“She’s unlike any artist that’s out there now, a world class singer with a true gift” says Was. Billboard describes her music as a classy brand of soul that could hold up in any era of Was’ storied career.
Was produced Henley’s latest EP, “Wonderland”, tracked at Hollywood’s Henson Recording Studios (birthplace of celebrated projects like Carole King’s Tapestry and Joni Mitchell’s Blue). Acclaimed musicians included drummer James Gadson (Beck, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers), James Hutchinson on bass (Bonnie Raitt, BB King), guitarist Mark Goldenberg (Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt), Mike Finnigan on Hammond Organ (Jimi Hendrix, Michael McDonald), percussionist Michito Sanchez (Train, Aretha Franklin), string arranger Davide Rossi (Ed Sheeran, Coldplay) and Henley on keyboards, vocals and background vocals.
As Was describes the project, “Sometimes magic just happens, you can’t really legislate that. There’s no producer in the world who can make that happen. All you can do is try to set up a situation where if lightning strikes the room, you’ve got the tape rolling. And lightning struck. It was a really charmed session, and Tess was amazing, didn’t miss a note all day.”
Henley honed her live performance by opening for folks like Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton, while continuing to build her profile as a songwriter. She got to display those skills during her first national television performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in February where she performed a pair of songs from her EP, “Wonderland.” Henley’s songs have won over $100,000 in awards and honors over the last few years.* She will begin an 14-city US/Canadian tour on July 22nd, kicking off at Daryl's House Club in Pawling, NY. (For tour information visit www.tessheley.com.
* Independent Music Awards (Best R&B Song for Boy In The Window, Best Pop Song for Daydreaming), the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition, Show Me The Music Songwriting Contest (Grand Prize for Who Are You), and Guitar Center’s Singer-Songwriter III Grand Prize Winner for Going Back.
I'd Do Anything
Tess Henley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why loyal souls are lost under heaven's watchful eye.
I got the who, what, where, and when, but I wanna know why
Such a shining light can vanish out of sight.
I'll never understand why you cried,
And you just couldn't see the truth, oh how I tried,
To make you see the girl standing by my side,
Take you round the world on a butterfly,
Paint your name across the sky,
Color the ocean gold into a velvet tide,
Cause I'd do anything to make you change your mind.
And I'll never understand the loneliness held within,
I was always there, that's how it's always been.
You opened up to me and I let you in.
If that was all it took, I'd do it over and over again.
(Repeat)
Tell me what I gotta do,
I said anything, it's true,
Ohhhh
Take you round the world on a butterfly,
Paint your name across the sky,
Color the ocean gold into a velvet tide,
Cause I'd do anything,
I'd do anything, I'd do anything,
I'd do anything, anything to make you change your mind.
The lyrics to Tess Henley's song "I'd Do Anything" express a sense of confusion and frustration in the face of the unexplainable. The singer expresses her bewilderment at why good people seem to be lost or suffer under the supposed watchful eye of heaven. The first verse sets up the singer's sense of confusion and helplessness, as she notes that she has all the facts but still doesn't understand why "such a shining light can vanish out of sight".
The second verse expresses the singer's regret and sadness over a failed relationship. She is unable to understand why the person she loved cried and couldn't see the truth of their situation, despite her best efforts to make them see reason. She pleads with them to change their mind, offering to do anything to make them realize what's in front of them. The chorus repeats this sentiment, with the singer offering to take her love interest "round the world on a butterfly" and paint their name across the sky if it will change their mind.
The final verse takes on a more hopeful tone, as the singer reflects on the connection they once had and expresses a willingness to do it all again if it means helping the other person through their loneliness. Overall, the song is a reminder of the complexity of human relationships and the inexplicable nature of joy and suffering in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never understand some things in life,
There are some things in life that are difficult to comprehend.
Why loyal souls are lost under heaven's watchful eye.
It is hard to understand why good people sometimes suffer.
I got the who, what, where, and when, but I wanna know why
Even if we know the details, it is still difficult to understand the reasons for certain things.
Such a shining light can vanish out of sight.
It is painful when someone we care for suddenly disappears from our lives.
I'll never understand why you cried,
It is hard to understand why someone we love would be in pain.
And you just couldn't see the truth, oh how I tried,
Even if we do our best to help, sometimes people are unable to see what is right in front of them.
To make you see the girl standing by my side,
The singer is hoping to convince someone else of their love for someone else.
And I'd do anything to make you realize.
The artist is willing to do whatever it takes to help their loved one understand their feelings.
Take you round the world on a butterfly,
The artist is expressing their willingness to take their loved one on an incredible adventure.
Paint your name across the sky,
The artist is willing to go to great lengths to express their love publicly.
Color the ocean gold into a velvet tide,
The singer is promising to make the world a more beautiful and magical place for their loved one.
Cause I'd do anything to make you change your mind.
The artist is hoping to change their loved one's perspective and convince them to be together.
And I'll never understand the loneliness held within,
It can be difficult to understand the emotions people keep hidden inside.
I was always there, that's how it's always been.
The singer has always been supportive of their loved one.
You opened up to me and I let you in.
The singer is acknowledging the trust their loved one placed in them.
If that was all it took, I'd do it over and over again.
The artist would be willing to show their love and support indefinitely.
Tell me what I gotta do,
The artist is willing to take any action necessary to be with their loved one.
I said anything, it's true,
The singer is reiterating their desire to do whatever it takes to be with their loved one.
Take you round the world on a butterfly,
The singer is expressing their willingness to take their loved one on an incredible adventure.
Paint your name across the sky,
The artist is willing to go to great lengths to express their love publicly.
Color the ocean gold into a velvet tide,
The artist is promising to make the world a more beautiful and magical place for their loved one.
Cause I'd do anything,
The artist is willing to take any action necessary to convince their loved one to be with them.
I'd do anything, I'd do anything,
The singer is repeating their willingness to take any action necessary to be with their loved one.
Anything to make you change your mind.
The artist is hoping to change their loved one's perspective and convince them to be together.
Contributed by Ian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.