Career
She released an eponymous album, Phoebe Snow, in 1974, that featured the top five hit "Poetry Man." She has continued to release albums sporadically for the next three decades, including Second Childhood (1975), It Looks Like Snow (1976), Never Letting Go (1977), and Against The Grain (1978), all on the Columbia Records label. One of President Bill Clinton's favorite vocalists, she performed for the President, Mrs. Clinton and his cabinet at Camp David in 1999.
Phoebe has performed with a Who's Who of prolific artists including Jewel, Donald Fagen, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Queen, Jackson Browne, Dave Mason, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, Cyndi Lauper, Roger Daltry, Chaka Khan, CeCe Peniston, Take 6, Michael Bolton, Thelma Houston, Mavis Staples, Laurie Anderson, and The Sisters of Glory (with whom she performed at the second Woodstock festival), among many, many others. She also sings the title track on the 1997 Laura Nyro tribute album, Time and Love, and recently Phoebe joined the pop group, Zap Mama, who recorded their own version of "Poetry Man," in an impromptu duet on the PBS series, "Sessions At West 54th."
Born Phoebe Ann Laub in New York City, she was raised in a household where Delta blues, Broadway show tunes, Dixieland jazz, classical music and folk music recordings were played around the clock. As a teenager, she carried her prized Martin 00018 ac guitar from club to club around Greenwich Village, playing and singing on amateur nights.
It was at the Bitter End Club in 1972 that a promotions executive for Shelter Records was so taken by the singer that he signed her to the label and produced her first recording. Featuring guest performances by The Persuasions, Zoot Sims, Toddy Wilson, David Bromberg and Dave Mason, Snow album became one of the most acclaimed debut recordings of all time. It spawned the Top 5 hit single, "Poetry Man," winning Snow a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist and established her as a formidable singer/songwriter. Platinum records, the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, and legions of fans followed.
Snow went on to record a slew of solo albums over the next 15 years including Second Childhood (1975), It Looks Like Snow (1976), Never Letting Go (1978), Against The Grain (1979), Rock Away (1980) and Something Real (1989).
In 1992 she toured with Donald Fagen's popular New York Rock And Soul Revue and was featured on the group's album recorded live at the Beacon Theater in New York City. Even when she wasn't recording her own works, Phoebe continued to tour extensively as a solo artist throughout North America, Great Britain, Germany, and the Far East.
Decorating an already vibrant career, in May of 1998, Snow received the Cultural Achievement Award by New York City Mayor Rudolph Guliani. She is also the recipient of a Don Kirschner Rock Award, several Playboy Music Poll Awards, New York Music Awards and the Clio Award.
Snow resided in Bergen County, New Jersey, and in her later years she embraced Buddhism.[9]
Phoebe Snow suffered a cerebral hemorrhage[9] on January 19, 2010, and slipped into a coma, enduring bouts of blood clots, pneumonia and congestive heart failure. She died on April 26, 2011, at age 60 in Edison, New Jersey.[20]
Don't Let Me Down
Phoebe Snow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Nobody ever loved me like she does,
Oh, she does, yeah, she does.
And if somebody loved me like she do me,
Oh, she do me, yes, she does.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.
I'm in love for the first time.
Don't you know it's gonna last.
It's a love that lasts forever,
It's a love that had no past.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.
And from the first time that she really done me,
Oh, she done me, she done me good.
I guess nobody ever really done me,
Oh, she done me, she done me good.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.
The lyrics to Phoebe Snow's "Don't Let Me Down" express a deep sense of love and devotion towards an individual. The repetition of the phrase "Don't let me down" emphasizes the singer's vulnerability and dependence on this person, suggesting that their relationship is intense and highly emotional. The first verse highlights the unique and unparalleled love that the individual has for the singer, evoking a sense of admiration and respect. The following verse portrays the singer's feelings of permanence and belief in their relationship, suggesting that they are confident that their love will last forever.
The lyrics ultimately express the singer's need for the individual to continue to love them in the same way, highlighting their dependence on this person for emotional fulfillment. The repetition of the phrase "she done me good" reinforces the idea that this individual has had a significant positive impact on the singer's life.
Overall, the lyrics to "Don't Let Me Down" suggest a deeply passionate and emotionally intense love. The singer's dependency on this person is clear, and they express a strong desire for this love to continue indefinitely.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Phoebe Snow is asking her lover not to disappoint or fail her in their relationship.
Nobody ever loved me like she does, Oh, she does, yeah, she does.
She acknowledges how much her lover loves her, and it's a kind of love she's never experienced before.
And if somebody loved me like she do me, Oh, she do me, yes, she does.
She's saying that if someone were to love her the way her current lover does, then it would be the same and just as genuine.
I'm in love for the first time. Don't you know it's gonna last.
Phoebe is in love for the first time, and she hopes that it's going to be a long-lasting and meaningful relationship.
It's a love that lasts forever, It's a love that had no past.
The love that Phoebe and her lover share is one that is meant to last forever, and it's a love that is not built upon past experiences or relationships.
And from the first time that she really done me, Oh, she done me, she done me good.
She's saying that from the very beginning of their relationship, her lover has treated her well and made her feel loved and appreciated.
I guess nobody ever really done me, Oh, she done me, she done me good.
She's acknowledging that no one has ever treated her as well as her current lover has, giving her a sense of gratitude and appreciation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind