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.
Put Your Hands Up
Nerina Pallot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wasn't looking out for anything.
My boat had just set sail,
I was flying as the wind prevailed.
What did you think you were doing, doing?
I couldn't shake loose, not from you, not from you.
I couldn't shake loose, now I don't mind.
Put your hands up,
Say you won't stop
Giving me love,
Cos I need you to feel me, feel me.
Put your hands up,
Say you won't stop
Giving me love
I don't care if it's greedy, greedy.
Whatever you want, you've got it.
Whatever you do I'm on it.
Whatever you want, you've got it,
Just put your hands up.
I was a lonely girl,
Swimming lost in the widest sea.
But the truth of it,
There ain't no man could ever get to me.
Now I just see stars when I'm with you.
This is my heart that I give you.
What did you do with your voodoo, voodoo child?
What did you do to me?
Put your hands up,
Say you won't stop
Giving me love,
Cos I need you to feel me, feel me.
Put your hands up,
Say you won't stop
Giving me love
I don't care if it's greedy, greedy.
Whatever you want, you've got it.
Whatever you do I'm on it.
Whatever you want, you've got it,
Just put your hands up.
Put your hands up.
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Put your hands up.
(Oooooooh)
Put your hands up,
Say you won't stop
Giving me love,
Cos I need you to feel me, feel me.
Put your hands up,
Say you won't stop
Giving me love
I don't care if it's greedy, greedy.
Whatever you want, you've got it.
Whatever you do I'm on it.
Whatever you want, you've got it,
Just put your hands up
Put your hands up now,
Come on and put your hands up now.
Whatever you want you've got it,
Just put your hands up
The song Put Your Hands Up by Nerina Pallot is a love song about finding unexpected love when one wasn't looking for it. The opening lines of the song - "Oh it's the strangest thing, I wasn't looking out for anything" - establish that the singer didn't expect to find love, but it happened anyway. The line "My boat had just set sail, I was flying as the wind prevailed" suggests that the singer was enjoying life and not actively searching for romance. However, she met someone who she couldn't shake loose from, and she didn't mind. The chorus of the song, "Put your hands up, Say you won't stop Giving me love," communicates the singer's desire for her lover to show her affection, and her willingness to be greedy for his love.
The second verse of the song reveals that the singer was once a "lonely girl" lost at sea, but her lover has brought her to shore. She sees stars when she is with him, and she has given him her heart. The line "What did you do with your voodoo, voodoo child? What did you do to me?" expresses the singer's bewilderment at how her lover has captured her heart. The chorus is repeated and reinforces the idea that the singer wants her lover to put his hands up and give her love.
Overall, Put Your Hands Up is a joyful and upbeat love song about finding unexpected romance and being unapologetic in one's desire for love.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh it's the strangest thing,
It's amazing how I wasn't expecting to find love but I did.
I wasn't looking out for anything.
I wasn't seeking a romantic relationship.
My boat had just set sail,
I had just begun a new chapter in my life.
I was flying as the wind prevailed.
I was feeling free and confident.
What did you think you were doing, doing?
What were you trying to accomplish with your actions?
I couldn't shake loose, not from you, not from you.
I couldn't resist your charm and attraction.
Now I don't mind.
I am now happy to have found love and to be with you.
Put your hands up,
Raise your hands in celebration.
Say you won't stop
Promise to never stop showing me love and affection.
Giving me love,
Showing me kindness and affection.
Cos I need you to feel me, feel me.
Because I need your love to feel complete and happy.
I don't care if it's greedy, greedy.
I don't mind wanting more love and being greedy about it.
Whatever you want, you've got it.
You can have anything you want from me.
Whatever you do I'm on it.
I am ready to support and be there for you no matter what you do.
Just put your hands up.
Celebrate our love with me.
I was a lonely girl,
I felt lonely and lost before I met you.
Swimming lost in the widest sea.
Feeling lost and alone in the world.
But the truth of it,
The reality is that no man had ever gotten through to me.
There ain't no man could ever get to me.
No man had ever touched my heart like you have.
Now I just see stars when I'm with you.
Being with you makes me feel over the moon and truly happy.
This is my heart that I give you.
I am giving you all of me and my heart.
What did you do with your voodoo, voodoo child?
What magic did you use on me to make me fall in love?
What did you do to me?
What have you done to my heart and my feelings?
Put your hands up now,
Celebrate our love and happiness now.
Come on and put your hands up now.
Let's raise our hands together in celebration of our love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW VINCENT CHATTERLEY, NERINA NATASHA GEORGINA PALLOT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leopoldinedur1120
Nerina is one of the best musicians, yet so underrated! She deserves the top ❤
@nickgreen4731
Absolutely. This song is like mainlining pure happiness. And the video is so clever and fun. It is impossible to watch and not feel better for it.
@Umbrella2
I hate how under-appreciated she still is, I love this lady, wonderful voice, charisma and lyrics.
@Thedaisyjaynes
I can’t believe this was 8 years ago! I feel old and I’ve also realised I’ve been following Nerina for 15 years. That’s the longest I’ve stuck with anything... even my husband 😂
@cygil1
Personally it feels like 18 years ago. So I'm happy it was less time than I thought.
@dirtybasiccasual
It's just so amazing. It's a dangerous combo: Class & world-quality. You can't find a better songwriter these days, She is one of a kind. Deserve a whole lot more attention.
@natureclips5849
I hope nerina gets 1 more song with massive airplay the world needs her voice
@chilli-badger
Love the 1 take video - been loving this for ---- well along time - who else ? put your hands up ?
@MarkWardReacts
Can't believe people don't like this video - I think it's genius! One shot and builds and builds.. love the end of it where everyone comes back into it. I don't think I've seen anything so joyful in a pop video for years! I actually came back to watch it tonight for the first time in a year or so just to cheer myself up! :)
@girllovemusic1
i cnt understand it either its great !but still nt as famous as othr songs/artists! i watched years ago nd i found it agn yay thank god.