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".
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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.
Come Undone
Vanessa Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strung out on life's path
I would add up what you mean to me
But I cannot do the math
And this fashionista's garden party
Well I had enough of that
'Cause the only one I come undone for is you
But I'm a special lover sometimes
But you only touch a ghost
I'm a sycophantic courtier with an elegant repose
And needless to say you're the one that I need the most
'Cause the only one I come undone for is you
Yes the only one I come undone for is you
Well the only one I come undone for is you
I know I'm done (I)
And now I see the truth
I know I'm done (I)
Come undone for you
And you've been gone for so long
Waiting here for you
You've been gone for so long
Come undone for you
There are people in this lifetime that we should never meet
'Cause to be here now without you
Well, my life's so incomplete
I'll tell you what you mean to me and maybe then you'll see
Ahhh
Ahhh, nahh
'Cause the only one I come undone for is you
Yes the only one I come undone for is you
Oh the only one I come undone for is you
No, no
In "Come Undone" by Vanessa Carlton, the singer expresses her devotion and love for a special someone who she admits is the only person she would ever come undone for. The opening lines, "I've seen myself in a thousand faces, strung out on life's path", suggest the confusion and uncertainty that often comes with navigating one's way through life. The lyric, "I would add up what you mean to me but I cannot do the math", highlights the enormity of the singer's feelings for this person and the difficulty in putting them into words or quantifying them.
The lines, "And this fashionista's garden party, well I had enough of that", suggest that the singer has been caught up in superficial things like social events and glamour but is ready for something deeper and more significant. The bridge, "I'm a sycophantic courtier with an elegant repose and needless to say you're the one that I need the most", indicates that the singer has been courting and trying to impress this person but recognizes that their approval is essential to her happiness.
The closing lines, "There are people in this lifetime that we should never meet, 'cause to be here now without you, well, my life's so incomplete", reveal the depth of the singer's love and suggest that this person has become an essential part of her life. "Come Undone" is a poignant and heartfelt declaration of love that seeks to capture the immense power of that emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen myself in a thousand faces
I have encountered many situations that make me re-evaluate or question my identity.
Strung out on life's path
Feeling overwhelmed and struggling with the challenges and obstacles of life.
I would add up what you mean to me
I want to understand and quantify the value and impact that you have on me.
But I cannot do the math
However, your significance is beyond calculation or measurement.
And this fashionista's garden party
I have had my fill of superficial and pretentious events such as designer garden parties.
Well I had enough of that
I am tired of meaningless social obligations and am seeking something more meaningful.
'Cause the only one I come undone for is you
You are the only person who can make me feel truly vulnerable and exposed.
But I'm a special lover sometimes
I can be an affectionate partner in certain situations.
But you only touch a ghost
However, when it comes to you, I feel like a mere apparition or shadow of myself.
I'm a sycophantic courtier with an elegant repose
I can act like a flattering and obsequious servant with a poised and refined demeanor.
And needless to say you're the one that I need the most
It goes without saying that you are the person who I rely on and desire the most.
I know I'm done (I)
I have reached a point of realization and inner resolution.
And now I see the truth
I have gained insight and understanding of my situation and feelings.
Come undone for you
I will let myself be vulnerable and exposed for you.
And you've been gone for so long
You have been absent from my life for a significant period of time.
Waiting here for you
I have been eagerly anticipating and waiting for your return.
There are people in this lifetime that we should never meet
There are people who we should avoid meeting or interacting with to prevent negative consequences.
'Cause to be here now without you
Being without you has affected me deeply and negatively.
Well, my life's so incomplete
My life feels unfulfilled and lacking without you.
I'll tell you what you mean to me and maybe then you'll see
I will try to express and articulate what you represent and signify to me in the hope that you will understand.
No, no
An expression of denial or disagreement, indicating a negative response to a previous statement.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHAN DOUGLAS JENKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind