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.
Get Good
Vanessa Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is wisdom seeing patterns on a loom?
Like a blanket around you
You were weaving colors, when I saw you
Put your velvet on the moonlight
Or have you lost your constellation eyes?
Well you could give it time
Wish I could make it right
And don't you worry, you'll soon be on the mend
And that's no trick, that flicker of radiance
And you'll feel lucky, darling I'm sure of it
You'll figure it out, and get good again
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
A stonewall run and hills of green
A golden dust, a dandelion sea, a bout of sorcery
Oh it's been so long since fall is so serene
It's been so long
But don't you worry, you'll soon be on the mend
And that's no trick, that flicker of radiance
And you'll feel lucky, darling, I promise you this
We'll figure it out and get good again
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
You said you don't know why you don't feel free
No, it's not true pride, I know what you mean
I want to thank you for being so good to me
I just wanted you to know
Are the echoes coming back to you?
Is wisdom seeing patterns on a loom?
Like a blanket around you
And we'll look for each other and I'll look out for you
And we'll look out for each other
And don't you worry, you'll soon be on the mend
And that's no trick, that flicker of radiance
And you'll feel lucky, darling, I'm sure of it
We'll figure it out, yeah, we'll feel good again
Well I'll figure it out, and get good again
Well I'll figure it out, and get good again
I'll figure it out, and get good again
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
In a dream, a dandelion field in a dream
A dandelion field in a dream
The song "Get Good" by Vanessa Carlton is a song about hope and faith, and finding one's way back to a positive and happy life. The song starts off by asking if the echoes of the past are still coming back to the person, or if they are finally seeing the patterns in life that they need to in order to get better. The lines, "Like a blanket around you, You were weaving colors, when I saw you" suggest that the person was once creative and full of life, but has since lost that energy.
The chorus brings about hope, that things will soon get better for the person. The lines, "And don't you worry, you'll soon be on the mend, And that's no trick, that flicker of radiance" suggest that there is a glimmer of hope that the person will find their way back to happiness. The song ends with the reassurance that the person "will feel lucky, darling, I'm sure of it, We'll figure it out, yeah, we'll feel good again."
Overall, the lyrics of "Get Good" suggest that while life may be difficult for the person, there is always a way back to happiness and that they will find it eventually.
Line by Line Meaning
Are the echoes coming back to you?
Are you experiencing the same patterns again?
Is wisdom seeing patterns on a loom?
Can you see underlying patterns that are being weaved together?
Like a blanket around you
These patterns surround you like a cozy blanket.
You were weaving colors, when I saw you
You were creating beauty and finding joy in life when I first met you.
Put your velvet on the moonlight
Let your essence shine bright and beautiful like the moonlight illuminating velvet fabric.
Or have you lost your constellation eyes?
Have you lost your ability to see the beauty and wonder in the world around us?
Well you could give it time
Perhaps with time, you will rediscover your optimism and enthusiasm.
I wish I could be there
I wish I could be your support system.
Wish I could make it right
I wish I could help ease your pain and troubles.
And don't you worry, you'll soon be on the mend
Don't lose hope, you will start to heal and improve.
And that's no trick, that flicker of radiance
Your inner light is already starting to shine again.
And you'll feel lucky, darling I'm sure of it
Your luck will start to turn around, I am confident of it.
You'll figure it out, and get good again
You will find a way to overcome your struggles and become happy again.
A stonewall run and hills of green
The landscape surrounding us is filled with obstacles but beauty as well.
A golden dust, a dandelion sea, a bout of sorcery
The world can be magical and filled with beauty if we choose to see it that way.
Oh it's been so long since fall is so serene
It has been a while since things have felt peaceful and calm like the fall.
You said you don't know why you don't feel free
You expressed confusion about why you feel trapped or constrained.
No, it's not true pride, I know what you mean
Your feelings are not stemming from arrogance, I understand what you are saying.
I want to thank you for being so good to me
I appreciate everything you have done for me and how good you have been to me.
And we'll look for each other and I'll look out for you
We will continue to support and care for each other.
And don't you worry, you'll soon be on the mend
I still have faith that you will get better and start to heal.
And that's no trick, that flicker of radiance
Your inner light is still shining and will continue to grow brighter.
And you'll feel lucky, darling, I'm sure of it
Your luck is bound to change, and I believe it will for the better.
We'll figure it out and get good again
Together, we will find a way to fix our problems and become happy again.
In a dream, a dandelion field in a dream
Perhaps we can find solace and beauty in our dreams for the time being.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: VANESSA CARLTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind