James grew up in Dorset and was raised primarily by his grandparents. He starred in A Midsummer Night's Dream when he was 15, and played Puck. He also played Dr Watson in Sherlock Holmes when he was a teenager.
In early 2000, James, along with Antony Costa, convinced Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe to form the group Blue. Blue's R&B-influenced pop allowed the group to achieve commercial success in the United Kingdom and many other countries, including Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. From May 2001, when the group released its first single, "All Rise," to 2004, when the group released its final chart-qualifying single, "Curtain Falls," Blue had 11 top ten singles in the UK.
Though Blue has never formally announced its permanent breakup, it split in July 2005 and all four members have moved on to solo careers. James has criticized the solo efforts of some of his former bandmates, referring to Ryan's first album as "rushed" and Costa's bid to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest as "cheesy."
In October 2004, James collaborated with Keedie to release the single "I Believe My Heart", which entered the UK singles chart at #2. He returned to the solo music scene in May 2006 with his single "Sooner or Later", releasing the video in early May and planning to release the single commercially on June 5, 2006. The video reached #2 on The Box and #5 on The Hits.
Duncan James has a daughter named Tianie-Finn, born in 2005 to an ex-girlfriend whose name is only known as "Claire". (He refuses to reveal her complete name) He has been quoted numerous times expressing his frustration with the media's constant obsession with who he is having a relationship with. Nevertheless, as is true for many celebrities, his love life has been a focus of frequent media speculation.
James is now enjoying being a part of the boyband Blue again, they released the album Roulette in 2013 and have taken part in popular TV show The Big Reunion, which caused some controversy as they joined the show later than the other acts.
Albums:
Future Past (12 June 2006): #55 UK; #2 Italy, #25 Belgium, #30 Germany, #68 France.
Singles:
"I Believe My Heart" (October 2004), with Keedie: #2 UK
"Sooner or Later" (5 June 2006): #35 UK
"Can't Stop A River" (August 14 2006)
Sooner or Later
Duncan James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't hide from your sorrow
You can't stay here till tomorrow
Welcome to the club of broken hearts
Where a thousand lonely souls have passed
Sooner or later you're gonna wake up and find what your looking for
Like a diamond washed up on the shore
Sooner or later you're gonna love again
Sooner or later you're gonna love again
Love, has left you rejected
You, put up your defences
Now, your heart's been tried and tested
Now you join the land of broken dreams
No good wishing for what could've been
Sooner or later you're gonna wake up and find what your looking for
Like a diamond washed up on the shore
In the meantime you're feeling like you're lost without a friend
Sooner or later you're gonna love again
Sooner or later you're gonna love again
Don't be scared of your shadow
You can't hide from your sorrow
Sooner or later you're gonna wake up and find what your looking for
Like a diamond washed up on the shore
In the meantime you're feeling like you're lost without a friend
Sooner or later you're gonna love again
The lyrics of Duncan James's song "Sooner or Later" are a thoughtful and reflective exploration of the emotions of heartbreak, rejection, and the process of moving on. The song begins by acknowledging that it's hard to escape from the pain of a breakup or the mistakes of the past. The singer urges the listener not to be afraid of their shadow or to hide from their sorrow, but rather to confront these feelings head-on. He suggests that it's not possible to stay in a place of sadness or loss forever, and that eventually, one needs to move on and let go of the past.
The song then moves on to introduce the idea of a "club of broken hearts" - a group of people who have all experienced heartbreak and joined together in their shared pain. The singer acknowledges the feelings of loneliness and isolation that can come with heartbreak, but also suggests that there is hope for the future. He urges the listener to be patient and to believe that they will eventually find what they're looking for - a metaphorical diamond that has been washed up on the shore.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't be scared of your shadow
Don't be afraid to confront your fears and doubts.
You can't hide from your sorrow
You can't ignore or suppress your pain and sadness.
You can't stay here till tomorrow
You can't stay in the same place and mindset forever, you need to move forward.
Welcome to the club of broken hearts
You're not alone in your hurt, there are others who have gone through the same thing.
Where a thousand lonely souls have passed
Many people have experienced heartbreak and loneliness.
Sooner or later you're gonna wake up and find what your looking for
Eventually, you will discover what you truly need and desire.
Like a diamond washed up on the shore
It may come unexpectedly, like a valuable treasure washed up by the sea.
In the meantime you're feeling like your lost without a friend
Until then, you may feel alone and directionless.
Sooner or later you're gonna love again
You will eventually find love and happiness once more.
Love, has left you rejected
Love has caused you pain and rejection.
You, put up your defences
You have built walls to protect yourself from further hurt and disappointment.
Now, your heart's been tried and tested
Your heart has been through a difficult trial and has been given a test of strength.
Now you join the land of broken dreams
You now find yourself among those whose hopes and dreams have also been shattered.
No good wishing for what could've been
It's not helpful to dwell on the past and the possibilities that never came to fruition.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEZ ASHURST, DUNCAN MATTHEW JAMES INGLIS, CHRIS BRAIDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind