Vanessa's sixth studio album, Love Is An Art, releases on March 27th, 2020 through Dine Alone Records.
Vanessa's fifth studio album, Liberman, was released on October 23 2015, through Dine Alone Records. It marks her first release since signing with Dine Alone Records. The title of the album comes from an oil painting made by Carlton's late maternal grandfather, whose given surname was "Liberman".
Official website: http://www.vanessacarlton.com
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Vanessa Carlton first began playing the piano as a toddler, continuing on an artistic road with her attendance at the School of American Ballet in New York, a path she would eventually abandon in favor of songwriting. She re-embraced the piano and began performing in bars and clubs across Manhattan. While studying at Columbia University, Carlton was signed to Interscope Records, but made her formal debut on A&M under veteran producer Ron Fair.
Her debut album in April 2002, Be Not Nobody, resonated with audiences of all ages world-wide, especially the hit piano single “A Thousand Miles,” which reached the Top 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart, #1 in Australia, and Top 10 in the UK. Carlton went on to earn 2003 Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist (“A Thousand Miles”). The album witnessed global success, reaching Gold status in over 10 countries, and Platinum status in Asian territories, such as Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
Her second album Harmonium (2004), which yielded the single “White Houses,” continued to inspire an increasingly loyal global fan base and garnered some the best reviews of her career.
Her record release in 2007, Heroes & Thieves “might be my first thematic record,” Carlton says, adding that the songs reveal themselves like chapters in a book, one that fans can crack open (Vanessa has often explained during her live shows that the second single from "Heroes & Thieves" entitled "Hands On Me" is the second chapter to the album). Paying homage to the area of Manhattan where most of its songs were written, the first single off of the 2007 record, appropriately dubbed “Nolita Fairytale,” is a syncopated, upbeat piece that paints a dramatic musical landscape. “ That song is really about finding joy in unexpected environments. How sometimes losing things makes you realize what you have, which is like a quasi fairytale,” says Carlton. Heroes & Thieves was recorded in the San Francisco studio of Third Eye Blind founder Stephan Jenkins and the Los Angeles studio of producer/songwriter Linda Perry.
Vanessa's fourth studio album, "Rabbits On The Run" was released on July 26th, 2011. Material for this album was produced by Steve Osborne (U2, B-52’s, KT Tunstall), and was recorded in the UK at Peter Gabriel's well-renowned Real World Studios.
Speaking with Songfacts about the lead single Carousel in a 2011 interview, Carlton explained that she wrote the song in a dream where the "da na na na na" tune was floating around.
Other facts:
Vanessa's uncle is jazz musician Larry Carlton.
In 2003, Vanessa portrayed Dusty Springfield on the television show "American Dreams" on Heartache (episode #1.14) and performed a cover of the song "Wishin' And Hopin'".
One of Vanessa's touring guitarists, Ari Ingber, (other than being credited as a group vocalist on "More Than This) is the lead vocalist/guitarist for the band The Upwelling. Ari also co-wrote the song "About to Break" from Third Eye Blind's "Ursa Major".
One of Vanessa's touring bassists, Jon Evans, (other than being credited as bassist on Heroes & Thieves and bass guitarist on Third Eye Blind's "Ursa Major") is part of the band Redfish, Bluefish and has also performed with Tori Amos.
One of Vanessa's touring guitarists, Mark Beauchemin, (other than performing with Vanessa on the song "More Than This (Campfire Take)" for the album "Songs For Tibet - The Art of Peace") used to be part of the band SR-71 and currently has his own band.
Besides having Stevie Nicks do backing vocals on her song "The One" and Stephan Jenkins (of Third Eye Blind) do backing vocals on select songs on Heroes & Thieves, Vanessa has made several contributions to works of other artists and bands including: Vocals on the song Big Yellow Taxi with Counting Crows; backing vocals on the song Moving On by Kimya Dawson; piano on the song Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime by Zucchero; vocals on the song M A K E L O V E T O M E with 7 Aurelius; co-writing 3 songs with The Matrix; Providing vocals on the various artist compilation song "Put A Little Love", created for a Gap clothing company campaign which also featured Al Green, Melissa Etheridge, Kelly Rowland, Stephan Jenkins, Ginuwine, Musiq, Heather Headley and Gavin DeGraw; Providing vocals and piano on the various artist compilation song "Love Revolution", a cover of Lenny Kravitz's song, created for a Kohl's clothing company campaign which also featured Avril Lavigne, Lenny Kravitz, Plain White T's and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus; Performing live with artists/bands including a cover of Elton John's song "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" with Elton John's band, duets with Shlomo, Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra, Stevie Nicks, Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows and backing vocals on select songs with Counting Crows.
Vanessa is credited with providing piano on the track "Company" and backing vocals on "Faster" from Third Eye Blind's album "Out of the Vein".
Vanessa is also credited as being a performer on The Upwelling's debut album "An American Stranger" which Stephan Jenkins also produced.
Afterglow
Vanessa Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I walk the streets I never knew.
There's some words I never told you.
The sound rings out like the truth.
Chorus:
And if you could see what's come over me,
then you would know.
bathed in afterglow.
As I sit here in this dark room,
all I seem to feel is light.
I see color, I see the maroon
in the blood of this life...that's ours.
Repeat Chorus
Watch the sun, it paints an orange sky.
Lay me down, and feel the days gone by.
Just when the days start getting longer,
I walk the streets I never knew...
The sun comes out for you.
Repeat Chorus
Vanessa Carlton's song "Afterglow" is a reflective track about finding peace and moving on after a difficult time. The singer describes how, as the days begin to get colder and longer, she ventures out into the world and experiences a newfound sense of freedom. She acknowledges that there were things left unsaid in her past relationship, and that they ring out "like the truth" as she begins to come to terms with her emotions. The chorus speaks to the sense of liberation she feels, as if she is walking free with the wind at her back, basking in the afterglow of self-discovery.
In the second verse, Carlton is sitting alone in a dark room, but even in that bleak environment, she can only see light. She notices the colors around her, even the deep maroon of blood, and recognizes that life is finite and precious. The second chorus is a bit more triumphant, with Carlton asking the listener to watch the sunset and take in the beauty of the passing days. The song ends on a hopeful note, with Carlton taking her newfound liberation out into the world as the sun comes out for her.
Line by Line Meaning
Just when the days start getting colder,
As the weather becomes colder, I find myself wandering and exploring new places.
I walk the streets I never knew.
I am discovering unfamiliar streets and surroundings.
There's some words I never told you.
There are things I have not yet expressed or shared with you.
The sound rings out like the truth.
Something resonates within me like the sound of truth.
And if you could see what's come over me, then you would know.
If you could witness the changes in me, you would understand.
Cause I'm walking free, the wind at my back; bathed in afterglow.
I am feeling liberated as I walk towards a bright future, with the sun at my back symbolizing my past and a sense of afterglow illuminating my surroundings.
As I sit here in this dark room, all I seem to feel is light.
Despite being in a dark room, I feel a sense of illumination and clarity.
I see color, I see the maroon in the blood of this life...that's ours.
I perceive colors and depth in the experiences that we share together.
Watch the sun, it paints an orange sky.
Observing the sunset as it colors the sky orange.
Lay me down, and feel the days gone by.
I am reflecting on the past and allowing myself to be immersed in its memory.
Just when the days start getting longer, I walk the streets I never knew...
As the days become lengthier, I continue to seek novel paths and ventures.
The sun comes out for you.
You have brightened my world through your presence, like the sun shining on a new day.
And if you could see what's come over me, then you would know...
Again, acknowledging that if you could see the change in me, you would understand my new outlook and perspective on life.
Cause I'm walking free, the wind at my back; bathed in afterglow.
Reiterating a sense of liberation with a newfound sense of clarity and vibrance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: VANESSA CARLTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
maria alana
Harmonium is one of my favorite albums of all time. It hurts that it didn't get the exposure it deserved
heavymetal116
"White Houses" was supposed to be the next big thing after "A Thousand Miles".. but the radio won't play the song and MTV won't air it for a rather laughable reason(when they themselves played and aired even more explicit songs)despite the fact those sensitive lyrics were masterfully articulated..thus it impacted the overall album exposure..
Ravens that Fly with the Nightmare Eyes
So many years later and this is still my favorite Carlton song <3
I miss her so much now. She hasn't made new music for so long...
Gid & friends
Used to be one of my favorite songs back in the day. She is soooo good. But she didn't sell her soul for fame and so she faded away. Im glad, but I'm sad cus I miss her music.
LightAndCosmia
+Gideon Land She has had three more albums after this one, which I hope you listen to! She is still just as amazing!!!
1awareness
Vanessa's second and four album is the best of her work.
Sinclair
My number one go-to severe weather music. Best of luck to those down tornado alley today.
Latin Nerd Cosplayer
my fav song of all time and plus i can play this on the piano myself
Akira Millus
🎶🎶🎧❤❤❤
Damon Nomad
I’m thankful for you, its going to be my wedding song