Born into a family of artists, White spent her early years moving from town to town. Her mother was a folksinger, her father a sculptor, grandma was a burlesque performer and auntie was a pop song writer. Grandfather was a poet who favored the sonnet. Drawn to the arts, Simone acted in plays and films, made photographs and wrote. Needing an instrument for the songs she wrote a cappella, Simone taught herself to play guitar.
Moving to NYC from London in 2000, White began to play music onstage. She recorded her first album with producer David Domanich and musician and friend Frank Bango. White released the album, The Sincere Recording Company Presents, in 2003 on Bango's label The Sincere Recording Company.
I Am The Man, her second album, was recorded with producer Mark Nevers, (Lambchop/Calexico/Will Oldham/Silver Jews), in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2006 she was signed to the UK label Honest Jons. I Am The Man was released by Honest Jons/EMI in the UK, Japan, Italy and Holland in 2007 and released in France, Germany and the United States in 2008 through distributors Indigo and Forced Exposure. The album was a favourite with critics from MOJO and Q Magazine to the Daily Mail.
The Beep Beep Song, one of the songs from White's second album I Am The Man was used in an Audi R8 advert in the UK, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, South Africa, Sweden and was shown in the half time ad break of the Rugby World Cup Final of 2007.
In 2007 and 2008 White toured in the United Kingdom and Europe headlining and supporting various bands: Nouvelle Vague, Alela Diane, Teitur, Stephen Fretwell and Little Dragon. In 2008 she played at the festivals Greenman and WOMAD in the UK.
White was a part of Damon Albarn's critically acclaimed "Honest Jons Revue" which toured in July 2008 to the Barbican Center in London, Les Nuits Fourviere Festival in Lyon, and the Lincoln Center Festival in New York City. The Honest Jons Revue included the artists Tony Allen, The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Damon Albarn, Kokanko Sata Doumbia, Lobi Traore, Afel Bocoum, Candi Staton, Simone White and Victoria Williams.
On 12 June 2009, White's third album, Yakiimo was released digitally, with a physical release following on 22 June 2009. This album was again released through Honest Jons in the UK.
White's albums frequently include covers of songs originally recorded by her friend and collaborator Frank Bango. Such recordings include Roses Are Not Red, Wrong About You, Worm Was Wood and Bunny In A Bunnysuit.
White currently lives in Venice, California.
White's album, Silver Silver, was released in 2012.
She released "Genuine Fake", a collection of acoustic recordings, on 8 September 2017.
Never Be That Tough
Simone White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
back in December
I think I thought I knew
I knew better
but now spring is around us
feels like a change is really happening
and everything is possible
I should know by now
you have to surrender to love
don't turn your back on love
'cause you could never be that tough
when I looked at you
it's like I could remember
that this goes on and on
forever and ever
there's nothing we could do
to make it better
don't turn your back on love
'cause you can never have enough
one day you'll find
maybe this time
you could lose everything
and it would still be alright
don't turn your back on love
'cause you could never be that tough
The lyrics to Simone White's song "Never Be That Tough" convey the idea of surrendering to love and not being afraid to take risks for the sake of love. The first verse establishes the singer's initial skepticism about love when she first met the person she's singing to in December. She thought she knew better than to rely on love, but now that spring has arrived, she feels a change happening and knows that anything is possible. The chorus emphasizes the importance of not turning one's back on love and recognizing that even the toughest person can still be vulnerable to love.
The second verse reflects on how the singer and her partner have been together for a long time, and although they can't change the fact that things won't always be perfect, their love will endure forever. The bridge offers words of encouragement to the listener that even if they lose everything in pursuit of love, it will still be worth it. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that love requires surrender and vulnerability.
Overall, the song is a reminder that even though love can be scary, it is ultimately worth it to take the risk and open oneself up to the possibility of love.
Line by Line Meaning
when I first met you
At the beginning of our relationship
back in December
During the month of December
I think I thought I knew
I believed I was aware
I knew better
But I was incorrect
but now spring is around us
Currently, it's spring season
feels like a change is really happening
It seems like there's a significant transformation occurring
and everything is possible
Anything could happen
I should know by now
I ought to be aware at this point
you have to surrender to love
You must submit to affection
don't turn your back on love
Do not reject love
'cause you could never be that tough
Because you're not strong enough to withstand it
when I looked at you
Whenever I gazed at you
it's like I could remember
It feels like I remember something
that this goes on and on
That this continues indefinitely
forever and ever
For all eternity
there's nothing we could do
There's no way to change this
to make it better
To improve the circumstance
you can never have enough
One can never have too much love
one day you'll find
In the future, you will discover
maybe this time
Perhaps this occasion
you could lose everything
You may lose everything
and it would still be alright
But everything would still be okay
don't turn your back on love
Do not reject love
'cause you could never be that tough
Because you're not strong enough to withstand it
Writer(s): BING SAMUEL, WHITE SIMONE
Contributed by Jason O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@michaelmikey.3435
Finally I found my favorite song 😍.
@liho26
Dear Simone. Thank you for the good and sad story. I like this song.
@simonewhite
thank you liho26! x
@viljarandrejev145
This is beautiful. One of the most calming and acoustically pleasing covers out there.
@simonewhite
Thank you! and this is my song, not a cover 🙂
@viljarandrejev145
@@simonewhite I am sorry! This comment was intended for "Everybody's Talkin'", but while I was typing the comment on my phone, the next song (which was this) started playing, because autoplay was turned on. Now that I have listened to it though I can say that I also enjoyed it. Sorry again for the confusion.
@yvv2203
I really like this song !! Whenever I hear this song it makes me so calm and chilling ! Love from Malaysia ❤️
@simonewhite
Thank you! That is the highest that I could hope for, to help people feel peaceful. <3 <3
@DoodlesMcpooh
I met a woman in 2007 because of our mutual love of your music. Life got in the way multiple times but we're still close and are finally working to towards being together.
I just want to say thank you for everything you've done. I'm willing to bet you've made more people happy than you can ever imagine. I hope you're happy too.
@simonewhite
This is such a beautiful message. Thank you for writing to me. I wish you and your love all the best. You're right, I have no idea. xx