Jones settled in LA at the age of nineteen, doing the classic waiting tables stuff until she landed a recording contract with Warners. Her self-titled debut album in 1979 was a big success, as was the single, Chuck E.'s in Love, about her musician friend Chuck E. Weiss. At the 1980 Grammy Awards, she won a Grammy for Best New Artist, and also received four more nominations: for Record of the Year; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female; Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female; and Song of the Year (for "Chuck E.'s in Love"). While none of her subsequent recordings achieved the same level of commercial success, Jones has continued releasing critically acclaimed albums that have explored a variety of sonic terrain from jazz standards to trip hop influenced works.
Jones' pursuit of jazz standards led to the recording of "The Moon Is Made of Gold" and "Autumn Leaves" for Rob Wasserman's album Duets in 1985. The latter track earned her another Grammy nomination. And in 1990, her duet with Dr. John, a cover of "Makin' Whoopee", earned the artist her second Grammy Award, this time in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.
At the time of recording her debut album, Jones was in a romantic relationship with Tom Waits; she is the girl draped over the car on the cover of his 1978 album Blue Valentine.
Early in her career, Jones was known for her drinking and substance abuse. She eventually tempered those demons, and came to terms with herself, and her own uncertain spirituality, and has maintained respect of her musical peers.
She's devoted to her talents, beyond music, one of which is raising her teenage daughter, and has even run her own political website and made music critiquing the Bush administration. She is involved in left-wing politics and community activism, partly through her web community, Furniture for the People (http://www.furnitureforthepeople.com/).
A greatest hits collection on Rhino called The Duchess of Coolsville was released in 2005.
In 2007 she signed to New West Records releasing The Sermon On Exposition Blvd, a record exploring lyrical territory inspired by Lee Cantelon's 1991 book The Words, which attempted to translate Christ's teachings into a more accessible contemporary format. Cantelon's friend, Guitarist Peter Atanasoff was instrumental in the creation of the eventual record.
Discography
1979: Rickie Lee Jones – Warner Bros.
1981: Pirates – Warner Bros.
1983: Girl at Her Volcano (EP) – Warner Bros.
1984: The Magazine – Warner Bros.
1989: Flying Cowboys - Geffen
1991: Pop Pop - Geffen
1993: Traffic From Paradise - Geffen
1995: Naked Songs - Reprise
1997: Ghostyhead – Warner Bros.
2000: It's Like This - Artemis
2001: Live at Red Rocks - Artemis
2003: The Evening of My Best Day – V2
2005: Duchess of Coolsville - Rhino
2007: Sermon On Exposition Boulevard - New West
2009: Balm in Gilead
On the Street Where You Live
Rickie Lee Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have often walked
Down this street before
But the pavement always stayed
Beneath my feet before
All at once am I
Several stories high
On the street
Where you live.
Are there lilac trees
In the heart of town?
Can you hear a lark
In any other part of town?
Does enchantment pour
Out of every door?
No, it's just On the street
Where you live.
And oh, the tow'ring feeling
Just to know
Somehow you are near
The overpow'ring feeling
That any second
You may suddenly appear.
You know,
People stop and stare,
They don't bother me
For there's nowhere else on earth
That I would rather be
Let the time go by,
I don't care if I
Can be here
On the street
Where you live.
And oh, the tow'ring feeling
Just to know
Somehow you are near
The overpow'ring feeling
That any second
You may suddenly appear.
You know,
People stop and stare,
They don't bother me
For there's nowhere else on earth
That I would rather be
Let the time go by,
I don't care if I
Can be here
On the street
Where you live
Can be here
On the street
Where you live.
The lyrics to Rickie Lee Jones's version of "On the Street Where You Live" written by A.J. Lerner and F. Loewe, tell the story of a person who has returned to a familiar place hoping to be close to someone they have feelings for. The singer is struck by the intoxicating feeling and a sudden upliftment of spirits, as though they are several stories high, just being on this street where the person they desire lives. They notice the beauty of the surroundings and wonder if there are lilac trees or larks in any other parts of the town.
The song evokes a sense of enchantment, as if every door on this street has a touch of magic, but it's only because the person they have feelings for lives here. The person revels in the thoughts that they may suddenly appear, and the overwhelming feeling of being close enough to that person proves to be a fantastic experience for them. People on the street stop and stare, but it doesn't bother the singer, for they feel they are in the best place in the world. The lyrics suggest that time can go by, but it doesn't matter because the singer gets to be on the street where the person they like lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I have often walked
I have explored this street many times before
Down this street before
Walking along this street was a familiar experience
But the pavement always stayed
The ground beneath my feet never changed
Beneath my feet before
I have always walked on this street
All at once am I
Suddenly, I am startled
Several stories high
Feeling high, like I am on a different level
Knowing I'm
I am certain that I am
On the street
The same familiar street
Where you live.
Where you reside or stay often
Are there lilac trees
Are there beautiful flowers on this street?
In the heart of town?
In the center of the city
Can you hear a lark
Can you listen to the beautiful bird's song?
In any other part of town?
Are those sounds heard in other locations?
Does enchantment pour
Is there attraction in the air?
Out of every door?
From all the buildings around?
No, it's just On the street
Only exists on this specific street
Where you live.
Where you often stay or visit
And oh, the tow'ring feeling
A strong, overwhelming feeling
Just to know
The mere knowledge
Somehow you are near
That you are in close proximity
The overpow'ring feeling
An overpowering sensation
That any second
That at any moment
You may suddenly appear.
You might unexpectedly show up
You know,
Do you understand?
People stop and stare,
Those around me pause and gaze
They don't bother me
I am unaffected by their behavior
For there's nowhere else on earth
Because there's no place else in the world
That I would rather be
Where I'd rather exist
Let the time go by,
Regardless of unwinding time
I don't care if I
It does not concern me
Can be here
Being in this location
On the street
On this street
Where you live.
Where you often reside or visit
Can be here
Being in this location
On the street
On this street
Where you live.
Where you often reside or visit
Contributed by Jonathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Felice Marie Berkley
on It Must Be Love
One of my fav. songs..!
Felice Marie Berkley
on Comin' Back To Me
Very pretty song.