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.
PAPA
Vanessa Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look left, look where you left me
I should have known by the ice in his eye
But you warmed me up with your so sweet demise
Nestled in your calculated moon shine
Boy you give good,
And you got it all up your blue sleeve, your sleeve
Love, plastic love, you're a genuine wannabe
And you got it all up your blue sleeve, but me
Papa oh Papa tonight, Papa oh ill be alright
Look left, look where you want to be
Look up, look where you left me
I should have known by the ice in his eye
But you warmed me with your so sweet demise
Nestled in your calculated moon shine
Boy you give good,
Love, plastic love, you're a genuine wannabe
And you got it all up your blue sleeve, you're sleeve
Love, plastic love, you're a genuine wannabe
And you got it all up your blue sleeve..but me
Papa oh Papa tonight, Papa oh ill be alright
The song "Papa" by Vanessa Carlton appears to be about a toxic relationship with a man who seems to be manipulative and calculating. The first couplet of the chorus, "Look up, look where you want to be/Look left, look where you left me," suggests a sense of abandonment and perhaps feeling lost. The singer acknowledges that she should have recognized the warning signs of this man's icy demeanor, but he lured her in with his false charm ("But you warmed me up with your so sweet demise/Nestled in your calculated moon shine").
The lyrics "Love, plastic love, you're a genuine wannabe/And you got it all up your blue sleeve" suggest that this man is not authentic in his feelings, but rather is trying to manipulate the situation to his advantage. The repetition of the phrase "Papa oh Papa tonight, Papa oh ill be alright" throughout the song may suggest a desire for protection or guidance from a father figure, as the singer struggles to understand and navigate this unhealthy relationship.
Overall, the lyrics of "Papa" paint a vivid picture of a relationship that has gone astray, leaving the singer feeling lost and abandoned, hoping for a sense of safety and security.
Line by Line Meaning
Look up, look where you want to be
Focus on your aspirations and steer your life in that direction.
Look left, look where you left me
Realize the consequences of your actions and the people who may suffer from them.
I should have known by the ice in his eye
I should have recognized the cold-heartedness in his behavior earlier.
But you warmed me up with your so sweet demise
You gave me comfort and joy despite your ultimate intention to hurt me.
Nestled in your calculated moon shine
Living in a carefully crafted illusion of happiness and love, offered by you.
Boy you give good, Love, plastic love, you're a genuine wannabe
You are good at pretending to love, but in reality your love is fake and superficial.
And you got it all up your blue sleeve, your sleeve
You have manipulative tactics up your sleeve to control and deceive others.
Papa oh Papa tonight, Papa oh ill be alright
Father figure, provide me comfort and reassurance that life will be okay.
Love, plastic love, you're a genuine wannabe
Your love is not genuine and authentic, it is a mere imitation.
And you got it all up your blue sleeve, but me
You use your manipulative tactics on others, but they don't work on me anymore.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BOWERS, STEVE FAULKNER, SEAN GARDEN, DOUG MOORE, TRACY THORSTAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind