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
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vanessacarlton
Twitter: http://twitter.com/vanessacarlton
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.
Put Your Hands On Me
Vanessa Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I first saw you at the video exchange
I know my heart, and it will never change
This temp work would be alright if you'd call me, you'd call me
I lie awake at night for you and I pray
We cross the deepest oceans
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
And all the constellations
Shine down for us to see
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
The subway radiates with heat
We barely met and still I cross the street
To your door
We cross the deepest oceans
Cargo across the sea
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
And all the constellations
Shine down for us to see
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
Someday when our stories are told
They'll tell of a love like this
When our descendants are all growing old
A thousand years we'll be singing
Na, na na, na na, na na na na
We climb Tibetan mountains
Where we can barely breathe
I see the Dalai Lama
I feel him blessing me
And all the constellations
Shine down for us to see
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
Na na na na na na na (hands on me)
Your hands on me (hands on me)
Na na na na na na na (hands on me)
I first saw you at the video exchange
"Put Your Hands On Me" by Vanessa Carlton is a love song that tells a story of the singer's affection for someone she has just met. The opening lines say "I first saw you at the video exchange/ I know my heart, and it will never change." These lines suggest that the singer had an instant attraction to the person, which she believes will never fade away. She goes ahead to express her yearning for the person to call her, saying that her temp work would be okay if only he called. She also reveals that she lies awake at night, probably thinking of him and praying to be with him.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea that the singer and the person she admires can conquer anything, even crossing the deepest oceans and climbing mountains together. She asks her admirer to touch her, and she assures him that if he does, he will feel a potent and undeniable connection. The idea of constellations shines through in the lyrics, suggesting that their love is powerful and everlasting. In the last verse, the song indicates that the love story between the two would be timeless and that they would sing about it for a thousand years to come.
Line by Line Meaning
I first saw you at the video exchange
I remember the exact moment I first laid eyes on you at the video store and it left a lasting impression on me.
I know my heart, and it will never change
My heart is set on you and nothing will ever change the way I feel about you.
This temp work would be alright if you'd call me, you'd call me
I'm stuck in a job I don't like, but if you were to just give me a call, it would make everything better.
I lie awake at night for you and I pray
You consume my thoughts and I can't stop thinking about you, even at night when I'm trying to sleep, so I pray for our future together.
We cross the deepest oceans
Cargo across the sea
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
Our love transcends any distance, we will cross oceans and overcome any obstacle together. And if you have any doubts, just touch me and feel the depth of our connection.
And all the constellations
Shine down for us to see
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
Our love is written in the stars, it's meant to be. If you're not convinced, just touch me and you'll feel the truth of our bond.
The subway radiates with heat
We barely met and still I cross the street
To your door
I feel an intense pull towards you, even though we've only just met. The heat of the moment is palpable and I can't resist coming over to your place.
Someday when our stories are told
They'll tell of a love like this
When our descendants are all growing old
A thousand years we'll be singing
Na, na na, na na, na na na na
Our love is the kind that will be talked about and remembered for generations. Even a thousand years from now, our legacy will live on, and we'll still be singing our love song.
We climb Tibetan mountains
Where we can barely breathe
I see the Dalai Lama
I feel him blessing me
And all the constellations
Shine down for us to see
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
Our love takes us to great heights, sometimes it's hard to breathe but we're exhilarated to be together. Even the Dalai Lama can feel the power of our love and blesses us. The universe shines down on us, and if you still don't believe it, just touch me and feel how real our love is.
Na na na na na na na (hands on me)
Your hands on me (hands on me)
Na na na na na na na (hands on me)
Just the thought of your hands on me is enough to make me sing with joy. It's the ultimate validation of our love and connection.
Contributed by Alyssa P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@BS-mc5ok
can't find the lyric guy, so ill be the lyric guy🤷🏽♀️:
I first saw you at the video exchange
I know my heart, and it will never change
This temp work would be all right if you'd call me (you'd call me)
I lie awake at night and for you I pray
We cross the deepest oceans
Cargo across the sea
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
And all the constellations, shine down for us to see
And if you don't believe me, just put your hands on me (Ah, ah ah)
The subway radiates with heat
We've barely met, and still, I cross
The street
To your door
We cross the deepest oceans
Cargo across the sea
And if you don't believe me
Just put your hands on me
And all the constellations, shine down for us to see
And if you don't believe me, just put your hands on me (Ah, ah ah)
Someday when our stories are told
They'll tell of a love like this
When our descendants are all growing old
1, 000 years we'll be singing
Na, na na, na na, na na na na
We climb Tibetan mountains, where we can barely breathe
I see the Dali Lama, I feel him blessing me
and all the constellations, shine down on you and me
and if you don't believe me, just put your hands on me
Na na na na na na na
Your hands on me
Na na na na na na na
I first saw you at the video exchange
@RezyserZycia
a red bull on the piano, someone was tired ;)
@omzig-tq9gd
Ty tutaj? :D
@RezyserZycia
omzig0000 no witam witam
@justinesantiago3820
Observant 😁👋
@ryohry
I really want people to know all these underrated songs by Vanessa Carleton because this is just, just so beautiful
@rc27td
i fall in love with this video every time i rewatch it. vanessa is so underrated.
@filiparibeiro0
***** you wish
@hiamyflp
EXACTLY
@appleannmarfori2892
Omg! I'm stuck with thousand miles when she has so many nice songs
@_rogertaylors_car
I just discovered her last year, I'm a fan of hers now.