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.
RAINBOW
Nerina Pallot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything I do just takes so long.
I don't know what's up with me
I'm swinging from a branch of my family tree...
So give me some of yours then, if you think it might get better
If you're sure you've got the answer, you know I'm going to let you...
Oh, you know it, you're shining like the rainbow
I could be black, I could be blue, I could be anything for you
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow.
I don't want your sympathy -
Just for you to worship me.
I just want to be adored, every day of every year.
So this is good, and this is bad, and I'm the only God you'll have...
Oh, do you dare to disagree?
So give me some of yours then, if you don't I'm gonna thieve it.
If you thought I was a good girl, you'd better not believe it.
Oh, you know it, you're shining like the rainbow
And the birds and bees all know your name
I could be black, I could be blue, I could be anything for you
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow.
I will be pink, I will be blue, I will be everything for you
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow...
Oh..you'd make me burn for you boy, why should I burn?
Why should I burn for you boy, why should I burn?
I'm just a girl, I'm just a girl...
I'm just a girl, I'm just a girl!
Oh, you know it, you're shining like the rainbow
And the birds and bees all know your name
I could be black, I could be blue, I could be anything for you
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow.
I will be pink, I will be blue, I will be everything for you
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow...
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow...
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow...
The lyrics to Nerina Pallot's song "Rainbow" explore themes of self-doubt and the desire for acceptance and validation from others. The singer sings about feeling like everything she does takes too long and not knowing what's wrong with her, suggesting feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. She then seeks validation from others, asking them for advice and to share their own experiences in order to improve her situation. However, she also expresses a desire to be worshipped and adored, implying a need for external validation and a lack of self-confidence.
The chorus sees the singer comparing herself to a rainbow, describing the brilliance and power that such a natural phenomenon holds. She expresses a willingness to change and be whatever the other person needs her to be in order to earn their affection, but only if they can offer her the same level of vibrancy and intensity that she sees in a rainbow.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the emotional struggles of seeking validation and acceptance from others, and the themes of insecurity, self-doubt and the desire for love and affection.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know where I go wrong -
I'm not sure what mistakes I'm making.
Everything I do just takes so long.
I feel like I'm slow at accomplishing things.
I don't know what's up with me
I don't understand what's going on with myself.
I'm swinging from a branch of my family tree...
I'm feeling a sense of detachment from my family.
So give me some of yours then, if you think it might get better
If you have a solution, please share it with me and I'll try it.
If you're sure you've got the answer, you know I'm going to let you...
I'm willing to take advice if you seem confident in it.
Oh, you know it, you're shining like the rainbow
You've got a special quality about you that's attracting attention.
And the birds and bees all know your name
Even nature seems to notice and acknowledge your presence.
I could be black, I could be blue, I could be anything for you
I'm willing to change or be whatever you want me to be.
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow.
I believe that you have the ability to bring out the best in me.
I don't want your sympathy -
Please don't feel sorry for me.
Just for you to worship me.
I prefer to be admired or respected rather than pitied.
I just want to be adored, every day of every year.
I want to feel loved and appreciated constantly.
So this is good, and this is bad, and I'm the only God you'll have...
I feel like I have a lot of control in our relationship.
Oh, do you dare to disagree?
Are you willing to stand up to me?
So give me some of yours then, if you don't I'm gonna thieve it.
If you refuse to comply, I may take what I want anyway.
If you thought I was a good girl, you'd better not believe it.
I may not be the person you think I am.
I will be pink, I will be blue, I will be everything for you
I'm willing to change or be whatever you want me to be.
Oh..you'd make me burn for you boy, why should I burn?
You make me feel passionate, but I question whether it's worth it.
Why should I burn for you boy, why should I burn?
I'm wondering if the intensity of my emotions is justified.
I'm just a girl, I'm just a girl...
I'm reminding you that I'm human and have my own flaws and vulnerabilities.
If you'd just shine your colour like the rainbow...
I believe that you have the ability to bring out the best in me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Nerina Pallot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cannonfodd
Dear Frustrated superstar is an exellent mix of many types of songs from Nerina. Beautiful!
nastyevilbunny
Hey this is good. She's very consistent, all her songs are lovely. Love Narina
MartiniTali
I think you're brilliant Nerina, honestly, you are
GracieLue2
this sounds JUUSSTT like fiona apple in the 90s. which is sooo good
Darren
Love this but she her "Fires" is such an improvement on her older stuff
Fuligin
:) Great Woman
AWayAway96
What a Woman.
GracieLue2
woah, you're so right
Frank Scott
I thought I knew it!