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
Easy
Tracey Thorn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Falls across the street
I watch the way you blink
Just before you speak
I love the way you breathe
I'll hate the day you'll leave
It's easy to forget
We haven't even started anyway
An easy one to make
And if there's any doubt
You're better off without
I watch as you sit
Staring at your screen
I think that I could fit
This places in between
It's easy when we try
We need reminding why
We try, when we try
Do we just intend to try?
And that's broken and sad
Still the only thing we have
And I'll be waiting here
'til someone has a better idea
Something that could make it easy
The lyrics of Tracey Thorn's song Easy reflect the bittersweet feeling of holding on to a relationship that may be doomed. The singer pays close attention to her partner's every move, from the way light falls on the street to the way he blinks before speaking. She confesses her love for the way he breathes but also fears the day he leaves. Thorn acknowledges that sometimes love can be a mistake, but it's an easy one to make. She also recognizes that if there's any doubt, it's better to be without.
As the song progresses, Thorn sings about trying hard and needing reminders to keep going. She feels like she could fit in between the spaces of her partner's life, as she watches him stare at his screen. She contemplates if they are trying just for the sake of trying or if they intend to make it work. The singer recognizes the relationship as broken and sad, but it's still the only thing they have. Despite the complications, she vows to keep waiting until someone has a better idea, something that could make it easy.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch the way the light
I pay close attention to the way the light hits the street, indicating the beauty in simple things that others might miss.
Falls across the street
I am specifically observing how light streams and changes the appearance of the asphalt lanes.
I watch the way you blink
I carefully observe the small nuances of your physical behaviour, such as the rapid movement of your eyelids before you begin speaking.
Just before you speak
I am paying attention to the moments just before you're about to express yourself verbally.
I love the way you breathe
I am appreciative of the times when we can share a relaxed moment where my only focus is on how you inhale and exhale.
I'll hate the day you'll leave
I anticipate an unfortunate time in the future when I'll be so attached to you that any potential separation feels unbearable.
It's easy to forget
It is not difficult to overlook and dismiss the negative possibilities when we're caught up in the moment of a romantic relationship.
We haven't even started anyway
Despite the fact that our relationship has hardly begun, we often get lost in our emotions and thoughts about a future together.
Sometimes love is a mistake
Occasionally, trusting in love and a relationship can lead to negative consequences or significant regrets later on.
An easy one to make
Nonetheless, falling into problematic romantic situations sometimes feels inevitable because we don't want to be cautious enough to avoid them.
And if there's any doubt
If there are any signs that a relationship might not be healthy or correct when considered objectively, trouble may soon arise.
You're better off without
In such situations, it might be more advantageous to extricate oneself from the relationship entirely for emotional wellbeing.
I watch as you sit
I intently observe you as you are simply being at rest, looking forward, and lost in thought.
Staring at your screen
The subject of my attention (possibly a romantic partner) is gazing at the lit display of a digital device, and I find this moment worth observing.
I think that I could fit
I consider the possibility that I could fit alongside the person in question in the digital world they are interacting with.
This places in between
I mean a figurative gap that one is trying to bridge, such as the gap between being in each other's physical presence and interacting digitally.
It's easy when we try
The concept of trying to connect across a digital divide is challenging, but it is relatively simple and doable.
We need reminding why
However, we still require frequent reminders of our reasons for reaching across the digital gap.
We try, when we try
Once reminded, we force ourselves together and overcome the obstacles, but the gentle reminder is often necessary.
Do we just intend to try?
Sometimes, wanting to rekindle a relationship's spark without taking practical steps to do it seems futile and leaves us questioning its volume.
And that's broken and sad
When the relationship seems to be teetering towards a breakup or demise, it feels futile and brings on feelings of sadness and loss.
Still the only thing we have
Nonetheless, the relationship remains paramount in our eyes, and we're ready to do everything in our power to save it and give it importance.
And I'll be waiting here
I will fearlessly wait and support the relationship, sometimes despite common sense calling for walking away.
'til someone has a better idea
I am willing to stand by the relationship until somebody comes up with a better way to restore it, rather than abandoning it entirely.
Something that could make it easy
Ultimately, we all endeavor to locate easy, straightforward means of facilitating our revival of a broken romantic relationship, away from all the complexity and analysis.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, MUSIC.INFO FINLAND OY
Written by: Lionel Richie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind