Her debut album Come Away with Me was released in 2002 and sold 26 million copies worldwide. It won 5 Grammy Awards in 2003. This album was produced by Arif Mardin.
Her second album, Feels Like Home, with folk tendency, is the highest-selling album in the history of Blue Note Records with over a million copies sold within the first week. Norah Jones was listed among the most influential people of 2004 by the Time Magazine.
On January 30, 2007 Norah Jones released her third album, Not Too Late - a collection of 13 original songs, itunes includes a bonus live track of the song Sinkin' Soon. This was the most pre-ordered album of all time on Amazon.com.
Her fourth studio album, The Fall, was released on November 17, 2009.
Her fifth studio album ...Little Broken Hearts was released on May 1, 2012 and she collaborated with Danger Mouse for its production. The Happy Pills Songfacts reports that the album was recorded at Danger Mouse's Los Angeles studio during the fall of 2011. The record was co-written by Jones and Danger Mouse, with the pair handling the majority of the instrumentals. Jones teamed up with the producer after she contributed vocals to his Rome project with Daniele Luppi.
The daughter of Beatles-influencing sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, Jones doesn't closely follow any particular genre, rather she brings her unique jazzy flavor to songs with roots in country, folk, Americana, and modern light jazz, pop and rock.
Court & Spark
Norah Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a sleeping roll
And a madman's soul
He thought for sure I'd seen him
Dancing up a river in the dark
Looking for a woman
To court and spark
For passing change
When something strange happened
Glory train passed through him
So he buried the coins he made
In People's Park
And went looking for a woman
To court and spark
It seemed like he read my mind
He saw me mistrusting him
And still acting kind
He saw how I worried sometimes
"All the guilty people," he said
They've all seen the stain
On their daily bread
On their Christian names
I cleared myself
I sacrificed my blues
And you could complete me
I'd complete you
His eyes were the color of the sand
And the sea
And the more he talked to me
The more he reached me
But I couldn't let go of L.A.
City of the fallen angels
The song "Court & Spark" by Norah Jones featuring M. Ward has deep and symbolic lyrics that depict the journey of love, trust, and sacrifice. The song tells the story of a man who comes to someone's door with a madman's soul and sleeping roll. He is looking for a woman to court and spark. He had been dancing up a river in the dark, looking for someone to complete him. When he meets the woman, he seems to have read her mind and understood her mistrust of him. He admits that there are guilty people, and they have all seen the stain on their daily bread and Christian names. But he cleared himself, sacrificed his blues and wanted someone to complete him.
The song is full of metaphors, depicting the man's journey to find true love. The first metaphor appears in the line "He thought for sure I'd seen him dancing up a river in the dark, looking for a woman to court and spark." This line depicts the man's urge to find the right person and connect with her. Another metaphor is used when he is playing on the sidewalk for passing change, and something strange happens. A glory train passes through him, and he buries the coins he made in people's park. This scene symbolizes the man's transformation and his willingness to move on and start fresh.
The lyrics of "Court & Spark" convey a deep message about love, trust, and sacrifice through the metaphors used in the song. It underscores the importance of being open to new relationships and giving yourself to find true love.
Line by Line Meaning
Love came to my door
A person, who believes to possess lunacy, love and fatigue arrived at my doorstep
With a sleeping roll
Accompanied by a bedding and blanket roll
And a madman's soul
Carrying the mentality of a madman or mentally unbalanced person
He thought for sure I'd seen him
He was convinced that I had witnessed him doing something suspicious
Dancing up a river in the dark
He was joyfully moving along a river at night where there was no light
Looking for a woman
In search of a female companion
To court and spark
To establish a romantic relationship through charm and excitement
He was playing on the sidewalk
He was performing music on the street pavement
For passing change
Eagerly hoping for some coins from the bystanders
When something strange happened
An unusual occurrence took place
Glory train passed through him
He experienced a magical sensation as if a charismatic train had passed within him
So he buried the coins he made
He concealed the money he had earned
In People's Park
He hid the coins in a publicly accessible park
And went looking for a woman
He resumed his quest for a female companion
To court and spark
To impress and charm his lover
It seemed like he read my mind
He could evidently comprehend my thoughts
He saw me mistrusting him
He noticed my suspicion regarding his actions
And still acting kind
He continued to behave benevolently regardless of my doubt
He saw how I worried sometimes
He observed my anxiety occasionally
"All the guilty people," he said
He proclaimed, "Everyone who bears wrongdoing"
They've all seen the stain
They are all aware of the blemish on their record
On their daily bread
They encounter the reflection of their misdeeds in everyday life
On their Christian names
Their reputation or name as a Christian is also blemished by their actions
I cleared myself
He revealed, "I have absolved myself"
I sacrificed my blues
He gave up his troubles or sorrows
And you could complete me
He complemented his partner by saying, "You have the ability to fulfill me"
I'd complete you
He hopes that his love and collaboration would lead to his partner's satisfaction
His eyes were the color of the sand
The color of his eyes resembled that of sandy beaches
And the sea
The blue hue in his eyes was also similar to that of the sea
And the more he talked to me
As he continued to converse with me
The more he reached me
The more he established a connection with me
But I couldn't let go of L.A.
Despite the meaningful conversation, I was reluctant to leave Los Angeles
City of the fallen angels
Referring sarcastically to the city of Los Angeles, known for its fame, fortune and superficiality
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Crazy Crow Music / Siquomb Music Publishing
Written by: JONI MITCHELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ismaelf.godinez7605
I listened to Herbie's interpretation of this song, the slower tempo, the richer instrumental arrangement, the darker, somber progression of the melody as it prepares a landing for Norah's voice dropping in from above. I listened carefully several times and found it to be a more addicting, atmospherically wider rendition of the original, almost morphing into a completely new song. I was later able to reserve Joni's original version for a rather sunnier day disposition. This version has midnight and the stars in a very tight embrace.
@thomasjordan3241
Beautiful description my friend.
@crotalusatrox7931
A wonderful acknowledgment to Joni Mitchell by two of the best. Norah, her Father and Herbie, Jonie too, musical legends. Sweet jazz fusioned to perfection.
@rr7firefly
You can write circles around many music reviewers who get paid. I perked up when you described Norah's heavenly entry -- "Norah's voice dropping in from above."
@crotalusatrox7931
I must say this is jazz fusioned to perfection. Such a tribute to such a wondrous talent as Joni Mitchell. Norah with her amazing musical upbringing paired with the ultimate jazz fusionist Herbie Hancock, much praise bestowed upon all 3 of the legends.
@DonnaD123
Stellar version........... love both of these artists.......and the writer
@franckzappa5112
Simplesmente, fantástico!!!!! genialidade a flor da pele!
@stevemartin4249
'Court and Spark', along with Leonard Cohen's rendition of 'The Jungle Line', are my two favorite pieces on the Grammy winning 'River — The Joni Letters'. But the opening piece here, 'Court and Spark', in particular, is nothing short of musical genius. Norah may be more famous with the younger set, and I think her voice is perfect for this part. But HERBIE and WAYNE — they are conversing at stratospheric heights that leave me in entranced, ecstatic, bewilderment ... taking me to places I've never been, and once I get there, never want to leave.
Much thanks Bob, for sharing this. But while editing my comments here, I cannot comprehend why out of over 4,000 viewers as of this time, there are only 15 thumbs up. I can not speak for musicians, but sadly, maybe this is saying something about the ear of the average Youtube viewer.
@Smoothways
+Steve Martin Hi Steve, of course this is not main stream - not even close to it. This is what great musicians come up with when they let their inspiration slip outside of a box. I didn' t want to go as far and say: go wild. Because we' re not there. Going wild surely is the next level.
@tuberjr
+Steve Martin
i have added my thumbs up to this one,pure class.(never ever realised anyone had even covered this) was never going to be anything but sublime with hancock and shorter.