… 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.
Plans
Charlie Cunningham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll hear all of the thoughts you've got
When you gonna call again? If I'da known
That it would only be just then years ago
It was two sitting on a bus
Looking like the two of us talking about the days gone by
What they did and they'da done it they'da had more time
This is it because it always comes down to the time
If only for a moment
To clear out the mind
Surround myself by
People that remind me of you
People that I like that you knew
But more I like that they knew you than they know me
Just a little more than they now do, if only
Never wanna make a fuss or talk about the two fo us
Or how we could've filled up the time
But this is where it rolls in the mind on and on
But then at least it still rolls in the mind and
It's good that it rolls in the mind
It means it survives and it's still alive
It means it survives and it's still alive
A heavy load, you can carry it though
It's something you'll hold till it rolls
That's how it goes, no one knows when
Heavy load
"Plans" by Charlie Cunningham is a wistful, introspective song about longing for the past and holding onto memories. The song speaks to the idea that the passage of time can make it difficult to connect with people from our past and understand the full weight of our experiences. In the opening lines, Cunningham acknowledges his own shortcomings and regrets, admitting that he wishes he had listened more instead of talking. He laments missed opportunities and wonders when he will hear from someone he has lost touch with. The song then shifts to a memory of two people sitting on a bus and reminiscing about their past experiences, wishing they had more time to do everything they wanted.
The central theme of "Plans" is the passage of time and how it shapes our memories and relationships. The lyrics also touch on the idea of the weight of our experiences and the heavy load we carry with us through life. Cunningham poignantly describes this weight as something we hold onto until it finally rolls away. Despite the regret and longing expressed in the song, there is also a sense of hope and resilience. By reflecting on the past and holding onto memories, we can keep people and experiences alive in our minds and hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
Next time I'll listen more, I won't even talk
In the future, I will pay more attention and refrain from speaking as much, allowing me to truly hear all of the thoughts you have to offer.
And I'll hear all of the thoughts you've got
I want to be able to fully listen and understand all of the things that you want to express to me.
When you gonna call again? If I'da known
That it would only be just then years ago
I wonder when we will be able to talk again and if I had known that our last conversation would be years ago, I would have cherished it more.
It was two sitting on a bus
Looking like the two of us talking about the days gone by
We were two people on a bus, appearing as if we were discussing the past and the memories we shared.
What they did and they'da done it they'da had more time
This is it because it always comes down to the time
It always seems like the things we should have done in the past would have been possible if we had more time. Time is always the limiting factor.
How we wanna pull back the time
If only for a moment
To clear out the mind
We wish we could relive certain moments in time to reminisce and bring clarity to our minds.
Surround myself by
People that remind me of you
People that I like that you knew
I want to be around people who remind me of you and who you knew and liked.
But more I like that they knew you than they know me
Just a little more than they now do, if only
I wish they knew you better than they know me, at least a little bit more than they currently do.
Never wanna make a fuss or talk about the two fo us
Or how we could've filled up the time
I don't want to make a big deal out of our past and the time we spent together, nor do I want to dwell on the things we should have done differently in that time.
But this is where it rolls in the mind on and on
But then at least it still rolls in the mind and
These thoughts constantly roll around in my mind, but at least they still exist in my mind, showing that our memories and experiences together are still alive in some way.
It's good that it rolls in the mind
It means it survives and it's still alive
It means it survives and it's still alive
It's comforting to know that these memories and experiences with you have survived in my mind and are still alive, continuing to hold meaning and significance.
A heavy load, you can carry it though
It's something you'll hold till it rolls
That's how it goes, no one knows when
Heavy load
The weight of these memories is heavy, but it's something I can bear, and I will hold onto them until the end. Nobody knows when the weight will lift or when I will be able to let go.
Contributed by Ian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jessica Ronja Pelz
just the most wonderful combination of heartfelt lyrics and such a beautiful guitar!
Ghina Mardhatillah
Next time I'll listen more, I won't even talk
And I'll hear all of the thoughts you've got
When you gonna call again? If I'da known
That it would only be just then years ago
It was two sitting on a bus
Looking like the two of us talking about the days gone by
What they did and they'da done it they'da had more time
This is it because it always comes down to the time
How we wanna pull back the time
If only for a moment
To clear out the mind
Surround myself by
People that remind me of you
People that I like that you knew
But more I like that they knew you than they know me
Just a little more than they now do, if only
Never wanna make a fuss or talk about the two fo us
Or how we could've filled up the time
But this is where it rolls in the mind on and on
But then at least it still rolls in the mind and
It's good that it rolls in the mind
It means it survives and it's still alive
It means it survives and it's still alive
A heavy load, you can carry it though
It's something you'll hold till it rolls
That's how it goes, no one knows when
Heavy load
Rohit Singh
No wonder he got a award for best guitarist...
Anja T.
Sooooo beautiful!
steffilijones
nice man! keep it up with the good music
Yasin İnce
Hi from Turkey. I love your songs. You are real musicians and we need your voice and music.
Revo Tm
Can't believe that 30k views only....
What a shame !
Great job Charlie.....respect
Steffi Ef
this just made me cry... beautiful
Hanaa Sarhan
i cried..
pumpkineater69
come to Toronto!#