Vanessa Carlton

I've been a Carlton fan ever since my friend Lauren introduced me to her music almost six years ago.

I was less enchanted by her more poppy, and more popular, songs, like "1000 Miles" and "Ordinary Day", and more lured toward her hauntingly gorgeous pieces like "Half A Week Before The Winter", and "Annie", but by far the two songs that stood out to me the most were "Wreckage" and "She Floats".

"She Floats" has an amazing backing piano, very subtle and haunting at first, building as the song goes on. In the middle of the song you hear a chorus break out into theses haunting screams. . .like a chorus of ghosts. The amazing thing about that chorus is that it isn't a chorus at all. It's Vanessa and her producer Stephan Jenkins, and no one else, tracked singing and screaming different notes hundreds of times. The after effect, a ghostly choir.

"Wreckage" just sang to me. . .the piano is amazing. Very classical, but still dark and rock. . .something that to this day I've only found Vanessa to pull off. The lyrics are sad, the song as a whole has the beautiful tragedy feel to it. There's a very poetic side to her lyrics both in this song and in "She Floats". I know I've cried a few times when listening to it. Her vocals are better in this song than in any other of her songs I think. There's a clarity to them that she doesn't bring in other pieces. It's really just an amazing piece!

I'm going to post both songs tonight, 'cause I would never be able to choose between these two wonderful songs. Neither of them have music videos, just pictures of Vanessa.

Enjoy!

She Floats-Vanessa Carlton



Watching puddles gather rain
There's no better place to lay
And she's as fine as dandelions blowin' in the wind
She's not thinkin' 'bout anything
She Floats

She floats
Floats

Wearin' black patent Mary Janes
She steps out into the rain
But she's as dry as clear blue skys swallowing you whole
Got no secrets
though I'm told she floats

She floats
Floats

Mmm
Ah
Mmm
Ah

["Choir"]

'Cause she's as fine as dandelions blowing in the wind
She's not thinkin' she's listening

She floats
She floats
Floats
Floats
She Floats
She Floats
Floats



Wreckage-Vanessa Carlton


Speeding
Into the horizon
Dreaming of the siren
Wishing for her broken glass on the highway
It could be so easy

The rhythm
Rhythm of an engine
Always makes me empty
I see the headlights coming at me
I can't help but wonder

Flying
Flying in slow motion
Wind through my hair
And ripping through the scenery, oh, the wreckage
It is my secret need

Speeding
Into the horizon
Dreaming of the siren
Wishing for her broken glass on the highway
It could be so easy..