James won Ireland's answer to the Mercury (the Choice Music Prize for 'Song of the Year') and saw his debut EP ('Say Hello') remain on the Irish chart for over 6 months. This rise and development in his home market has gained James sell-out headline dates and wider support tours with the likes of Lianne La Havas, Beth Orton, Kodaline and Marina & The Diamonds.
A snapshot of this ascent, 'Live at Whelans' is a selection of new and old songs performed in the stripped-back environment of a rapturously-received hometown show. The first track to be lifted from it, 'Nervous', is a pin-drop account of a one-sided relationship: from that initial fear of your first meeting to the gradual realisation, by the end of the song, that perhaps they were never who you thought they were (and it's best to forget about them).
James released his eagerly-anticipated debut album, ‘Bitter Pill’ on March 11th 2016 – having already gone Top 5, been certified Platinum and winner of Choice Music Prize’s ‘Song of the Year’ in his native Ireland in 2013 and 2016. Following a sold-out London show at KOKO, support across Spotify (Spotlight Artists for 2016), Radio 1, Virgin Radio, Beats 1 and Radio X, Gavin had an extensive UK tour, European tour, US tour and Australian dates, that featured Shepherd’s Bush Empire on October 7th 2016 in London and 3Arena on December 2016 in Dublin. Gavin has over 150 million total streams on Spotify already and live performances on Late Late Show with James Corden, Jimmy Kimmel Live, BBC One Show and C’est A Vous.
Strangers
Gavin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We can fly around the room, dream a dream of fools
I don't believe it anymore
When everyday I wake waitin' for
Someone to cover me up and take me home again
And give me a feelin' I don't understand
Lend me your heart and let me love again
Now every minute breaks away
Every moment that's a day
You're always in my head
I still feel you in my veins
Back when the world was at our door
Every day I wake up waitin' for
Someone to cover me up and take me home again
And give me a feelin' I don't understand
Lend me your heart and let me love again
Like when we were strangers
Oh will you cover me and take me home again
Nobody else around here can understand
Give me your hand and we can play pretend
Like we were strangers again
In the song Strangers by Gavin James, the lyrics reflect on the past and a desire to bring back the feeling of excitement and newness in a relationship. The opening line, "I'd tie a rope around the moon and pull it down to you" suggests a willingness to do anything to make their partner happy. The following lines, "We can fly around the room, dream a dream of fools" is a playful and dreamy lyric that brings a sense of whimsy to the song.
However, the mood shifts as the artist reveals his yearning for a deeper emotional connection, "When everyday I wake waitin' for someone to cover me up and take me home again." The artist longs for comfort and solace that only a close relationship can bring. He wants to be able to feel deeply and connect with someone in a way that he doesn't yet understand, but remembers fondly from when they were strangers.
The lyrics continue to express a sense of longing and nostalgia for the past, "Back when the world was at our door." This creates a sense that the relationship has lost some of its spark and the artist yearns to return to the early days of the relationship. Despite this, the artist seems optimistic and eager to reignite the passion and excitement that was present in the beginning of the relationship, "Give me your hand and we can play pretend, like we were strangers again."
Overall, the lyrics are introspective and heartfelt, exploring the complexities of love and relationships while creating a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd tie a rope around the moon and pull it down to you
I would do anything for you to make you happy
We can fly around the room, dream a dream of fools
Let's escape reality and just dream together
I don't believe it anymore
I have lost hope in finding true love
When everyday I wake waitin' for
I wake up every day hoping to find someone to love
Someone to cover me up and take me home again
I want someone to make me feel safe and loved again
And give me a feelin' I don't understand
I want to experience a love so deep that I cannot comprehend it
Lend me your heart and let me love again
I want to borrow your heart and love like I used to
Like when we were strangers
Let's love each other as if we just met
Now every minute breaks away
Time is slipping away too fast
Every moment that's a day
Each moment feels like a long day without you
You're always in my head
I cannot stop thinking about you
I still feel you in my veins
You are still a part of me and always will be
Back when the world was at our door
We were happy and had everything we needed
Oh will you cover me and take me home again
Will you make me feel safe and loved again?
Nobody else around here can understand
No one else knows how I feel or what we had
Give me your hand and we can play pretend
Let's forget everything else and just be together
Like we were strangers again
Let's fall in love all over again
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gavin Wigglesworth, Simon Aldred
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind