Born in New York City, Rothberg grew up in Scarsdale N.Y., playing piano from the age of 3 and writing songs by the age of 15, joining a high school Rod Stewart covers band. She later travelled through Europe and America, busking to support herself (an activity which would later inform the lyrics to the title song of her debut album, "Between the 1 and the 9"). She majored in illustration at Boston University and Parsons School of Design (both in New York and Paris), devoting her time to writing songs and painting, and joining a New York band called Thrust which she played with through 1993 and 1994. Legend has it that while busking at the 14th Street Station in New York she was spotted by a passing EMI America executive, signing to the label in February 1995. In fact Rothberg had hooked up with a manager and shopped her demo to a number of labels.
A multi-instrumentalist, Rothberg played all the bass and guitar parts on her debut album, "Between the 1 and the 9," which was released on April 2, 1996. The album title is a reference to the subway platform where she used to busk.
The album went on to sell over 250,000 copies in the US and another 200,000 in Europe and Japan. The first single, "Inside", reached number 32 on the Billboard charts. With her band Rothberg toured extensively supporting Chris Isaak, The Wallflowers, Garbage, Midnight Oil and Paul Westerberg; making appearances on high profile TV shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night With David Letterman and The Oprah Winfrey Show. February 1997 saw a foray into Europe opening for The Black Crowes. She was also tapped to play at a few Lilith Fair dates.
All looked rosy for Patti, until EMI Records USA was closed and she found herself without a record deal.
Continuing to play shows Rothberg hooked up with producer Freddie Katz in 2001, recording her sophomore album "Candelabra Cadabra" with him at Long Island's Avalon studios. The album was finally released on CD by indie label Cropduster in 2002.
Patti recently completed her third album, "Double Standards", which was released May 13, 2008. She continues to play shows in New York with her band (Freddie Katz - guitars, backing vox; David Leatherwood - bass, backing vox; JP Patterson - drums; Erin Hill - keyboards, guitar, percussion, backing vox), and also tours occasionally up and down the East Coast.
While working on "Double Standards", Patti also found the time to write and record a three song holiday EP "Snow is My Downfall" (2002) on the indie label CD Baby, and seven songs for the movie, "Anywhere," as yet unreleased. The soundtrack album was released on the indie label Engine Company Records March 27, 2007. Two of Patti's songs have already appeared in movies: "Inside" in "The Misadventures of Margaret" (1998), and a version of "Kung Fu Fighting" in "Beverly Hills Ninja" (1997).
IT'S ALRIGHT
Patti Rothberg Lyrics
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Take the glass from which we shared, return it into sand
Fantasy your love's mirage, slippin' through my hands
Knowing that you'll never follow anyone's demands
It's alright, I know I'm gonna live [Repeat x3]
Cause I know you gave the best you could give
Broken down my defenses, and you left me in the debris
You know I close my eyes to escape you, but your face is all I see
This war is never ending and I'm never gonna be free
It's alright, I know I'm gonna live [Repeat x3]
Cause I know you gave the best you could give
The lyrics to Patti Rothberg's song "It's Alright" are about the aftermath of a failed relationship. The first verse talks about the pain of letting go of someone you loved and the struggle to move on. The line "Burning in your ashes, flowers in my hand" represents the pain of letting go of a love that has died, while "Take the glass from which we shared, return it into sand" implies that the memories of the relationship have to be washed away to move forward. The idea that the love was a mere "fantasy" because it slipped away from the singer's hands emphasizes the ephemeral nature of the relationship. The last two lines of the verse, "Knowing that you'll never follow anyone's demands / It's alright, I know I'm gonna live / Cause I know you gave the best you could give," suggest that the singer is accepting of the fact that the love interest has their own path and that the relationship had to end. The singer is grateful for the moments shared together and respects the love interest's choices.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's inability to let go of the past. The line "Comin' to my senses was never really me" implies that the singer was always trapped in this cycle of longing for the love interest. The singer recognizes that they were left defenseless and with no armor to protect them from heartbreak. The line "This war is never-ending, and I'm never gonna be free" encapsulates how the singer can't escape from the emotional distress the relationship has caused. Even though the singer knows that they have to let go and move on, they still cling to the past, which haunts them. Despite this, the singer accepts their fate, repeating the chorus "It's alright, I know I'm gonna live / Cause I know you gave the best you could give," as a mantra to keep going, with the understanding that they did their best, as did the love interest.
Line by Line Meaning
Burning in your ashes, flowers in my hand
I'm left with the remnants of our love, while you've moved on completely.
Take the glass from which we shared, return it into sand
I wish I could erase all the memories of us, but they're still painfully vivid.
Fantasy your love's mirage, slippin' through my hands
The idea of your love was never real or attainable, and now it's gone entirely.
Knowing that you'll never follow anyone's demands
You were always independent and unwilling to compromise, and that's part of what drew me to you.
It's alright, I know I'm gonna live [Repeat x3]
I'm trying to convince myself that I'll be okay without you, even though it hurts right now.
Cause I know you gave the best you could give
Despite our differences and the way things ended, I still believe you did your best in our relationship.
Comin' to my senses was never really me
I was always blind to the reality of our relationship and refused to see its flaws.
Broken down my defenses, and you left me in the debris
You broke down my emotional walls and now I'm left with the aftermath of our failed relationship.
You know I close my eyes to escape you, but your face is all I see
No matter how hard I try, I can't stop thinking about you and picturing your face.
This war is never ending and I'm never gonna be free
Our relationship felt like constant conflict and my emotional attachment to you is trapping me in pain.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PATRICIA ROTHBERG, PATTI ROTHBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind