Pallot was born in London, but spent most of her childhood on the island of Jersey. Her mother is from India, whilst her father is native born from Jersey. Early in life, she spent some time living in India, but spent most of her early school years in Jersey. From there she won a scholarship to Wellington College, a famous military public school in England. Her time at this school provides much of the personal inspiration behind her single Everybody’s Gone to War as several of her school friends were directly involved in the Iraq war.
Nerina Pallot is classically trained in singing and piano, and then engaged in a peripatetic career around the fringes of the music industry. Outside these various industry-related jobs, Nerina Pallot was an active part-time musician with an ambition to follow a career in performing and song writing. At some point her career took her to her favourite job of this time, as PA to the music industry executive Andrew King; a key figure in the management of Pink Floyd from its earliest days. Still following her ambition to pursue a musical career, Pallot signed to Polydor in her mid-20s, despite misgivings from Andrew King. This signing resulted in the release of an album containing self-penned songs; the ironically titled Dear Frustrated Superstar (2001). However, singles released from this album failed to make a sales mark as did the album. Following this, Nerina Pallot was dropped by Polydor among some bitter recriminations which are documented on her web site. This experience was later to lead to the writing of Mr. King, a touching, and very probably unique tribute to a senior music industry executive.
Following this episode, Nerina Pallot returned to University to study English with a partially formed plan to become an English teacher. However, during her studies she rekindled a love of lyrical English and started to write again. The song Idaho came from this period, using the state as a metaphor for the place where she wanted to actively steer her life, rather than just letting it drift. Idaho, Mr. King, and Everybody’s Gone to War became three of the tracks that made up her second album Fires. This was, in part, financed by money from her publishers, Chrysalis, who had remained faithful, and partly through re-mortgaging her home. As important was the extensive good-will and contacts that she could call upon within the industry in both London and Los Angeles. The eventual album was released under her own label Idaho which, despite rave reviews, failed to make significant sales headway. This, and subsequent activities, lead to an early termination of her degree course, but she has expressed a desire to complete it.
Nerina Pallot persisted by extensively touring the country, and sometimes Europe, supporting acts such as Missy Higgins, Sheryl Crow, James Blunt, Suzanne Vega, Joseph Arthur, and Ray LaMontagne. This, and a very active and acerbic presence on MySpace resulted in a considerable word-of-mouth following. Typical of many of her contemporary artists in the Internet world, she is strongly supported by a group of dedicated fans, connected via so-called social networking sites. Nerina Pallot also benefits from support within influential parts of the media including the BBC.
Eventually this activity and support resulted in Nerina Pallot being signed to the Warner label 14th Floor who specialise in promoting acts with a partially established following. Fires received a slight makeover, and was re-released under the 14th Floor label. Everybody’s Gone to War was released as a single with a video filmed in a Los Angeles supermarket in the style of a Hollywood war film, save being staged as a “food-fight”. A second single, a remixed Sophia, was released in early October 2006. Learning to Breathe is to be released in early 2007 as the third single under the 14th Floor label.
During the summer of 2006 Nerina appeared at many music festivals, promotional and charity events. For the autumn months she is touring intensively in the UK and Europe as a headline act.
During her early 2007 tour of the UK and Ireland, Nerina Pallot reprised several songs from her Dear Frustrated Superstar period, possibly marking a coming to terms with a dark period in her career.
In 2007 Nerina Pallot was nominated for a Brit Award in the Best British Female category won by Amy Winehouse. Such was the unexpected nature of this nomination to her, that she had already set the date, St. Valentine’s day 2007 for her marriage to the music video producer Andrew Chatterley, both briefly leaving the reception in London for the award show.
Nerina Pallot released her third studio album "The Graduate" in 2009, on her own label. Nerina worked with many writers for the album but when it came down to the final tracklist only Pallot written material has made the cut. She wrote in her blog that she had approximately 60 viable songs. The album title refers to Pallot's 2009 graduation from university with a first-class honours English Literature degree.
Nerina Pallot and her husband Andy Chatterly wrote the title track and third single, "Better Than Today" from Kylie Minogue's 2010 studio album, "Aphrodite". Pallot signed with Geffon Records and released "Year Of The Wolf" in 2011. The album's title comes from her son, Wolfie, with whom she was pregnant during the recording of the album. Lead single "Put Your Hands Up" was originally written for Kylie Minogue.
I Think
Nerina Pallot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That stuff didn't bother me because I had potential
There was always a tomorrow
Always something better than today
Now I'm not a kid and you know what's funny?
I don't feel so grown-up
I only feel afraid these days
And now here comes that tomorrow and I only
So don't pick on me
Don't give me your shit, don't give me your shit
We've all got problems
We're living with it, we're living it
Just keep on going
And that is the trick, that is the trick
And I think I think I think I think
I think I think too much
When I was a kid well my dad made money
Damn, we hardly saw him
My brother'd say the same thing too
Oh Daddy, Daddy, Daddy where were you?
Where were you when we needed you?
But you play the hand you get and you worry some
You make the best of a situation
I'd probably do the same as you
I would too, I would too
You got to hang onto each other
Hold onto what we got and not let go
No, no, no!
Don't pick on me
Don't give me your shit, don't give me your shit
We've all got problems
We're living with it, we're living it
Just keep on going
And that is the trick, that is the trick
And I think I think I think I think
I think I I I...
I'm doing my best here
C'mon and give me a break, give me a break
It's all I can do now
It's all I can take, it's all I can take
I get so downhearted, I do
I get so downhearted, oh I do, I do
So don't pick on me
Don't give me your shit, don't give me your shit
We've all got problems
We're living with it, we're living it
Just keep on going
And that is the trick, that is the trick
And I think I think I think I think
Too much, I know I do
I think I think I think I think
I think I'm just like you
I, I, I do
When I was a kid and I had no money
That stuff didn't bother me, oh no
The lyrics of Nerina Pallot’s song “I Think” explore the complexities of growing up and the struggles that come with it. The song looks back at the innocence of childhood and contrasts it with the harsh realities of adulthood. Pallot reflects on how, as children, not having money did not seem like a problem because there was always the promise of tomorrow and the belief that things would be better. However, as adults, the same promise of tomorrow can be filled with anxiety and fear. Pallot's sombre tone embodies the feeling of being overwhelmed by the weight of the world and the disappointments of life.
The repetition of the phrase “I Think” throughout the song draws attention to the constant stream of thoughts that can plague a person's mind. The lyrics also touch on themes of familial relationships and disappointment. Pallot shares her experience of growing up with a father who was always working and how that led to feelings of abandonment. She acknowledges that despite the hardships and imperfections of life, it is essential to hold onto each other and not give up.
Overall, the song speaks of the universal struggles of navigating adulthood while trying to hold onto the hope and optimism of youth. It is a reminder to keep moving forward and to know that everyone struggles with their own problems.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a kid and I had no money
Growing up, my lack of financial resources didn't bother me because I had potential.
There was always a tomorrow
Being young, I believed that there was always a better future waiting for me.
Now I'm not a kid and you know what's funny?
As an adult, I don't feel very grown-up, instead I feel afraid most of the time.
And now here comes that tomorrow and I only
Despite my past beliefs, I now feel like running away from the future.
Want to run away
I wish to avoid facing the future and the uncertainties that come with it.
We've all got problems
Everyone experiences difficulties in their lives.
Just keep on going
It's important to persevere and not give up, no matter how difficult things become.
And that is the trick
The key to success is to keep pushing forward, even in the face of adversity.
When I was a kid well my dad made money
As a child, my father earned a good income, but he was hardly around.
You make the best of a situation
One must always try to make the most of their situation, regardless of the circumstances.
You got to hang onto each other
We need to support and depend on each other in difficult times.
I'm doing my best here
I'm trying my hardest, even if it doesn't seem like it.
It's all I can do now
I've reached my limit and can't do any more.
I get so downhearted, I do
Sometimes I feel very disheartened and discouraged.
I think I'm just like you
I believe that we all face similar struggles and hardships, and I'm not alone in my feelings.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NERINA NATASHA GEORGINA PALLOT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind