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.
We Used To Stand So Tall
Simone White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your daddy's worried bout the rents(?)
One day you'll learn about the enemy
You have to fight so you'll be free
Another day will dawn
Our country will be strong
God knows we can't go wrong
Be good darling do as we say
One day you'll learn to work for pay
And you will understand that we are poor
You must work hard so you'll have more
Another day will dawn
You will grow up so strong
We know you will be long
Listen father there is no work
It seems that no one sees my worth
I have no money to pay my rent
I cannot pay back what was lent
Listen mother I lost my man
He was shot down in a foreign land
The captain cannot see what he died for
They only tell me we're at war
Another time will come
You'll see what we have done
I only hope we may be forgiven
Another rain will fall
And wash away our song(?)
We used to stand so tall 3x
Simone White's song We Used To Stand So Tall is a poignant and reflective song that speaks to the challenges and struggles that many families go through. The lyrics in the first verse address a child, telling them to hush and assuring them that they will understand the challenges they face as they grow up. The parents warn the child that they must learn about their enemies so that they can fight for freedom. There is a sense of foreboding and uncertainty in these lines, as the parents try to prepare their child for the challenges of the world.
In the next verse, the parents warn the child that they must work hard and learn to support themselves. There is a sense of resignation in their voices, as they admit that they are poor and the child must work hard to have a better life. It is clear that the parents are struggling to make ends meet, and they want their child to have a better life than they did.
In the final verse, the song takes on a more political and socially critical tone. The father complains about the lack of work, and the mother mourns the loss of her husband in a foreign war. The song ends on a mournful note, with the line "we used to stand so tall" repeated three times. The repetition of this line is a reminder of the struggles that people face, and how they can be ground down by the pressures of life.
Overall, Simone White's song We Used To Stand So Tall is a poignant and powerful commentary on the struggles that many families face. The lyrics are full of pathos and emotion, and the song is a reminder of the importance of empathy and compassion in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Hush now darling my momma said
Be quiet, my child, your mother is speaking
Your daddy's worried bout the rents(?)
Your father is concerned about the money we owe for rent
One day you'll learn about the enemy
One day you will come to know and understand the enemy that we must fight against
You have to fight so you'll be free
You have to fight against the enemy so that you can attain freedom
Another day will dawn
A new day will come
Our country will be strong
Our nation will become strong
God knows we can't go wrong
We hope that our actions will be guided by God's will
Be good darling do as we say
Be obedient, my child, and follow our instructions
One day you'll learn to work for pay
In due time, you will learn the value of working and receiving compensation
And you will understand that we are poor
You will eventually comprehend that we are financially struggling
You must work hard so you'll have more
You must work diligently in order to achieve financial stability and prosperity
Another day will dawn
Another day will come
You will grow up so strong
You will become a strong individual as you mature
We know you will be long
We believe that you will have a long life filled with many experiences
Listen father there is no work
Listen, father, there are no job opportunities available
It seems that no one sees my worth
It appears that my value as an employee is not being recognized
I have no money to pay my rent
I am unable to pay the rent due to financial difficulties
I cannot pay back what was lent
I am unable to repay what I have borrowed
Listen mother I lost my man
Listen, mother, my partner has passed away
He was shot down in a foreign land
He was killed in battle in a foreign country
The captain cannot see what he died for
The military leader cannot perceive the purpose for which my partner lost his life
They only tell me we're at war
All I am told is that our nation is at war
Another time will come
Another time period or era will arrive
You'll see what we have done
You will witness the accomplishments and events that have transpired
I only hope we may be forgiven
I hope that we will be pardoned or absolved of any wrongdoing
Another rain will fall
Another rainstorm will occur
And wash away our song(?)
Possibly a metaphorical reference to the idea that time and events will erase our previous achievements or memories
We used to stand so tall 3x
We were once proud and strong
Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.