Learning piano from age 11, Clementine left school at 16 after failing most of his examinations. Following this, he had a dispute with his family and ended up in Camden Town, London, homeless and in psychological and financial difficulties. He relocated to Paris at age 19, where he spent a number of years busking and playing in bars and hotels in Place de Clichy while sleeping on the streets. Discovered busking in the Paris Métro, he was signed to Matthieu Gazier and Lionel Bensemoun's label Behind.
Clementine's first EP, Cornerstone, was released in June 2013 with three studio tracks. It was re-issued in October 2013 with three additional acoustic tracks.
His debut album, "At Least for Now", was released across Europe in January 2015. The album won the 2015 Mercury Music Prize.
His second album, "I Tell a Fly", was released in 2017.
"And I Have Been" is Clementine's third studio album, announced on 30 August 2022, and released on 28 October 2022.
More info at facebook.com/benjaminclementine and twitter.com/MrBClementine
Mathematics
Benjamin Clementine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She would have not even stayed
Even if you two might have meant to be
Don't you bother calling that lady
Or she will tell you what she really needed
Sighting ain't all about the chemistry but mathematics
Mathematics
Simply add one to one and it will be two
And so subtract one from two and you are left with you
Now if a ship gets stuck at the North Pole
That doesn't mean it's about to join her sisters the Titanics
And so swallow your pride, won't you feel some guilt?
If you want to cry, go ahead, don't you panic
For all we know, tomorrow surely is another day
I want now to give yourself a break and start all over again
Think mathematics
Think mathematics
Just as on add on and they become two
Simply subtract one from two and you will be left with you now
Left with you now
Only you now
With a little bit of feelings
Subtract you now
From the two now
We were left with you now
With a little bit of feelings
You are a number
Just a number added to her past lovers
In the opening lines of Benjamin Clementine's Mathematics, he sings about the futility of chasing after a girl who is already set on leaving. She had no intention of staying, and even if there was a chance of a romantic connection, it would not have persuaded her to change her mind. Clementine advises against any attempt to contact her; she will only tell him what she had needed, and he should accept that it was not him. He emphasizes that relationships are not just about chemistry, but also about the mathematical mechanics of social interactions.
The chorus of Mathematics reiterates this point and encourages listeners to think of their relationships with more rationality. By simply adding and subtracting numbers, we can see the reality of the situation. If one adds one to one, it will be two, and when we subtract one from two, we are left with ourselves. Clementine uses this as a metaphor for the individual nature of our relationships - sometimes, it's only us that are left when a relationship ends.
The final verses of Mathematics are introspective as Clementine tries to offer comfort to himself and listeners by reflecting on the cyclical nature of life. He uses further mathematical analogies to suggest that tomorrow is another day and encourages us to start afresh. The final lines might be seen as cynical or melancholy as he settles on a final, humbling thought - we are all just numbers (people) who have been added to someone's romantic past.
Line by Line Meaning
Silly boy don't you know that young girl was going to leave
The young girl was going to leave anyway, even if it was meant to be
She would have not even stayed
She had no intention of staying
Even if you two might have meant to be
Even if they were meant to be together, she would not have stayed
Don't you bother calling that lady
It's not worth calling her
Or she will tell you what she really needed
She will tell him what she really needs
Sighting ain't all about the chemistry but mathematics
Love is not just about chemistry, it's about compatibility and logic
Mathematics
Logic
Simply add one to one and it will be two
Two people together make a couple
And so subtract one from two and you are left with you
If one leaves, the other must learn to live without them
Now if a ship gets stuck at the North Pole
If something bad happens and there's no way out
That doesn't mean it's about to join her sisters the Titanics
It doesn't mean it's going to get even worse
And so swallow your pride, won't you feel some guilt?
Admit your mistake and learn from it
If you want to cry, go ahead, don't you panic
It's okay to be emotional
For all we know, tomorrow surely is another day
The future is unpredictable
I want now to give yourself a break and start all over again
Take a break and start fresh
Think mathematics
Think logically
Just as on add on and they become two
Two people come together to make a couple
Simply subtract one from two and you will be left with you now
If one leaves, the other must learn to live without them
Left with you now
Living without the other person
Only you now
Living with oneself
With a little bit of feelings
Still having emotions towards the other person
Subtract you now
Removing the other person from one's life
From the two now
From the couple they used to be
We were left with you now
The artist is now alone
You are a number
No longer a couple, but just one of many past lovers
Just a number added to her past lovers
The singer is just one of many exes
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Benjamin Clementine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Irene Pereira
Amazing!
Licelot Diaz
Silly boy, don't you know that young girl was going to leave
She would have not even stayed even if you two might have meant to be
Don't you bother calling that lady
Or she will tell you what she really needed
Sighting ain't all about the chemistry
But mathematics, mathematics
Simply add 1 to 1 and it will be 2
And so subtract one from two and you are left with you
Now if a ship gets stuck at the north pole
That doesn't mean it's about to join her sister the Titanic
So swallow your pride, won't you feel some guilt?
If you want to cry go ahead, don't you panic
For all we know, tomorrow surely is another day
Come on now, won't you give yourself a break and start all over again
Think mathematics
Think mathematics
Just add 1 to 1 and it will be 2
Then subtract 1 from 2 and you will be left with you now
Left with you now
Only you now
With a little bit of feelings
Subtract you now
From the two now
Only left with you now
And a little bit of feelings
You are a number
Just a number
Added to her past lovers
MsKristinla
Silly boy, don't you know?
That young girl was going to leave?
She would have not even stayed, even if, you two might have meant to be.
Dont you bother calling that lady, as you tell her what you really needed?
Besides you named all about the chemistry.
But nothing matters, nothing matters.
Simply add 1 to 1 and it will be 2, And so subtract one from two and you are left with you.
Now the ship got stuck at north pole, that doesn't mean it's about to join her sisters, the titanics.
And so, swallow your pride, won't you feel some guilt?
If you want to cry, go ahead, don't you panic.
For all we know, to our journey is another day.
Am i now who wanna give yourself a break and start all over again?
Think, nothing matters.
Think, nothing matters.
Just add 1 to 1 and it will be 2, Then subtract one from two and you are left with you.
Left with you, now.
Only you, now.
With a little bit of feelings.
Subtract you, now.
From the 2, now.
What was left of you, now?
A little bit of feelings.
You're a number.
Just a number, added to a past lovers.
Donna
Saw him live recently at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin and the hairs were standing on the back of my neck and I had goosebumps as I closed my eyes and listen to the raw emotion in his music. I'm so happy to have witnessed this. Many thanks Benjamine Clementine.!
29- 0
Although I hate math,
I was surprisingly brave enough to trust that this track would be gorgeous.
Jaz Padilla
he gives me the shivers
twinoak170
Got them right now.
Daniel Albuquerque
so damn good!
Key experience
I give thanks to Jah for Being blessed with Benjamin Clementine's giftedness. What goodness this is.🍃
W M
something different but he brings you into his world with him
Maria Concetta Cossa
davvero bellissima voce.
Milica Bravacic
fantastic!!!!!!