She grew up in Hatfield, Hertfordshire and studied English at the University of Hull, where she graduated in 1984 with First Class Honours. She lives with her EBTG partner Ben Watt in North London. The couple have twin daughters born in 1998, and a son born in 2001.
Thorn began her musical career in the group Marine Girls. The band released two albums (Beach Party in 1981 and Lazy Ways in 1982) and several singles. The group disbanded when Thorn decided to concentrate on Everything But The Girl.
Thorn's first solo work was a solo mini-album in 1982 entitled A Distant Shore. A re-recorded version of the track Plain Sailing was released as a single, and was included on the 'Pillows & Prayers' Cherry Red records compilation album.
Thorn and Ben Watt met at University when they were both signed separately, as solo artists, to Cherry Red Records. Their first album together was Eden, released in 1984. As a band, Everything But The Girl released a body of work that spanned two decades. Their biggest chart success came in 1995, when DJ Todd Terry remixed a song from their Amplified Heart album. Missing became a huge hit all over the world, especially in the U.S., where it reached number 2 in the Billboard Hot 100.
The duo has been on extended hiatus since 2002 while Watt has concentrated on his DJ work, and Thorn has been raising their children and writing and recording a solo album.
She collaborated with Massive Attack on several projects, including the soundtrack for the motion picture Batman Forever where she contributed with The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game. Their first project together was the song Protection from the album by Massive Attack of the same name. She also sings on the track Better Things.
Thorn has also contributed guest vocals and backing vocals for The Style Council, The Go-Betweens, Working Week, and Lloyd Cole and the Commotions.
Her first collaboration, after a lengthy singing hiatus, was on the song Damage by the band Tiefschwarz.
In March 2007, Tracey Thorn released her second solo album Out of the Woods on Virgin Records (Worldwide) and on Astralwerks (USA). It includes contributions from Cagedbaby, Ewan Pearson, Charles Webster, Sasse and Martin Wheeler.
In 2010, she released Love and Its Opposite on her husband's own label, Strange Feeling. Swedish singer Jens Lekman appears on Come On Home to Me.
Official website: www.traceythorn.com
Dreaming
Tracey Thorn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drifts away another mile
Oh won't you stay awhile
Conversation fades away
Another place another day
Stolen her tonight
Cast her from your sight
But the ringing in her ears
The light in her eyes is dead
Was it something that you said?
Set off these thoughts inside her head
Tumbles down inside her mind
Half afraid of what to find
And you worry endlessly
And search so desperately
For anything to say
But she can't hear you anyway
Doo do doo do do do do doooo
Doo do doo do do do do doooo
Doo do doo do dooooo
When you think that she's unkind
To keep you from her mind
Now that you're in love
You should know what she's thinking of
When what it was she couldn't say
One more way to keep away
Do do doo do do do do dooo
Do do doo do do do do dooo
Do do doo do do do do dooo
The song "Dreaming" by Tracey Thorn talks about a girl who is struggling to keep up with her conversation with someone who is not willing to give her his time and attention. She is trying to hide behind her smiling face but eventually drifts away because of the lack of connection. The person she's talking to seems to be disinterested and apathetic towards her, and she is pushed away further with every passing moment. The girl starts questioning her own thoughts and feelings, wondering if they are to blame for the disinterest from the other person. She is afraid of what she may find if she goes deep into her mind and starts tumbling down into a state of confusion and despair. The lyrics suggest that the person she's talking to is not really in love with her, despite what he claims. The girl tries to keep herself from being hurt any further by keeping her thoughts hidden and being aloof. The song ends with a haunting melody that leaves the listeners with a sense of unease and incompleteness.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl hides behind a slipping smile
The girl is concealing her true emotions by putting on a fake smile
Drifts away another mile
The girl feels isolated and distant from those around her
Oh won't you stay awhile
The girl desires companionship and connection with others
Conversation fades away
The dialogue between the girl and others comes to an end
Another place another day
The girl's environment changes constantly, but her inner turmoil remains the same
Stolen her tonight
The situation has caused her to lose a part of herself
Cast her from your sight
She feels ignored and unimportant to those around her
Not a single sound she hears
The girl feels alone and unheard
But the ringing in her ears
Her own thoughts and emotions are overwhelming and consuming
The light in her eyes is dead
The girl's spark and liveliness has diminished
Was it something that you said?
Others have contributed to the girl's inner turmoil
Set off these thoughts inside her head
The words or actions of others have triggered negative thoughts and emotions in her mind
Tumbles down inside her mind
Her thoughts are chaotic and jumbled, causing emotional turmoil
Half afraid of what to find
The girl is scared to explore and confront her own thoughts and emotions
And you worry endlessly
Others are concerned for her well-being
And search so desperately
Those around her are trying to find a solution or way to help her
For anything to say
Others struggle to find the right words to express their concern
But she can't hear you anyway
The girl has become deaf to the words of others, consumed by her own thoughts and emotions
When you think that she's unkind
Others may view the girl as hostile or unapproachable
To keep you from her mind
The girl is trying to protect herself from further emotional pain and turmoil that others may cause
Now that you're in love
Others are oblivious to the girl's emotional state and may be preoccupied with their own lives
You should know what she's thinking of
Others should pay attention to the girl's emotional turmoil and offer support
When what it was she couldn't say
The girl may be unable to express her emotions or articulate her thoughts
One more way to keep away
She may push others away as a way to protect herself
Contributed by Harper N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
NewWaver80014
This is kind of a bridge between The Marine Girls and Everything But the Girl. I've had this cassette for over 20 years, and it's as good as ever.
FarmYardFlavours
I just finished reading ''Bedsit Disco Queen'' anyone else read that? What an excellent book! Listening to the Marine Girls and EBTG entire catalogue and all Tracey Thorn remixes and albums. This one is a gem <3
GuyFawkes15
+FarmYardFlavours Yes, I've just read it. She makes it all sound so easy.
zebra bunny
Swoon. Love hearing this track again.
Matt Miles
Found Tracey, Ben, EBTG and many others (Attila, The Monochrome Set, Kevin Coyne, The Nightingales) on the wonderful Pillows & Prayers sampler as a 15 y-o back in 83. Never has 99p been better invested!
Immediately bought Tracey's solo album and Lazy Ways by her band, Marine Girls, as well as Ben's solo album (North Marine Drive) and EBTG's Eden on release. Never tire of hearing any of them to this day.
David Maholchic
surreal and sublime
Mark Sheppard
Dreamy Just dreamy
dailyartscience
イイ感じ、、。