His 2000 album The Hour of Bewilderbeast won a prestigious Mercury Prize. He also composed the soundtrack to the movie About A Boy (starring Hugh Grant), based on the Nick Hornby's book of the same name. His third album, Have You Fed The Fish?, was released in 2002. One Plus One Is One, his fourth album, was released in 2004.
Born in the U.K., his fifth album, was released on October 16, 2006. It is a nod to one of his major influences, Bruce Springsteen.
In November 2009 it was announced on the Badly Drawn Boy website that "Damon is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches to a very exciting new project which will be reaching your eardrums in the very near future". [3] This album was soon revealed to be titled "Is There Nothing We Could Do?" featuring 'music taken from and inspired by the motion picture The Fattest Man in Britain.
The Shining
Badly Drawn Boy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've tried to hear, you're not near.
Remembering when I saw your face,
Shining my way, pure timing.
Now I've fallen in deep, slow silent sleep,
It's killing me, I'm dying.
To put a little sunshine in your life.
Soleil all over you, warm sun pours over me.
Soleil all over you
Warm sun.
Now this slick fallen rift,
Came like a gift,
Your body moves ever nearer
And your will dry this tear
Now that we're here, and grieve for me, not history
But now I'm dry of thoughts, wait for the rain,
Then it's replaced, sun setting
And suddenly we're in love with everything.
Soleil all over you, warm sun pours over me.
Soleil all over you
Warm sun.
The first verse of Badly Drawn Boy's "The Shining" expresses the frustration and sadness of feeling disconnected from someone you care about deeply. The metaphor of faith pouring from the walls emphasizes the importance of a strong emotional connection between two people. The singer reminisces about a time when he felt close to this person, when he was able to see their face shining and guiding him. However, now the singer feels like he is drowning, unable to hear the person he cares about. He is left in a deep, silent sleep that is killing him. The sun metaphor in the chorus is a symbol of hope and positivity. Soleil, which is French for "sun," is all over the person he cares about, and when he is near them, the warmth of the sun pours over him. The repetition of the phrase "warm sun" emphasizes the comfort and happiness he feels in their company.
The second verse introduces a new element to the song, a "slick fallen rift" that the singer refers to as a gift. This may be something that has shaken up his relationship with the person he cares about, but he sees it as an opportunity to become closer to them. The line "your body moves ever nearer" suggests a physical element to their relationship as well. The singer hopes that his connection with this person will be enough to help him dry the tears he is shedding. The bridge of the song shifts gears a bit, with the singer reflecting on the idea of grieving for him, not history. This may refer to the notion that the person he cares about should focus on their relationship in the present, not past relationships or mistakes they may have made. The final lines of the song bring back the sun metaphor, this time with an emphasis on love. The singer is suddenly "in love with everything" and the warm sun is all around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Faith pours from your walls, drowning your calls,
Your strong beliefs are overwhelming you and preventing you from hearing my attempts to communicate with you.
I've tried to hear, you're not near.
I have made an effort to listen to you, but you are emotionally distant.
Remembering when I saw your face,
Reflecting on the past when I first saw you.
Shining my way, pure timing.
Your presence in my life at that time felt divinely orchestrated and brought me joy.
Now I've fallen in deep, slow silent sleep,
I have fallen into a deep, peaceful state of mind.
It's killing me, I'm dying.
This state of mind is making me feel alive and reinvigorated.
To put a little sunshine in your life.
I want to make you happier and lift your spirits.
Soleil all over you, warm sun pours over me.
Being near you is like being bathed in sunlight, it warms me both physically and emotionally.
Now this slick fallen rift, came like a gift,
Our current situation, which has brought us closer, feels like a positive occurrence and one that was meant to happen.
Your body moves ever nearer and your will dry this tear
Your physical proximity and emotional support are comforting and help dry my tears.
Now that we're here, and grieve for me, not history
We are at a point in our relationship where we should focus on the present and not dwell on past mistakes or regrets.
But now I'm dry of thoughts, wait for the rain,
I am currently unable to articulate my thoughts or emotions and am waiting for inspiration or clarity.
Then it's replaced, sun setting
Once I gain this clarity, I feel a sense of closure and peace, like the end of a day.
And suddenly we're in love with everything.
We have a newfound appreciation and love for life and everything around us.
Soleil all over you, warm sun pours over me.
The warmth and light you bring to my life is contagious and spreads to me as well.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Damon Michael Gough
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tilottamam7315
Faith pours from your walls, drowning your calls,
I've tried to hear, you're not near.
Remembering when I saw your face,
Shining my way, pure timing.
Now I've fallen in deep, slow silent sleep,
It's killing me, I'm dying.
To put a little sunshine in your life.
Soleil all over you, warm sun pours over me.
Soleil all over you
Warm sun.
Now this slick fallen rift,
Came like a gift,
Your body moves ever nearer
And your will dry this tear
Now that we're here, and grieve for me, not history
But now I'm dry of thoughts, wait for the rain,
Then it's replaced, sun setting
And suddenly we're in love with everything.
Soleil all over you, warm sun pours over me.
Soleil all over you
Warm sun
@LibertarianMinded
Faith pours from your walls, drowning your calls,
I've tried to hear, you're not near.
Remembering when I saw your face,
Shining my way, pure timing.
Now I've fallen in deep, slow silent sleep,
It's killing me, I'm dying.
To put a little sunshine in your life.
Soleil all over you, warm sun pours over me.
Soleil all over you
Warm sun.
Now this slick fallen rift,
Came like a gift,
Your body moves ever nearer
And your will dry this tear
Now that we're here, and grieve for me, not history
But now I'm dry of thoughts, wait for the rain,
Then it's replaced, sun setting ❤️
@jb8280
I remember being a lonely lad of 24 moving from Oklahoma to LA for a job and finding refuge in a city where I knew no one at the Virgin Megastore on sunset. There was a song playing in the store as I diligently perused the import singles sections. It was The Shining by Badly Drawn Boy. I happily stood there sampling each track on the full length album at those “before covid” listening stations. A cascade of happy sad feeling wash over me today as I hear this track. It was a new adventure for me in the city of angels. A few decades later, I’m far away from where that journey started but his music is still with me. That will never change. Solace.
@hitachicordoba
The Virgin Megastore was a late night vibe for sure, as well as Tower Records down the street. I saw the Tommy Wiseau classic The Room upstairs at the Sunset Cinema 5 and K Reeves' band Dogstar at the Viper Room around that time.
@helendavies4628
You will always have a memory and wow a person you never will meet in the UK having the same thing xxx peace my brother ❤
@emmawightman312
Beautifully written - be proud of what you’ve achieved 😊🇬🇧
@ElleDraper
Loved reading this. For me, that moment in a new city will always be hearing "Crucify" by Tori Amos.
😊
@threeminuteshate
Music is the closest thing we’ll ever get to time travel.
@perrikeys1378
I've lost this song too many times but it was always in my heart. Glad I found it again never to lose again!❤
@chrisseager1820
Bolton is a town of less than 200,000 people but produced Badly Drawn Boy, Cherry Ghost and it’s also where Buzzcocks formed. Not bad!
@colinhogg7867
My wife walked up the aisle at our wedding in 2002 to the instrumental opening of this song.
Wonderful
@patriciametzler5989
This disc has been in my play list every week for just over 20 years. Never gets old. Original, ethereal, beautiful. Damon reminds me of the tragically short- lived Nick Drake. And his esteem for (and knowledge of) Bruce Springsteen just adds to my admiration.