Hello everyone, and welcome back to another blog post. Today I will be discussing one of my favorite artists, Amy Winehouse. I became aware of Amy’s musical career when she won five Grammy awards in 2008, including the record of the year, song of the year, best new artist, and best pop vocal album. However, it wasn’t until after her tragic death that I became more interested in her music. I went through many anxieties during high school, and listening to Amy’s music gave me comfort. After watching the documentary called Amy, I appreciated her and her music even more. Amy was never afraid to write about what she was going through.
Amy was born in London on September 14, 1983. Her parents, Mitch and Janis, divorced when Amy was young, which greatly affected her because she never got to see her father. Although Amy’s parents were not musicians, they were big fans of artists such as Frank Sinatra. Hearing Sinatra's music being played greatly influenced Amy and her music. Amy’s family members saw the talent in her, and her grandmother encouraged Amy to attend Susi Earnshaw Theatre School. After attending four years, she went to the BRIT School, another performing arts school, but dropped out when she was sixteen. Amy began working as an entertainment journalist for World Entertainment News Network and performed with a local band. She also sang for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, where more jazz artists influenced her. In 2002 Amy signed with 19 Management but went to Island Records after developing friendships with their representatives. Everyone at Island saw Amy’s potential to be more than just a pop star and share real music with the world. Amy’s first album, Frank, was released in 2003. It was heavily influenced by jazz, and besides two cover songs, the album was co-written by Amy. The album was a massive success for her, reaching platinum sales. In 2006 Amy released her next album, Back To Black, which had more influences from the 50s-60s girl groups. Even though the album had tremendous success winning the five Grammy Awards, Amy struggled with her addiction to alcohol and drugs, which impacted her mental ability to perform. She struggled to sing at concerts on her tour and was even booed by fans. Before Amy’s death, she recorded a new album: Lioness Hidden Treasures, released in 2011. The songs were chosen by producers that worked with Amy and her family members.
Today I will be discussing one of my favorite Amy Winehouse’s song, My Tears Dry On Their Own, written by Amy Winehouse, Nickolas Ashford, and Valerie Simpson. The chord progression is inspired by Marvin Gaye’s Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. The instrumentation is similar to that song, but the lyrics are sadder. For example, the opening line is: “All I can ever be to you is a darkness that we know, and this regret I got accustomed to.” In the song, Amy is in a relationship that is never going to last because the man is seeing another person, and Amy is just the other woman. Even though she knows this, she can’t help how she feels. “I knew I hadn’t met my match, but every moment we could snatch. I don’t know why I got so attached. It’s my responsibility, and you don’t owe nothing to me. But to walk away, I have no capacity.” I just love how Amy expresses herself; she is so talented at writing and phrasing lines that are unique and easy to understand. It is also worth noting how beautiful Amy’s low alto voice sounds combined with the brass section. It is simply a recipe for perfection. Even though the lyrics are sad, the instruments make the song sound lighter. The chorus is powerful because you can feel the emotions Amy is letting out. “He walks away; the sun goes down. He takes the day, but I am grown. And in your way, in this blue shade. My tears dry on their own.” Through all this heartache, Amy can still see the other side of this situation, which is coming out stronger. I love the flute in the band during the second verse because it’s a great contrast to Amy’s dark, rough voice. In the bridge going into the chorus, you hear more background singing, and it provides more of the 60s girl group kind of sound. I can just see that classic girl group image: Amy in the middle with two girls on either side, swaying and snapping to the beat. Amy took something iconic and made it hers, which is what music is all about.
I hope you enjoyed this week's blog post. You can check out this song and all the other songs I have written in the link below!
Author: Lydia MacDavid
Chief Editor: Jacob Tomeny