Simpson began to record songs in his bedroom during the summer of 2009 on YouTube, performing Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours", "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake, and his own songs, "One" and "Perfect". He was subsequently discovered on YouTube by Shawn Campbell, a Grammy-nominated record producer who has produced for Jay-Z and other artists and moved to the US in June 2010 to sign with Atlantic Records. His debut single, iYiYi (featuring. Flo Rida), was released in June 2010 and peaked in the top 20 in Australia and top 30 in New Zealand.
Simpson released two studio albums with Atlantic Records, Paradise (2012), and Surfers Paradise (2013), before departing the label due to creative differences in August 2014. His first independent release, 2015's Free, marked a shift from his teen pop music to a more acoustic rock singer/songwriter sound. In 2017 he formed a band called Cody Simpson and the Tide, and released the blues and surf-rock influenced EPs Wave One (2018) and Wave Two (2019) before splitting in 2019.
In 2019, Simpson returned to solo work, releasing the single Golden Thing on 18 October, a song he wrote about his then-girlfriend Miley Cyrus.
In December 2020, Simpson revealed on Instagram that he had qualified for the Australian Olympic trials in the 100m butterfly, but failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after finishing in 8th place in the trails in Adelaide in June 2021. He is currently training to make the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On 25 January 2022, Simpson released his first single in more than two years, Nice To Meet You, the first single off his upcoming 4th studio album, due to be released in early 2022.
Driftwood
Cody Simpson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Untie my noose
Open up a bottle of
Whatever you choose
You see the naked truth
It's only truth sometimes
'Cause if you're looking for lies
That's what you gonna find
I gotta free my soul from the troubles of lately
Follow my heart wherever it takes me
Let it flow on by like a piece of driftwood
Just a piece of driftwood (yeah)
A piece of driftwood
You win some, you lose some
And some that you win, you really lose
You get some, you give some
You trade a little piece of your youth (oh)
It's nothing makes me happier than singing the blues
Set my big brown hat to my black pointed shoes
(I'm thinking about it)
I gotta free my soul from the troubles of lately
Follow my heart wherever it takes me
Let it flow on by like a piece of driftwood
Like a piece of driftwood
A piece of driftwood
Ooh, like a piece of driftwood
Ain't no mind to these troubles on the telephone lines
The sun still shines, we got board and grind
It's time to start baking, got no time to decline
The earth awakes you, yes, the simple pleasures of mine
Yours if you want them, you got the day
Find wealth in the living and you'll never be grave
A piece is missing from your puzzle
It's the piece that you need
It's place of mind you gonna find meditate by the sea
Be free with all trees in all the air that you breath (yeah)
They can't take away your soul but they can take all your pride
Slow ride, gonna sleep in the forest tonight
You gonna, you gonna sleep in the forest tonight
Are you gonna sleep in the forest?
'Cause
I gotta free my soul from the troubles of lately
Follow my heart wherever it takes me
Let it flow on by like a piece of driftwood
Ooh, la-like a piece of driftwood
La-la-la-like a piece of driftwood (yeah, oh)
The song "Driftwood" by Cody Simpson features a conversation between the singer and a character named Bruce, whom he asks to untie his noose and open a bottle of anything he chooses. Simpson admits that sometimes the naked truth is the only truth, and those who seek lies are bound to find them. The song continues with Simpson reflecting on the ups and downs of life, and how we sometimes lose more than we gain. However, he's determined to free his soul and follow his heart wherever it takes him, a sentiment that he captures by comparing himself to a piece of driftwood. He emphasizes the importance of finding peace of mind and being grateful for the simple pleasures of life, such as meditating by the sea and sleeping in the forest.
Overall, "Driftwood" is a song about the power of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Simpson encourages listeners to embrace their true selves, pursue their passions, and let go of their troubles like a piece of driftwood. Through his lyrics, Simpson reminds us that life is unpredictable, and while we may experience losses and setbacks, we can still find joy and happiness by connecting with ourselves and nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Bruce,
The singer is addressing someone named Bruce.
Untie my noose
The singer is asking Bruce to help him escape from his problems.
Open up a bottle of / Whatever you choose
The singer is asking Bruce to get a drink and offering to let him choose what kind of drink it is.
You see the naked truth / It's only truth sometimes / 'Cause if you're looking for lies / That's what you gonna find
The artist is commenting that the truth is not always obvious, and that if someone is only looking for lies, they will not see the truth even if it is right in front of them.
I gotta free my soul from the troubles of lately / Follow my heart wherever it takes me / Let it flow on by like a piece of driftwood
The artist is expressing his desire to detach himself from his current problems, go with the flow of life, and let himself be carried by the current of time like a piece of driftwood.
Just a piece of driftwood (yeah) / A piece of driftwood
The singer emphasizes that he wants to be as carefree and detached from his problems as a simple piece of driftwood.
You win some, you lose some / And some that you win, you really lose / You get some, you give some / You trade a little piece of your youth (oh) / It's nothing makes me happier than singing the blues / Set my big brown hat to my black pointed shoes / (I'm thinking about it)
The singer reflects on the ups and downs of life, noting that sometimes we think we have won when in reality we have lost, and sometimes we have to sacrifice our youth for something we want. Despite this, the singer takes solace in the fact that singing the blues brings him joy, and he is contemplating his outfit.
Ain't no mind to these troubles on the telephone lines / The sun still shines, we got board and grind / It's time to start baking, got no time to decline / The earth awakes you, yes, the simple pleasures of mine / Yours if you want them, you got the day / Find wealth in the living and you'll never be grave / A piece is missing from your puzzle / It's the piece that you need / It's place of mind you gonna find meditate by the sea / Be free with all trees in all the air that you breath (yeah) / They can't take away your soul but they can take all your pride / Slow ride, gonna sleep in the forest tonight / You gonna, you gonna sleep in the forest tonight / Are you gonna sleep in the forest?
The artist encourages us to not worry about the troubles that come through the telephone lines, reminds us that the sun still shines and that we should make the most of our time. He suggests taking pleasure in simple things, and that finding a place of calm like by the sea can be the missing piece we need. He notes that while our pride can be taken away by others, our soul cannot be. The artist then suggests taking a slow ride and sleeping in the forest for the night.
Ooh, la-like a piece of driftwood / La-la-la-like a piece of driftwood (yeah, oh)
The artist concludes the song by reiterating his desire to be like a piece of driftwood, carefree and detached from his troubles.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind