… Read Full Bio ↴Charlie Cunningham is an English singer-songwriter based in Oxford.
Cunningham is a fresh talent, proving to be more than just a man with a guitar and a voice; a regularity that we have become all too familiar with. His new and ambitious EP Outside Things combines beautiful, yet honest song-writing with such percussive guitar playing that he truly stands out from the crowd.
Title track “Outside Things’” premièred on Best Fit; the lyrics are from the perspective of a newly-born baby. It’s a time that occurs in everyone’s life that cannot be remembered or recalled, this therefore, explorative aspect to his song-writing shows the depth Cunningham has to offer, unlike so many artists of his type. The song manages to convey an impression of diving in and out from the confusion of that foreign experience in such a compelling nature, accompanied by intense vocals playing on the track’s intimacy. “Outside Things’” carries with it a strange sense of longing, which is continuous throughout the EP.
“In One Out” is the first track to be heard on the record; it’s melodic, but profoundly sombre and relatively dark sounding. The finger-picked guitar behind the vocals is hypnotic. There’s a slight step away from this intensity of the opening track and that of the title track in “Lights Off” and “Plans” - the second and fourth tracks on the EP. With far less movement there’s time to breathe between songs, it really helps to make each one stand out in their own right. During both of these tracks Cunningham creates moments of silence, with constant breaks where everything comes to a brief halt – if you heard these tracks live you’d want to be situated in an intimate and silent setting.
The Outside Things EP not only demonstrates Cunningham’s impeccable writing ability, but his intricate and skilful playing technique, developed and picked up from his time spent in Seville, along with showing off his individual voice. Through the EP Cunningham’s percussive, yet flexible guitars playing technique is something to be whole heartedly admired.
Breather
Charlie Cunningham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because I wasn't even talking, just scalding, and lead on
How they gonna follow you towards it?
If you don't know where it is
Just turn around
It's all about what you're saying
You're not saying anything but
Tomorrow it could all be gone
If they turn it around you'd say
You've had your day and it ends now
Calm yourself down, cooler
Next time around
This time round it's just doing it
How they gonna follow you towards it?
If you don't know where it is
Just turn around
It's all about what you're saying
You're not saying anything but
Leave the rest with me, only
Leave the rest with me, maybe permanently intrigued
And like a well-deserved, breather
This is just, this is only
Something to my lover, over, oh
They follow, on follow for long, oh
Tomorrow it could all be gone
They follow, follow closely
They follow, on follow for long, oh
Tomorrow it could all be gone, gone
In Charlie Cunningham's song "Breather," the lyrics discuss walking towards a storm, feeling like you're not saying anything but people are still following you. It's a reflective piece with a focus on the importance of communication in leadership. The storm can represent a difficult situation or challenge, and the line "How they gonna follow you towards it? If you don't know where it is, just turn around" can be interpreted as a call to lead by example and clear communication. The singer is acknowledging their previous failures, telling themselves to calm down for the next time around, and reflecting on the fleeting nature of time.
The repetition of the line "They follow, on follow for long, oh, tomorrow it could all be gone" is a reminder of the transience of life and the importance of using our time and influence wisely. The final lines "And like a well-deserved breather, this is just, this is only, something to my lover, over oh" suggest a sense of relief and gratitude that someone is there to support them.
Overall, the song Breather is about acknowledging our own limitations and learning from them, while recognizing the power that comes with being a leader and how that power can be used to help or hinder others.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel like I'm walking, slowly, to a storm
I am moving towards something that has the potential to be chaotic and destructive
Because I wasn't even talking, just scalding, and lead on
I was not communicating effectively, instead I was reacting angrily and impulsively
How they gonna follow you towards it?
How can others follow you to this uncertain destination?
If you don't know where it is
If you are unsure of its location
Just turn around
Simply change direction
It's all about what you're saying
The words that you speak are crucial
You're not saying anything but
You are not communicating anything effectively
They follow, on follow for long, oh
They keep following despite not knowing where they are headed
Tomorrow it could all be gone
The situation could change drastically and rapidly
If they turn it around you'd say
If they decide to change course, you might feel that they have been defeated
You've had your day and it ends now
Your time in the spotlight is up and it's time to move on
Calm yourself down, cooler
Compose yourself and lower your emotional temperature
Next time around
When the opportunity arises in the future
This time round it's just doing it
This time it's all about taking action
Leave the rest with me, only
Trust me to handle the rest
Leave the rest with me, maybe permanently intrigued
Allow me to take care of it, possibly piquing my interest indefinitely
And like a well-deserved, breather
Like a much-needed break
This is just, this is only
This is simply
Something to my lover, over, oh
Something for my loved one, finished
They follow, follow closely
They continue to follow, closely monitoring your actions
They follow, on follow for long, oh
They persist in following, even for a prolonged period
Tomorrow it could all be gone, gone
The future is unpredictable and could result in everything disappearing quickly
Contributed by Jackson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@erin.mccahill
I feel like I'm walking, slowly, to a storm
Because I wasn't even talking, just scalding, and lead on
How they gonna follow you towards it?
If you don't know where it is
Just turn around
It's all about what you're saying
You're not saying anything but
They follow, on follow for long, oh
Tomorrow it could all be gone
If they turn it around you'd say
You've had your day and it ends now
Calm yourself down, cooler
Next time around
This time round it's just doing it
How they gonna follow you towards it?
If you don't know where it is
Just turn around
It's all about what you're saying
You're not saying anything but
Leave the rest with me, only
Leave the rest with me, maybe permanently intrigued
And like a well-deserved, breather
This is just, this is only
Something to my lover, over, oh
Yeah
They follow, closely
They won't follow for long, oh
Tomorrow it could all be gone, gone
They follow, follow closely
Follow, for long, oh
Tomorrow it could all be gone, gone
@gracecamaxtli7090
That gorgeous tempo change at 2:00. Wow. One of the most beautiful songs I've heard in years.
@ghaidamoria2881
Written with an amazing sound, beautifully sung, and exceptionally performed. Huge fan
@zeynep-yq8ti
seni keşfettiğim için aşırı mutluyum ✨😌
@zeynep-yq8ti
@Seda bal yok dinlemedim hemen dinliyorum :)))
@LifveByToni
Wow. What a perfect Video/Song. I went to a mighty oaks concert a few months ago. So I heard you singing and I really fell in love with your voice. More people should hear your music you have an unique voice. I hope you get famous :) Good luck for the future :)
@RohitSingh-rv6ps
Best guitarist ever.
@mrblunt6160
Youre the best Charlie
Nigeria 🇳🇬 🇺🇸
@bianca9099
oh my god, this is great
@nalonennobody4628
my new obsession :)
@sevgierdogan9677
my heart :(