The album was recorded at the world famous Steelworks Studio (Bryan Adams, Spice Girls) in collaboration with producer Andy Baker whose skills have helped break one of Sheffield's most exciting bands The Gentlemen. This truly unique sound blends acoustic grooves, energetic rhythms and vocal lines that you won't forget in a hurry. The voice of Philippa Hanna is unmistakable, whilst her songs are charming, memorable, and dig a little deeper than you first might expect.
It would appear that both talent and success runs in the family; her cousins Richard and Danny Macnamara are members of the hugely successful Embrace and her brother Stuart Zender is the former Jamiroquai bassist. And indeed, Philippa herself is no stranger to the music business; with a string of house-music collaborations, international performances and having recorded vocals for artists such as Spice Girl Emma Bunton, SClub and the legend that is Graham Kendrick. She has been described as one of the most distinctive vocalists around by producer Zarc Porter (Matt Redman,bwnn, tbc) and supported Kendrick in 2006 at his personal request after both artists appeared on BBC1's "Stranger In A Manger" series.
Whether in an intimate acoustic environment or a large concert setting, Philippa is both entertaining and engaging. Her appeal is far-reaching and has secured a return to Sheffield’s premiere music venue The Plug supporting folk-pop phenomenon Amy MacDonald. This summer alone she has secured a slot supporting Chris Tomlin, performances at New Wine and a trip to the Flevo festival in Holland; it would appear there is an increasing demand for this up-and-coming star.
Circuits
Philippa Hanna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to hide the tear stains, praying they won't show.
Still one from another, still smells and morning covers,
Single serving lovers, is all she's ever known.
You need a love like this, you need a love this,
You need a love that only I can give.
Cause' from the moment that he left you,
Someone to fix what is tangled up inside you,
I'll break through your surface.
And I'll mend your broken circuits, cause' your wired to the memory,
And that's where the hurt is.
But not all love's like his,
You need a love like this.
In the mirror tells her how she's feeling, the cracks keep re-appearing, Everytime she's close to feeling something real.
And the walls she built can't handle, the cracks in my foundation,
The sanded stone won't crumble in her hands each time she re-assembles.
You need a love like this, trust me it exists,
You need a love that only I can give.
Cause' from the moment that he left you,
You've been looking for a rescue.
Someone to fix what is tangled up indside you,
I'll break through your surface.
And I'll mend your broken circuits, cause' your wired to the memory,
And that's where the hurt is.
But not all love's like his,
You need a love like this.
Cause' it's time to grow, leave the past alone,
Let those shackles fall and be re-born.
Just leave the path of least resistance,
Because you don't know what you're missing.
And I don't wanna see you throw it all away.
Cause' from the moment that he left you,
You've been looking for a rescue.
Someone to fix what is tangled up inside you,
I'll break through your surface.
And I'll mend your broken circuits,
Cause' your wired to the memory.
And that's where the hurt is,
But not all love's like his.
You need a love like this,
You need a love like this.
You need a love like this,
Mmm... like this.
The lyrics of Philippa Hanna's song 'Circuits' depict the struggles of a young woman who has only known 'single serving lovers' and is looking for a love that will mend her broken circuits. She seemingly uses makeup to hide the tears, trying to conceal the pain left by the men who left her. She's looking for someone to rescue her and fix the tangle inside of her. The singer believes she can be this rescuer for the girl, and doesn't want her to throw it all away. The singer tells the girl she needs a love like hers because it's different than the other men's love she's known. Philippa encourages her to leave the past alone and grow, to not let the shackles hold her down anymore.
The lyrics are about healing from past relationships and how a person can help someone else move on. It teaches that not all loves are the same, and a new love may mend the broken circuits. Philippa encourages the girl to leave the past behind and take the path of more resistance, to experience something she may never have known. The song sends a powerful message of how love can heal and also inspire growth.
Line by Line Meaning
In the mirror she puts on her wall paint,
She covers up her tears with makeup, hoping that no one will notice.
Trying to hide the tear stains, praying they won't show.
She prays that no one will see the sadness beneath her smile.
Still one from another, still smells and morning covers,
She feels like all of her relationships are the same and that she can't escape the past.
Single serving lovers, is all she's ever known.
She's only experienced short-term, temporary romances and never found a true, lasting love.
You need a love like this, you need a love this,
The singer believes that this person needs a specific type of love.
Cause' from the moment that he left you,
She's been hurt and searching for a way to heal since her last relationship ended.
You've been looking for a rescue.
She's been searching for someone to save her from her pain.
Someone to fix what is tangled up inside you,
She needs someone to help her sort through her emotions and deal with the hurt she's experienced.
I'll break through your surface.
The singer promises to dig deeper and uncover what's really going on inside this person.
And I'll mend your broken circuits, cause' your wired to the memory,
She'll help heal the connections in the brain that are associated with painful memories.
And that's where the hurt is.
The singer knows that the key to healing is addressing the trauma of the past.
But not all love's like his,
The person needs to realize that not all love is the same as the one that hurt them.
In the mirror tells her how she's feeling, the cracks keep re-appearing,
She's constantly reminded of her pain and is struggling to keep up her facade.
Everytime she's close to feeling something real.
She's afraid to let herself be vulnerable and feel anything too deeply because of the hurt she's experienced in the past.
And the walls she built can't handle, the cracks in my foundation,
Her defenses can't withstand the singer's persistence and effort to help her heal.
The sanded stone won't crumble in her hands each time she re-assembles.
The singer's love won't let her fall apart and break down every time she tries to rebuild herself.
You need a love like this, trust me it exists,
The singer is confident that this person can find the type of love that she needs.
Cause' it's time to grow, leave the past alone,
It's time to move on and focus on the present and future rather than dwelling on the past.
Let those shackles fall and be re-born.
She needs to let go of what's been holding her back and start fresh.
Just leave the path of least resistance,
She needs to stop taking the easy road and start confronting her problems head-on.
Because you don't know what you're missing.
She won't know what she's capable of until she takes a chance and opens herself up to new experiences and possibilities.
And I don't wanna see you throw it all away.
The singer wants this person to realize their potential and not let their past hold them back any longer.
You need a love like this,
The singer repeats her belief that this person needs a specific type of love in order to heal and grow.
Mmm... like this.
The song ends by emphasizing that the right kind of love is out there and achievable.
Contributed by Annabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anika Campbell
on Fire
FIRE
By Philippa Hanna
I've been trying to figure out You, out You
I don't understand who You really are
I don't know too much about You, about You
I'm afraid that I'm already in too far
I don't want to be without You, without You
every day is a waste of time
Somethings telling me to doubt You, to doubt You
'cos I'm not in control of this heart of mine
I've been trying to solve the mystery
that You are to me
Trying to tame this flame with naivety
and it got to me
This fire
It burns for You, and no one else
This fire
There's nothing I can do
I can't help myself
This fire...
that burns for You
Ever since the day I found You, found You
I've been lost in the smoke, can't find my way
Now I just wanna be around You, around You
Till the air is clear and I can breathe again
I've been killing time every day and night
In a losing fight
Just when the embers fade to a dying light
That's when You re-ignite
This fire
That burns for You, and no one else
This fire
There's nothing I can do
I can't help my self
This fire
That burns for You
I'm calling out to all who get it
Calling out, it's an emergency
'cos I go out, without You near me
You're the one who set this part of me
...who set this part of me
This fire
It burns for You, and no one else
This fire
There's nothing I can do
I can't help my self
This fire
That burns for You, and no one else
This fire
Burns for You
Contributed by Graham C. (suggest a correction in the comments below)