Whishaw was born and raised in Bedfordshire, the son of Linda, who works in cosmetics, and Josey Whishaw, who works in information technology. He has a twin brother, James, and was a member of the Bancroft Players Youth Theatre at Hitchin's Queen Mother Theatre. He attended Henlow Middle School and then Samuel Whitbread Community College in Clifton, Bedfordshire. During his time with the group, he first rose to prominence during collaborations with their offshoot theatre company, Big Spirit. He was involved in many productions – perhaps most notably, If This Is A Man (also performed as The Drowned & The Saved). This was a piece devised by the company based on the book of the same name by Primo Levi, a survivor of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz. This harrowing and moving book was adapted into a physical theatre piece by the group and taken to the 1995 Edinburgh Festival where it garnered five-star reviews and great critical acclaim. Whishaw played the character of Levi in this and subsequent productions of the show.
As the lead in Trevor Nunn's 2004 young-cast production of Hamlet at the Old Vic, he received highly favourable reviews. The role was shared with Al Weaver in an unusual arrangement that saw Whishaw playing all nights except for Mondays and matinées. Nunn is reported to have made this arrangement due to the youth of the two actors playing the lead, to relieve some of the pressure on each. It was Whishaw, however, who featured most prominently in the marketing materials and in the majority of reviews.
Whishaw's film and TV credits include Layer Cake and Chris Morris's 2005 sitcom Nathan Barley, in which he played a character called Pingu. He was named 'Most Promising Newcomer' at the 2001 British Independent Film Awards (for My Brother Tom) and, in 2005, nominated as best actor in four award ceremonies for his Hamlet. He also played Keith Richards in the Brian Jones biopic Stoned. In the spring of 2005, Whishaw received lots of press for his turn as a drug dealer, acting alongside Robert Boulter and Fraser Ayres in Philip Ridley's post-apocalyptic fringe play Mercury Fur.
In Perfume, Whishaw plays Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a perfume maker whose craft turns deadly. The film was released in Germany in September 2006 and in the U.S. in December 2006. In the same year Whishaw worked on Pawel Pawlikowski's abandoned The Restraint of Beasts.
Whishaw appeared in I'm Not There in 2007 as one of the Bob Dylan reincarnations; in Criminal Justice, a Tiger Aspect series for the BBC, in 2008; a new adaptation of Brideshead Revisited; and ...some trace of her, an adaptation of The Idiot at the National Theatre.
At the end of 2009 he starred in Cock, a new play by Mike Bartlett at the Royal Court Theatre. In 2009 he also starred as the poet John Keats in the film Bright Star, which was written and directed by Jane Campion.
In February, 2010 Whishaw made a very successful off-broadway debut at MCC Theater in the US premiere of the awarding winning play The Pride by Alexi Kaye Campbell. The performance co-starred Hugh Dancy and Andrea Riseborough and was directed by Joe Mantello.
He appears in Julie Taymor's forthcoming big-screen adaptation of The Tempest and is attached to work on the film Kill Your Darlings (in which he plays Lucien Carr).
Ben Whishaw's most recent project is The Hour, a BBC Two drama series, written and created by award-winning screenwriter Abi Morgan.
Nowhere to Go But Up
Ben Whishaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That tumbles or rises
Depending on what is inside
Fill it with hope
And playful surprises
And oh, dearie ducks
Then you're in for a ride
And if you hear a tune
There's nowhere to go but up
Choose the secret we know
Before life makes us grow
There's nowhere to go but up
If your selection feels right
Well then, deary, hold tight
If you see your reflection
Your heart will take flight
If you pick the right string
Then your heart will take wing
And there's nowhere to go but up
Now I feel like that boy
With a shiny new toy
And there's nowhere to go but up (Michael)
Just one day at the fair
Has me waltzing on air
And there's nowhere to go but up
Jane, I remember, it's all true
Every impossible thing we imagined with Mary Poppins
It all happened
Now my heart is so light
That I think I just might
Start feeding the birds
And then go fly a kite
With your head in a cloud
Only laughter's allowed
And there's nowhere to go but up
We're zigging and zagging
Our feet never dragging
We might take a ride to the moon
All this bobbing and weaving
All comes from believing
The magic inside the balloon
The past is the past
It lives on as history
And that's an important thing
The future comes fast
Each second a mystery
For nobody knows what tomorrow may bring
This one looks like you
How do you know? Ah
Don't you lose her, son
I won't, sir
Up here in the blue
It's a marvelous view
Side by side is the best way to fly
Once I just looked above
But now I am part of
The lovely London sky
Would you like to try one yourself, sir?
Uh, I'll give it a go
Choose carefully
Well, nowhere to go but up
When the clouds make a muss
Well, I won't make a fuss
But I'll polish the stars
Ellen, better let us
Give a lift to a foe
For you reap what you sow
And there's nowhere to go but up
I've set sail, chart a course, Mr. Binnacle
That I will, sir, hahaha
If your day's up the spout
Well there isn't a doubt
There's nowhere to go but up
And if you don't believe
Just hang on to my sleeve
For there's nowhere to go but up
As you fly over town
It gets harder to frown
And we'll all hit the heights
If we never look down
Let the past take a bow
The forever is now
And there's nowhere to go but up, up
There's nowhere to go but up
Of course, the grownups will all forget by tomorrow
They always do
Only one balloon left, Mary Poppins
I think it must be yours
Yes, I suppose it must
Practically perfect in every way
The lyrics of Ben Whishaw's song "Nowhere to Go But Up" paint a vivid metaphorical picture of life as a balloon, symbolizing the journey of ups and downs that we experience. The idea is conveyed that the contents we fill the balloon with, such as hope and playful surprises, determine whether it tumbles or rises. This imagery suggests that embracing positivity and optimism can lead to an uplifting and enjoyable ride through life.
The notion of looking inside the balloon and hearing a tune represents the importance of listening to our inner selves and following our instincts and desires. It stresses the idea that there are endless possibilities for growth and improvement when we trust in our intuition and choose the path that feels right to us. The concept of picking the right string to make your heart take wing further emphasizes the theme of personal growth and striving for a brighter future.
The lyrics also allude to the transformative power of joy and companionship. The reference to feeling like a boy with a shiny new toy and waltzing on air at the fair suggests the liberating and euphoric feeling of embracing new experiences and relationships. This imagery of light-heartedness and carefreeness underscores the idea that by surrounding ourselves with positivity and letting go of past burdens, we can soar to new heights and find happiness in unexpected places.
The song culminates in a celebration of unity, belief, and possibility. The idea of flying side by side in the lovely London sky and embracing the magic inside the balloon symbolizes the strength and joy that can be found in coming together and believing in something greater than ourselves. The repeated assertion that there is "nowhere to go but up" reinforces the message of resilience, hope, and the endless potential for growth and renewal in our lives. The lyrics ultimately urge us to let go of the past, live in the present moment, and look forward to a future filled with wonder and possibility.
Line by Line Meaning
Life's a balloon
Life is unpredictable and can either soar or fall based on what we fill it with
That tumbles or rises
Life can either take unexpected turns or reach great heights
Depending on what is inside
Depending on our attitude, hopes, and outlook
Fill it with hope
Fill your life with optimism and positive expectations
And playful surprises
And joyful, unexpected moments
And oh, dearie ducks
And oh, my goodness
Then you're in for a ride
Then you're in for an amazing journey
Look inside the balloon
Look into your heart and soul
And if you hear a tune
And if you feel inspired or uplifted
There's nowhere to go but up
There's only room for improvement and growth
Choose the secret we know
Choose the wisdom and positivity we possess
Before life makes us grow
Before life teaches us lessons through challenges
If your selection feels right
If your decisions align with your inner self
Well then, deary, hold tight
Then, my dear, hold on firmly
If you see your reflection
If you recognize yourself and your potential
Your heart will take flight
Your emotions and spirit will soar
If you pick the right string
If you make the correct choices
Then your heart will take wing
Then your emotions will be uplifted
Now I feel like that boy
Now I feel full of enthusiasm and wonder
With a shiny new toy
As if I have a new and exciting experience
Just one day at the fair
Just a single day filled with joy and excitement
Has me waltzing on air
Has me feeling light and carefree
Jane, I remember, it's all true
Jane, I recall that our dreams with Mary Poppins were indeed true
Every impossible thing we imagined with Mary Poppins
Every fantastical idea we envisioned with Mary Poppins
It all happened
Did become a reality
Now my heart is so light
Now my heart feels so free and joyful
That I think I just might
To the point where I consider
Start feeding the birds
Feeding birds in a gesture of kindness
And then go fly a kite
And then enjoy simple pleasures like flying a kite
With your head in a cloud
With your mind full of dreams and imagination
Only laughter's allowed
Where only laughter and joy are welcomed
We're zigging and zagging
We navigate through life with many turns and surprises
Our feet never dragging
With energy and enthusiasm
We might take a ride to the moon
We might achieve something extraordinary
All this bobbing and weaving
All this maneuvering and adapting
All comes from believing
All stems from having faith and confidence
The magic inside the balloon
The potential and wonder within ourselves
The past is the past
The past events are over
It lives on as history
Yet remains as part of our story
And that's an important thing
And that's a valuable lesson
The future comes fast
The future arrives quickly
Each second a mystery
Every moment holds unknown possibilities
For nobody knows what tomorrow may bring
Because the future is uncertain to everyone
Would you like to try one yourself, sir?
Would you be interested in experiencing it yourself, sir?
Uh, I'll give it a go
I will try it out
Well, nowhere to go but up
Well, only room for improvement and growth
When the clouds make a muss
When things seem uncertain or chaotic
Well, I won't make a fuss
Well, I won't complain
But I'll polish the stars
Instead, I'll find beauty and light in difficult times
That I will, sir, hahaha
I will indeed, sir, with determination
If you don't believe
If you lack faith or confidence
Just hang on to my sleeve
Just hold on to my support and guidance
As you fly over town
As you experience life from a higher perspective
It gets harder to frown
It becomes more difficult to be unhappy
And we'll all hit the heights
And we will all achieve great success
If we never look down
If we remain optimistic and focused on the positive
Let the past take a bow
Let the past gracefully exit the stage
The forever is now
The present moment is eternal
And there's nowhere to go but up, up
And there's only room for growth and progress
Of course, the grownups will all forget by tomorrow
Naturally, the adults will likely forget by tomorrow
They always do
As they often do
Only one balloon left, Mary Poppins
Just one balloon remains, Mary Poppins
I think it must be yours
I believe it must belong to you
Yes, I suppose it must
Yes, I imagine it must be so
Practically perfect in every way
Nearly flawless and exceptional in all aspects
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Scott Wittman, Marc Shaiman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tahlia Evans
BALLOON LADY
Life's a balloon
That tumbles or rises
Depending on what is inside
Fill it with hope
And playful suprises
And oh, dearie ducks,
Then you're in for a ride...
Look inside the balloon
And if you hear a tune
There's no where to go but up
Choose the secret we know
Before life makes us grow
There's nowhere to go but up
If you selection feels right
Well then dearie, hold tight
If you see your reflection
Your heart will take flight
If you pick the right string
Then your heart will take wing
And there's nowhere to go but up
MICHAEL
Now I feel like that boy
With a shiney new toy
And there's nowhere to go but up
JANE
Michael!
MICHAEL
Just one day at the fair
Has me waltzing on air
And there's nowhere to go but up
Jane, I remember! It's all true! Every impossible thing we imagined with Mary Poppins - it all happened!
Now my heart is so light
That I think I just might
Start feeding the birds
And then go fly a kite!
With your head in a cloud
Only laughter's allowed
And there's nowhere to go but up
CHILDREN
We're zigging and zagging
Our feet never dragging
We might take a ride to the moon!
MICHAEL
All this bobbing and weaving
All comes from believing
MICHAEL AND THE CHILDREN
The magic inside the balloon
JACK
The past is the past
It lives on as history
And that's an important thing
The future comes fast
Each second a mystery
For nobody knows what
Tomorrow way bring
This one looks like you
JANE
How do you know? Ah!
ADMIRAL BOOM
Don't lose her, son!
JACK
I won't, sir!
JANE
Up here in the blue
It's a marvelous view!
JACK AND JANE
Side by side is the best way to fly
JACK
Once I just looked above
But now I am part of
The lovely London sky!
BALLOON LADY
Would you like to try one yourself sir?
WILKINS
Why not - I'll give it a go
BALLOON LADY
Choose carefully
Well... Nowhere to go but up
ELLEN
When the clouds make a muss
Well I won't make a fuss
But I'll polish the stars
THE BANKS FAMILY
Ellen, better let us!
GOODING AND FYRE
Give a lift to a foe
For you reap what you sow
ALL
And there's nowhere to go but up
ADMIRAL BOOM
Ah, I've set sail! Chart a course, Mr. Binnacle!
BINNACLE
That I will, sir!
ALL
If your day's up the spout
Well there isn't a doubt
There's nowhere to go but up
And if you don't believe
Just hang on to my sleeve
For there's nowhere to go but up
As you fly over town
It gets harder to frown
And we'll all hit the heights
If we never loom down
MICHAEL
Let the past take a bow
The forever is now
ALL
And there's nowhere to go but up, up!
There's nowhere to go but up!
BALLOON LADY
Of course the grown-ups will forget by tomorrow
MARY POPPINS
They always do
BALLOON LADY
Only one balloon left Mary Poppins
I think it must be yours
MARY POPPINS
Yes, I suppose it must
Practically perfect in every way
SuperTim2023
Nowhere To Go But Up From Mary Poppins Returns Lyrics
( Balloon Lady )
Life's a balloon that tumbles or rises
Depending on what is inside
Fill it with hope and playful surprises
And, oh, dearie ducks, then you're in for a ride
Look inside the balloon, and if you hear a tune
There's nowhere to go but up
Choose the secret we know before life makes us grow
There's nowhere to go but up
If your selection feels right, well, then, dearie, hold tight
If you see your reflection, your heart will take flight
If you pick the right string, then your heart will take wing
And there's nowhere to go but up
( Michael )
Now I feel like that boy with a shiny new toy
And there's nowhere to go but up
Just one day at the fair has me waltzing on air
And there's nowhere to go but up
(Michael, spoken )
Jane, Tim, I remember! It's all true! Every impossible thing we imagined with Mary Poppins. It all happened!
(Tim: Spoken )
Of course it did Michael
(Michael, Continued)
Now my heart is so light that I think I just might
Start feeding the birds and then go fly a kite
With your head in a cloud, only laughter's allowed
And there's nowhere to go but up
( Annabel, John and Georgie Banks )
We're zigging and zagging, our feet never dragging
We might take a ride to the moon
( Michael, Annabel, John and Georgie Banks )
All this bobbing and weaving all comes from believing
The magic inside the balloon
(Jack and Tim )
The past is the past; it lives on as history
And that's an important thing
The future comes fast, each second a mystery
For nobody knows what tomorrow may bring
[Jack and Tim, spoken:] This one looks like you.
[Jane and Emily, spoken::] How did you know?
[Admiral Boom, to Jack and Tim:] Don't you lose her, sons!
[Jack and Tim, spoken:] I won't, sir!
(Jack, Tim, Jane and Emily)
Up here in the blue, it's a marvellous view
Side by side is the best way to fly
(Jack & Tim)
Once I just looked above, but now I am part of
The lovely London sky
(...spoken...)
[Balloon lady:] Would you like to try one yourself, sir?
[Mr. Wilkins:] Why not? I'll give it a go.
[Balloon lady:] Choose carefully.
Well, nowhere to go but up.
(Ellen)
When the clouds make a muss, well I won't make a fuss
But I'll polish the stars (Michael, John, Georgie, Annabel & Tim: Ellen, better let us)
(Gooding and Frye)
Give a lift to a foe, for you reap what you sow
And there's nowhere to go but up
(...spoken...)
[Admiral Boom:] I've set sail! Chart a course, Mr. Binnacle!
[Mr. Binnacle:] That, I will, sir!
(Everyone)
If your day's up the spout, well, there isn't a doubt
There's nowhere to go but up
And if you don't believe, just hang on to our sleeve
For there's nowhere to go but up
As you fly over town, it gets harder to frown
And we'll all hit the heights if we never look down
Let the past take a bow, the forever is now!
And there's nowhere to go but up, up
There's nowhere to go but up
(...spoken...)
[Balloon lady:] Of course, the grown-ups will all forget by tomorrow.
[Mary Poppins:] They always do.
[Balloon lady:] Only one balloon left, Mary Poppins. I think it must be yours.
[Mary Poppins:] I suppose it must. Practically perfect in every way.
keeki
Life's a balloon
That tumbles or rises
Depending on what is inside
Fill it with hope
And playful surprises
And oh, deary ducks
Then you're in for a ride
Look inside the balloon
And if you hear a tune
There's no where to go but up
Choose the secret we know
Before life makes us grow
There's nowhere to go but up
If your selection feels right
Well then deary, hold tight
If you see your reflection
Your heart will take flight
If you pick the right string
Then your heart will take wing
And there's nowhere to go but up
Now I feel like that boy
With a shiny new toy
And there's nowhere to go but up ("Michael!")
Just one day at the fair
Has me waltzing on air
And there's nowhere to go but up
"Jane, I remember! It's all true!
Every impossible thing we imagined with Mary Poppins
It all happened!"
Now my heart is so light
That I think I just might
Start feeding the birds
And then go fly a kite!
With your head in a cloud
Only laughter's allowed
And there's nowhere to go but up
We're zigging and zagging
Our feet never dragging
We might take a ride to the moon
All this bobbing and weaving
All comes from believing
The magic inside the balloon
The past is the past
It lives on as history
And that's an important thing
The future comes fast
Each second a mystery
For nobody knows what
Tomorrow may bring
"This one looks like you"
"How do you know? Ah!"
"Don't you lose her, son!"
"I won't, sir"
Up here in the blue
It's a marvellous view
Side by side is the best way to fly
Once I just looked above
But now I am part of
The lovely London sky
"Would you like to try one yourself sir?"
"Uh, I'll give it a go"
"Choose carefully
Well, nowhere to go but up"
When the clouds make a muss
Well I won't make a fuss
But I'll polish the stars
Ellen, better let us!
Give a lift to a foe
For you reap what you sow
And there's nowhere to go but up
"I've set sail! Chart a course, Mr. Binnacle!"
"That I will, sir! Hahaha"
If your day's up the spout
Well there isn't a doubt
There's nowhere to go but up
And if you don't believe
Just hang on to my sleeve
For there's nowhere to go but up
As you fly over town
It gets harder to frown
And we'll all hit the heights
If we never look down
Let the past take a bow
The forever is now
And there's nowhere to go but up, up!
There's nowhere to go but up!
"Of course the grownups will all forget by tomorrow"
"They always do"
"Only one balloon left Mary Poppins
I think it must be yours"
"Yes, I suppose it must
Practically perfect in every way"
Top 10 Archive
Disney really knocked it out of the park with this movie! I recommend seeing it in theatres if you haven't already! Especially the first 1/4 and last 1/4 of the movie.. Dick Van Dyke's cameo was unforgettable and gave me goosebumps.. I think they went a little too far with Mary being a bit too "snotty" compared to the first, but that's just me. It seemed like the first film she was much more sophisticated rather than sarcastic.
Owain Gullam
That's more how she is in the books, if anything this film was truer to the character of Mary Poppins.
thevoiceactor697
"one never discusses a womans age" XD
JoLen
Top 10 Archive I loved the movie. Jack was definitely my favorite character. Who could be more enjoyable then the apprentice of Bert?!
DJ Maysonic
Yeah, I loved it
Madora Graffeo
Yes. . . I felt the same way about the 'snotty-ness', but did enjoy the film.
Brian Nussbaum
So good to hear Angela Lansbury singing again
TMNT FAN & DJ MUT4G8N
Brian Nussbaum YES!!! Even though I still hear Mrs. Potts, I am so excited for this movie!!!
Dave Millet
She sounds amazing doesn't she?!
TMNT FAN & DJ MUT4G8N
Dave Millet Of course she does!! This soundtrack is very promising to be as good as the first one!!