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.
White Houses
Vanessa Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This little bungalow alone with some strange new friends
Stay up too late, and I'm too thin
We promise each other it's til the end
Now we're spinning empty bottles
It's the five of us
With pretty eyed boys girls die to trust
I can't resist the day
Jenny screams out and it's no pose
Cause when she dances she goes and goes
And beer through the nose on an inside joke
And I'm so excited, I haven't spoken
And she's so pretty, and she's so sure
Maybe I'm more clever than a girl like her
The summer's all in bloom
The summer is ending soon
It's alright and it's nice not to be so alone
But I hold on to your secrets in white houses
Maybe I'm a little bit over my head
I come undone at the things he said
And he's so funny in his bright red shirt
We were all in love and we all got hurt
I sneak into his car's cracked leather seat
The smell of gasoline in the summer heat
Boy, we're going way too fast
It's all too sweet to last
It's alright
And I put myself in his hands
But I hold on to your secrets in white houses
Love, or something ignites in my veins
And I pray it never fades in white houses
My first time, hard to explain
Rush of blood, oh, and a little bit of pain
On a cloudy day, it's more common than you think
He's my first mistake
Maybe you were all faster than me
We gave each other up so easily
These silly little wounds will never mend
I feel so far from where I've been
So I go, and I will not be back here again
I'm gone as the day is fading on white houses
I lie, put my injuries all in the dust
In my heart is the five of us
In white houses
And you, maybe you'll remember me
What I gave is yours to keep
In white houses
In white houses
In white houses
The song White Houses by Vanessa Carlton is a nostalgic and introspective journey through the memories of the singer's teenage years. The opening lines describe her initial move into a new home, where she becomes fast friends with a group of people who are unlike any she's ever known before, promising to be loyal to each other until the end. The image of spinning empty bottles is quintessential to the teenage experience, as much as the pretty eyed boys and girls that they can't resist. The bittersweetness of the coming end of summer and the bloom of the season mirrors the fleetingness of all good things associated with youth and immaturity.
Jenny's screaming, uncontrolled dancing, and beer through the nose are all signs of a teenage carefree spirit that the singer appears to be envious of. They are having the time of their lives, and she's longing to have a part of that too. Even when she becomes involved with someone romantically, it seems as though she's not fully committed, as evidenced by her holding onto someone else's secrets in white houses while she explores the thrill of new relationships. Ultimately, she realizes that her inexperience has led her to make her first mistake, one she can't erase or forget.
The singer's reflections on the people and experiences she's had paint a rather melancholic picture of youth, one where everything seems like it's just out of reach. The song's final chorus, where she speaks directly to what we can assume is an old friend, shows that despite the distance, the past they shared is something that lasts. It's a beautiful moment to end on, one that reminds the listener of the bittersweet beauty of nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
Crashed on the floor when I moved in
I fell hard when I first entered this place
This little bungalow alone with some strange new friends
I live in this small house with some new acquaintances
Stay up too late, and I'm too thin
I don't sleep enough, and I am not healthy
We promise each other it's til the end
We vow to stick together till the end
Now we're spinning empty bottles
We're playing a game of spin the bottle
It's the five of us
There are five of us playing this game
With pretty eyed boys girls die to trust
There are attractive boys present that girls trust
I can't resist the day
I am captivated by the moment
Jenny screams out and it's no pose
Jenny screams sincerely while dancing
Cause when she dances she goes and goes
Jenny dances energetically for a long time
And beer through the nose on an inside joke
Someone laughed so hard beer came out of their nose at an inside joke
And I'm so excited, I haven't spoken
I'm excited, and I haven't said anything
And she's so pretty, and she's so sure
Jenny is beautiful and confident
Maybe I'm more clever than a girl like her
I think I might be more clever than Jenny
The summer's all in bloom
It's the summertime and everything looks beautiful
The summer is ending soon
Summer is almost over
It's alright and it's nice not to be so alone
It's comforting to not be alone
But I hold on to your secrets in white houses
I keep your secrets safe in my mind
Maybe I'm a little bit over my head
Maybe I'm in over my head
I come undone at the things he said
I am losing my composure from what he's saying
And he's so funny in his bright red shirt
He's funny in his red shirt
We were all in love and we all got hurt
We all fell in love and were all hurt
I sneak into his car's cracked leather seat
I get into his car quietly, and it's worn out
The smell of gasoline in the summer heat
It smells like gasoline in the summer heat
Boy, we're going way too fast
We're driving too quickly
It's all too sweet to last
It's too good to be true, and it won't last
And I put myself in his hands
I trusted him
Love, or something ignites in my veins
I feel love or something similar
And I pray it never fades in white houses
I hope this feeling lasts forever
My first time, hard to explain
It's difficult to explain my first time
Rush of blood, oh, and a little bit of pain
I had a sudden surge of adrenaline and felt a little pain
On a cloudy day, it's more common than you think
Something like this is common on a cloudy day
He's my first mistake
He's my first regret
Maybe you were all faster than me
Maybe you moved on faster than I did
We gave each other up so easily
We ended things very easily
These silly little wounds will never mend
These small hurts will never heal
I feel so far from where I've been
I feel disconnected from my past self
So I go, and I will not be back here again
I leave, and I won't return again
I'm gone as the day is fading on white houses
I leave as the day ends on this house
I lie, put my injuries all in the dust
I lie about my wounds and leave them behind
And you, maybe you'll remember me
And maybe you'll remember me
What I gave is yours to keep
What I gave you is yours to keep
In white houses
In this house with white walls and a red roof
In white houses
In this house with white walls and a red roof
In white houses
In this house with white walls and a red roof
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHAN DOUGLAS JENKINS, VANESSA CARLTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BellJarBoy
31 here. Can’t help but feel like it will only continue to get us harder the older we get. It’s just jammed full of that sort of nostalgia that pulls on your soul from the most formative years/parts of most of our lives…
That brink from youth to adulthood—but you’re not really close to being grown or an adult at all.
Having so much fun, making many friends, making mistakes, parties, laughter, first sexual encounters… We almost all have our own “White houses”… these places that take us back to that time and the specific memories.
I think at this point I’m the part that gets me the most is the part about moving on quickly from the friendships we form and fun we have in those years… it definitely seems to be that she’s saying she’s the type that is more sentimental and probably reminisces more. That’s very much me, and I often wonder how often, if at all, some people I spent a lot of good times with ten years ago think of me and our memories.
Good thing is, with social media I actually feel like that whole thing is definitely better than how it was pre-social media. I might not be BFFLs with some of those people, or even close anymore, but we see each other’s presence online enough for a little smiley emoji here or like or comment and it’s nice to know with that, as insignificant as it can feel (and often considered “trivial”), those are little ways to keep alive those memories and friendships in some small way.
And at the same time social media for sure has made it where some of my closest friends and I from high school literally still have an ongoing group chat on snap. We might not all always reply and some of us send things much more than others, but we ALL view everything and are there when it counts. Despite ALL the downsides of social media and the way the internet is in 2022, I feel so fortunate to have these things rather than to not.
@fina000
Who is listening in 2024!!!! ❤❤❤❤
@user-ul3pw2kp9n
Все... Все, кто любит красивую музыку, красивый голос... Все те кто, любит всё красивое.
@mfe1089
"Maybe you remember me, what I gave you is yours to keep" always gets me
@mirianreginald7280
Me too
@khileyboren7828
Mirian Reginald wherhwwhfqdhqgddgggv
@hrf6548
This song is so well written. She's so goodddd
@Indi3cita
The things is that maybe they will never meet again... The romantic in me used to imagine him seeing her on tv or something and recognize her and hearing this song and think about her and that day...
@TheStepmonkey
@@Indi3cita Wait, the story was real??!
@danie3ashbshm
I feel like she was ahead of her time and was unappreciated
@KaentukiTheFuki
She was far too ahead of her time, if she came 0ut now....