs of affection.
You had me ready for the chase
You made me believe that there was a possibility of us having a relationship together, and I was chasing after that dream.
And there was no denying
I could not resist your subtle charms, and I was drawn to you despite seeing potentially negative consequences.
Contributed by Alexander O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.