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.
I Can't Stay the Same
Vanessa Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was always workin' fast
I knew the words, I knew myself
I didn't need any help
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I can't, I can't stay
It was gift to admit
It was a gift when I was wrong
I knew it once, I felt it twice
Only myself alone in a spotlight
My revolution wasn't simple
But it was a quiet mind
A risk I take, I had to earn
Revelation is a long slow line
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
Don't you, don't you stop believing
The healer is within
The cycles, the cycles of the seasons
And we begin again
Don't you, don't you stop believing
The healer is within
The cycles, the cycles of the seasons
And we begin again, again, again
The lyrics of Vanessa Carlton's "I Can't Stay the Same" reflect a sense of metamorphosis. The tone is contemplative, with Carlton expressing her past self as someone confident, certain, and unchanging. She had a plan and was always working fast, knowing herself enough not to need any help. However, the song isn't stuck in the past but flows with time. Carlton embraces her mistakes ("It was a gift when I was wrong"), and we found traces of acknowledgment and eventual rebellion. She accepts that staying the same is impossible, as she'd have to give up her growth, accepting new ideas, experiences, and relationships. This progression translates to a sense of renewal, hope, and beginning again.
The chorus "I can't stay the same" is a marker of change, a declaration of her moving forward, one step after the other. It speaks of embracing change and seizing opportunities, which align with the heart of the song. The lines "Don't you stop believing, the healer is within" highlight the need for self-belief, self-trust and internal fortitude in situations of change. The "healer within" is a metaphor for our inner strength and resolve to face what lies ahead during our seasons of growth and change.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a plan, I had a past
I had a detailed plan for my future and had experiences that shaped my identity
I was always workin' fast
I was constantly working hard to achieve my goals quickly
I knew the words, I knew myself
I was confident and knowledgeable in what I said and who I was
I didn't need any help
I thought I could handle everything on my own without assistance
It was gift to admit
Accepting my faults was a blessing
It was a gift when I was wrong
Being wrong provided me an opportunity to learn and grow
I knew it once, I felt it twice
I had a gut feeling that something wasn't right and confirmed it again later
Only myself alone in a spotlight
I was isolated and vulnerable in the public eye
My revolution wasn't simple
My personal transformation was complex and difficult
But it was a quiet mind
I found peace and clarity in my thoughts despite the chaos in my life
A risk I take, I had to earn
I had to work hard to take a risk that was worth it
Revelation is a long slow line
Realizing the truth and finding personal enlightenment is a slow and arduous process
Don't you, don't you stop believing
It's important to maintain faith in your journey and goals
The healer is within
You have the power to heal and grow from within
The cycles, the cycles of the seasons
Life is full of cycles and changes, just like the changing of the seasons
And we begin again
Every ending leads to a new beginning and a fresh start
Again, again, again
Repeatedly going through cycles and changes is a natural part of life
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I can't, I can't stay
I can't stay the same
I am unable to stay stagnant and must always embrace change and growth
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, MOM'S GOTTA PLAY TOO
Written by: Vanessa Carlton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind