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.
When Did I Become Such A Bitch?
Nerina Pallot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In my last life, all good girls would go to heaven
But I've a strangeness, a queer propensity
For twisting the knife too easily
When I think I'm getting better
I'm just getting worse
When I think I've got it made
When did I become such a bitch?
And how did I let this happen?
I don't know
When did I become such a bitch?
I used to be so nice
It's like a sickness
I'm powerless to stop it
My boring life, my little heart made misanthropic
Don't give me reasons, just give me therapy
But really, just give me what I want
When I think I'm getting better
I'm evil again
When I think I've got it fixed
I have familiar refrains
When did I become such a bitch?
And how did I let this happen?
I don't know
When did I become such a bitch?
I used to be so nice
Well I used to be alright
But I hate everyone and everything all of the time
And being so cruel
'Cause all the pleasure that I get
My wicked tongue helps me forget
Myself and all my foolish ways
'Cause being good is just so fucking boring
La la la it's boring
When I think I'm getting better
I'm just getting worse
When I think I've got it made
I am impossibly cursed
When I think that I'm better
I'm worse, yes I am
When I think that I'm better
I find that I'm cursed
When did I become such a bitch?
And how did I let this happen?
I don't know
When did I become such a bitch?
I used to be so nice once upon a time
When did I become such a bitch?
And how did I let this happen?
I don't know
When did I become such a bitch?
I used to be so nice
Well I used to be alright
The lyrics of "When Did I Become Such A Bitch?" by Nerina Pallot are a personal and introspective reflection on the singer's own personality and how it has changed over time. The song starts with a nostalgic reference to a bygone era, where being a "good girl" was expected and rewarded. However, the singer acknowledges that she is, in fact, quite different from that ideal. She has a "queer propensity" for hurting others, and she seems almost addicted to the power she feels when she twists the knife.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly aware of her own dysfunctionality, but also more resigned to it. She feels like an addict who is "powerless to stop" her own self-destructive behavior. At the same time, she seems to revel in her own wickedness, finding pleasure in her cruelty and dismissive attitude towards others. She even suggests that being "good" is just too boring for her, and that she prefers the excitement and unpredictability of being a "bitch".
Overall, the song is a complex and nuanced exploration of the singer's own psyche, and it raises broader questions about the nature of personality, identity, and personal responsibility. It acknowledges the difficulty of changing oneself, but also the dangers of complacency and self-absorption. By confronting the darker corners of herself, the singer reveals a deep vulnerability and raw honesty that is both difficult and rewarding to listen to.
Line by Line Meaning
In Sears and Roebuck in 1957
A time and a place from a past life where good girls were expected to go to heaven.
In my last life, all good girls would go to heaven
In a previous life, women were expected to be good and go to heaven.
But I've a strangeness, a queer propensity
There is something inside the singer that makes her think and feel differently than others.
For twisting the knife too easily
The artist has a tendency to exacerbate problems or situations.
When I think I'm getting better
The artist believes they are making progress towards being a kinder person.
I'm just getting worse
However, the singer's behavior is actually deteriorating.
When I think I've got it made
The singer believes they have achieved personal growth.
I am impossibly cursed
But they are actually stuck in an unchanging, negative behavior pattern.
When did I become such a bitch?
The artist is questioning when her negative behavior became her defining characteristic.
And how did I let this happen?
The artist wonders how she became such a mean person.
I don't know
The singer is uncertain of the answers to her own questions.
I used to be so nice
The artist believes she was once a much kinder person.
It's like a sickness
The negative behavior is a compulsion or addiction.
I'm powerless to stop it
The singer feels unable to change this behavior on her own.
My boring life, my little heart made misanthropic
The singer's mundane life and small-hearted nature have led her to dislike humanity.
Don't give me reasons, just give me therapy
The artist doesn't want reasons for her behavior, she wants to fix it with therapy.
But really, just give me what I want
Ultimately, the artist wants what she desires, not necessarily what is best for her.
But I hate everyone and everything all of the time
The singer's negative behavior includes hating most things, most of the time.
And being so cruel
The singer takes pleasure in being cruel to others.
'Cause all the pleasure that I get
The artist enjoys the rush of being mean to others.
My wicked tongue helps me forget
The artist's insults and hurtful words distract her from her own flaws and problems.
Myself and all my foolish ways
The artist acknowledges her behavior as foolish, but is still compelled to act that way.
'Cause being good is just so fucking boring
The singer sees kindness as unexciting and unfulfilling.
La la la it's boring
This phrase reinforces the idea that being a good person is not interesting to the artist.
When I think that I'm better
The singer still believes she can improve herself.
I'm worse, yes I am
But in reality, the singer's behavior is still negative.
I used to be so nice once upon a time
The singer again reflects on how she used to be a better person, but can't seem to change back.
Contributed by Julia D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cannonfodd
really love her music. have followed her since the first album
Rachel curlylocks
I remember being obsessed with Fires. Love this song! Never knew she released a new album. Thanks for posting. =)
osvanessa
I love this song! Thanks Narina!
Em Anne
Love this song!
headturner411
One of my fave Nerina songs.....most terrifying picture of her ever though.
Amanda Hugnkiss
This. Is. Totally me! I love it!!!!!!
TheHollyVlogs
this song is the story of my life......
Tiddums
Looking forward to seeing Nerina in Manchester in November
DistantDreamer93
@rachelsnape Hello ! No problem at all :) Yeah her third studio album 'The Graduate' was released in October 2009 =)
anne clerigo
Do you have a link to "Jump" recorded version? Can't find it anywhere