Corinne Bailey Rae – Corinne Bailey Rae Review

Introduction

You might be wondering, “How do you go from doing three Chris Cornell track-by-track reviews to covering Corinne Bailey Rae?” Well, I have been told that I have a bit of an eclectic taste in music, although, for the most part, I prefer rock and roll.

I have decided for this blog to cover artists that I really enjoy listening to and that have risen to the top of my preferences. I also strongly prefer to take a look at an entire album rather than piecing together individual tracks. Corinne Bailey Rae is essentially on my top 5 list of favorite artists.

As mentioned on her Wiki page, Corinne is a British singer-songwriter and is best known for her 2006 hit single, “Put Your Records On,” off of her debut album, “Corinne Bailey Rae.” Corinne was married to Jason Rae from 2001 until his untimely death in 2008.

Background

This album preceded that tragic event. In 2007, she was nominated for three Grammy awards and three Brit awards, and her debut record sold four million copies worldwide. What I like most about her music is, of course, the lyrics and the amazing pictures and imagery they bring forward.

In 2007, Corinne was nominated for Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. She is the fourth female British artist to have her album debut at number one.

I am sure some of these experiences helped shape the musician she is today. If you ever wonder if her albums are about self-reflection, this quote would shed some light on that.

All my songs are partly true and not true. None of them are pages torn from a diary, which is what people think. It’s art,” she shrugs. “It’s made up. Some songs are a bit more personal. Others are inspired by poetry, the cosmos and nature.

There are songs that move from dark to light, and from silence to joyful chaos.” She flashes that smile. “Right now I’m just really enjoying seeing what I can do.

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/corinne-bailey-rae-interview-jazz-festival-a4278891.html

Track by Track

Even though the internet has been out there for a while, it was difficult to find interviews of her from before her husband’s untimely death. I really wanted to find a few that spoke to her mindset regarding this album and find quotes related to what the songs meant to her when she wrote them. It was much easier to find that sort of content for Chris Cornell.

This is my track-by-track review.

I encourage the reader to play the CD while reading my track-by-track reviews.

Here is my track preference list:

Rank	Track #	Title
1.	01	Like A Star
2.	03	Put Your Records On
3.	08	Breathless
4.	06	Call Me When You Get This
5.	04	Till it Happens to You
6.	11	Seasons Change
7.	10	Butterfly
8.	09	I’d Like To
9.	02	Enchantment
10.	07	Choux Pastry Heart
11.	05	Trouble Sleeping

Track 1

Like A Star

Corinne Bailey Rae

4:01

This is the first track as well as the first song written on Corinne Bailey Rae’s self-titled debut album. It was written about her late husband before his untimely passing.

Music Video

In the music video, she sings the song in an empty mansion wearing what looks like a wedding dress. It flashes to scenes of a club and of her by the lake.

This is an easy song to relate to. Someone who is in love and has strong feelings—probably the strongest feelings ever—about another person Awesome lyrics start out:

“Just like a star across my sky,
Just like an angel off the page,
You have appeared to my life,
Feel like I’ll never be the same,
Just like a song in my heart,
Just like oil on my hands”

A simple and beautiful start to this amazing CD as well as a touching tribute to her late husband, even though it was written while he was still alive.

This is my favorite song on the CD, but it is not my favorite rendition of it. That honor belongs to her performance on the “iTunes Live from SoHo EP.” It was a little bit slower, a little bit less produced, a little more heartfelt, and had a few enhancements, such as at one point when she hums for a few seconds and holds her melodies just a tad bit longer. Overall, it felt more authentic, and I love it.

‎iTunes Live from SoHo – EP by Corinne Bailey Rae on Apple Music

Track 2

Enchantment

Corinne Bailey Rae, Rod Bowkett

03:56

This is sort of a slower song sandwiched in between probably two of the best songs on the CD. It’s about being enchanted by someone that you have fallen for or are spellbound by. Straightforward, sweet, and simple.

Track 3

Put Your Records On

Corinne Bailey Rae, Steve Chrisanthou, John Beck

03:34

This song earned a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year in 2007. She was surprised the song received:

“any reaction at all.”

Analyzing the lyrics for a moment,

I love the line:

“Summer came like cinnamon So sweet”

When you think about it, cinnamon is not sweet until you add sugar, haha.

“Little girls double-dutch on the concrete”

It’s this type of imagery that I really like about her lyrics. It’s a song that reminds me about the most special people in my life, which, as a by-product, can evoke strong emotions.

The music video and song conjure feelings of a nice spring or summer day of relaxation, riding your favorite bike, and listening to your favorite songs. not really worrying about what anybody else thinks or does, just being yourself and embracing your inner beauty, whatever that may be, “afro hairdo” and “sapphire jeans” and all.

pretty simple but powerful at the same time. It’s really something to strive for in life because, really, it doesn’t get any better than that.

After hearing this song for the first time, I learned the term “earworm,” meaning having a song stuck in your head playing on repeat, which I sometimes experience with this song. One of the solutions is to play it again and listen all the way through to the end. This song has a great sing-along factor as well.

Track 4

Till it Happens to You

Corinne Bailey Rae, Pamela Sheyne, Paul Herman

04:36

After starting out on such an upswing, we need to bring it back down a little. To me, this is about a couple that has recently broken up or had a fight. She is reminiscing about how much it can hurt and how “you won’t believe what love can do till it happens to you.”

Later in the song, she gets back together with her friend, and things are not the same anymore. It’s a really beautiful and sad song at the same time.

Track 5

Trouble Sleeping

Corinne Bailey Rae, John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou

03:27

The songs seem to be about, you guessed it, having trouble sleeping. The question is, is it because she’s falling in love?

It’s a nice, pleasant song, though not one of my favorites on the CD.

Track 6

Call Me When You Get This

Corinne Bailey Rae, Steve Bush

05:02

This is essentially the midpoint of the CD, and the quality is turned up a notch with this track. Each song just keeps getting better and better. It’s a beautiful message to the new love in her life, written as if she sang it over the phone, left as a voice message, as she requests, “Call Me When You Get This.” It is enjoyable to sing along to it.

Track 7

Choux Pastry Heart

Corinne Bailey Rae, Teitur Lassen

03:56

I never heard of a “Choux Pastry” before hearing this song, but I really love the analogy of what I believe is the sweetness in her heart having been opened up to someone who perhaps does not love her back in the same way. It’s a sad song when put into that context—really sad.

“cried so much I had to leave”

I love the way she sings this part, going higher and higher in pitch, but at the same time, it implies she left the room, I assume, and:

“I don’t wanna lose you yeah
Don’t even own you I just wanna stay right here
Until never dawns yeah”.

This implies she is in for the long haul. The tone of the music is sort of depressing and sad as well.

Track 8

Breathless

Corinne Bailey Rae, Marc Nelkin

04:13

With “Breathless,” the CD pulls itself out of the doldrums and is much more uplifting. It’s about a young woman who has a close friend, but they haven’t left the friend zone yet. She wants to say something because she “gets so breathless when you call my name.”

“But I have to be honest:
I want you to be mine
Tell me, do you know?”

PRO Tip: Most likely, if he’s like most guys, he has no clue, unless she tells him.

It’s a beautiful song coming from the point of view of someone with a sweet heart.

Track 9

I’d Like To

Corinne Bailey Rae, Tommy Danvers, Paul Herman

04:05

This song reminds me a lot of Track 3. She starts out describing a hot, sunny day with her friend cutting up their jeans, stepping outside, describing the neighborhood, and painting a picture of a near-party atmosphere. But then she declares how she likes to put her fingers on you. She then loops back, saying she just wants you to understand where she’s coming from and that she desires the simple things. It’s a really nice song.

Track 10

Butterfly

Corinne Bailey, Rod Bowkett

03:52

This is a really nostalgic song. It starts off with her reflecting on her upbringing and her mother. It really is about her relationship with her mom and how she came of age to leave the nest, like a butterfly. The lyrics are softly sung and done eloquently. It’s an easy song to relate to and will, of course, remind you of your mom or your parents. Is someone cutting onions in here? Thanks, Corinne…

Track 11

Seasons Change

Corinne Bailey, Steve Brown

04:53

This is another really beautiful song. I am struggling to determine exactly what it is about. What I read into it leads me to believe it may be about someone going through depression or having a hard time and being patient because “all these things happen for a reason” and “when the seasons change, you’re going to change.”

CD 2 European special edition bonus disc

My understanding is that Corinne Bailey Rae’s self-titled CD has a standard and a special edition. It also has Japanese-edition bonus tracks. Here, I am covering the second CD in the special edition version. It’s a fairly easy-to-find version, and since some of the songs on it are remixes, I thought I might as well cover them here.

Here is my track preference list for CD 2:

Rank	Track #	Title
1.	01	Since I’ve Been Loving You
2.	03	Munich
3.	06	Venus as a Boy
4.	08	I Won’t Let You Lie To Yourself
5.	07	I’d Like To [Weekender Mix]
6.	09	Another Rainy Day
7.	10	Daydreaming
8.	04	No Love Child
9.	02	Emeraldine
10.	05	Enchantment Amp Fiddler Remix

Track 1

Since I’ve Been Loving You

Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones

04:22

This is a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic from the Led Zeppelin III CD released in 1970. One of the greatest rock bands to ever exist For what it’s worth, I much prefer Corinne’s version; it seems more believable to me for some reason. I appreciate the use of the piano in the song. It’s my favorite song on this special-edition CD.

The lyrics were changed to tell the story from a woman’s point of view. It’s about someone who is really worried about their partner, so much so that they are about to lose their “worried mind.” It’s great to sing along with.

Track 2

Emeraldine

Bailey Rae, Andrew Hale

04:31

“I had my suspicions
I’m in love with you
It feels like springtime”

From this, I gather that either the person presented in the song or Corinne only falls in love in the spring. It’s a pleasant song, but not one of my favorites on this extended edition.

Track 3

Munich

Thomas Michael Smith, Christopher Urbanowicz, Russell Leetch, Edward Owen Lay

03:58

I really like this song; I feel like it’s right there with the first track on the special edition. It’s straightforward, and in my opinion, it reminds us to be aware that some people are fragile and to speak kindly to them.

Track 4

No Love Child

Robinson, Pollock

04:00

I am sort of at a loss as to the meaning of this song. On the surface, it appears to be about a woman who perhaps one day wants a child, but before that can happen, she has to fall in love first.

“I got to open what’s inside
Sort this fear I got to hide
I’m pulling down my pride”

Perhaps she is too shy or just has to work out her issues before her life falls into place. It’s a sad sort of song, a bit of a downer, ending with a repeating verse, which I find kind of annoying.

Track 5

Enchantment Amp Fiddler Remix

Corinne Bailey Rae, Bowkett