Previously, Gavin has written for and performed on BBC Radio 4 and Resonance FM. He has done gigs with poet-songwriter-comedian John Hegley, toured with Tellison and Encyclopedia, toured Australia and ended 2008 at a sold out Hammersmith Apollo alongside Jarvis Cocker, Malcolm Middleton and comedians Stewart Lee, Ricky Gervais and Robin Ince. This year, Gavin will be touring the UK, performing three new story shows with the award-winning Daniel Kitson in Regents Park, doing a run of shows at the Edinburgh Festival and will return to the Latitude Festival.
Influenced by everyone from Loudon Wainwright III to R. Kelly, Gavin has written this press release himself and, much as with online status updates, is a little uncomfortable talking about himself in the third person. If you bought 'In The Twee Small Hours' (his first record) you'll know what to expect. If you didn't, this is going to blow your tiny minds
Charlie Brown
Gavin Osborn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But i recall the little red haired girl,
How I used to sit on this bench in school,
And stare at her across the playground,
All i wanted was to sit next to her,
Talk to her just be with her,
That wasn't asking too much was it,
Then she moved away,
And I don't even know where she lives,
Still got my lunchbox just in case,
I even saved her a sandwich and a drink,
I'm older now and my body feels strange today,
Sitting here in the grounds we used to play,
And I'm staring straight ahead at a red brick wall,
Instead of my red haired girl,
Still got that pencil she once dropped,
With her teeth marks on the top,
She nibbles on her pencil,
Oh thank god,
She's human after all,
But then she moved away,
And I don't even know where she lives,
Still got my lunchbox just in case,
I even saved her a sandwich and a drink,
I miss the little red haired girl,
I miss the little red haired girl,
Why can't I talk to the red haired girl?
Well everything about her I recall,
But i can't bring myslef to draw her,
I know what kind of laces tied up her shoes,
I just dont want to tell you all,
And everything we look at from afar,
Like the moon and like the stars,
We could just reach out and touch,
If we weren't afraid so much,
Should have got up to talk to you,
If I could only put my flask, down,
But then she moved away,
And I don't even know where she lives,
Still got my lunchbox just in case,
I even saved her a sandwich and a drink,
I miss the little red haired girl,
I miss the little red haired girl,
Why can't I talk to the red haired girl?
The song "Charlie Brown" by Gavin Osborn is a nostalgic and heartfelt reflection on a missed opportunity for love. The lyrics describe the singer's longing for a girl he used to admire from afar in school, the little red-haired girl. He reminisces about the times he would sit on a bench and stare at her across the playground, hoping that he could talk to her, but he never got the chance. The little red-haired girl moved away, and the singer is left with only memories of her. He even saved her a sandwich and a drink in his lunchbox, hoping that he would have the opportunity to give it to her one day.
The song captures the bittersweet feeling of unfulfilled love, and the regret that comes with missed opportunities. The singer's longing for the little red-haired girl is relatable and universal, as many people have experienced unrequited love or missed opportunities for romance. The lyrics also explore the fear and vulnerability that can prevent people from taking risks and pursuing love.
Overall, "Charlie Brown" is a poignant and melancholy reflection on the complexities of love and human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Its all alot of oysters and no pearls,
This situation is full of potential and hope but no actual results or success.
But i recall the little red haired girl,
Despite the lack of success, I can still remember the girl I had feelings for in the past.
How I used to sit on this bench in school,
This specific bench in the school is the place where I often thought about and dreamed of being with the girl.
And stare at her across the playground,
I would often watch her from afar, looking for any chance to be close to her.
All i wanted was to sit next to her,
My sole desire was to simply be close to her and spend time with her.
Talk to her just be with her,
I longed for a genuine connection with the girl, whether through conversation or just being together.
That wasn't asking too much was it,
I didn't feel that my desire to connect with her was unreasonable or excessive.
But it never happened,
Despite my hopes and dreams, I was never able to form a connection with the girl.
Then she moved away,
Eventually, the girl left the school and my life.
And I don't even know where she lives,
I lost all contact with her and don't know where or how she's living now.
Still got my lunchbox just in case,
I am still holding onto physical reminders of her, such as her lunchbox.
I even saved her a sandwich and a drink,
I went as far as to keep a sandwich and drink for her, even though she's no longer in my life.
I'm older now and my body feels strange today,
As an adult, I feel a sense of unfamiliarity and strangeness in my own body.
Sitting here in the grounds we used to play,
Being back in the place where I had those strong feelings for the girl is nostalgic and bittersweet.
And I'm staring straight ahead at a red brick wall,
The reality of the situation has hit me hard and I am now just staring numbly at a wall.
Instead of my red haired girl,
My mind is no longer solely focused on the girl, but rather the idea of her and what could have been.
Still got that pencil she once dropped,
I still hold onto objects belonging to her, including a pencil with her teeth marks on it.
With her teeth marks on the top,
This specific pencil is significant because of the physical imprint she left on it with her teeth.
She nibbles on her pencil,
The habit of nibbling on her pencil is a personal and unique detail that I remember about her.
Oh thank god,
This habit is also a reminder that she is a human being with flaws and quirks.
She's human after all,
I should remember and accept that the girl is just a person, with her own issues and imperfections.
Well everything about her I recall,
Despite the passing of time, I still remember every detail about the girl.
But i can't bring myslef to draw her,
For some reason, I am not able to recreate her image or draw her likeness.
I know what kind of laces tied up her shoes,
I remember the specific details of her everyday life, such as how she tied her shoes.
I just dont want to tell you all,
But I can't bring myself to share these details with anyone else.
And everything we look at from afar,
There are many things in life that we admire or desire but can't get close to.
Like the moon and like the stars,
The moon and stars are just two examples of things that often seem unattainable.
We could just reach out and touch,
In reality, many of these things are actually within our grasp, if we only make the effort to reach out.
If we weren't afraid so much,
Unfortunately, our own fears and insecurities often hold us back and prevent us from taking action.
Should have got up to talk to you,
Looking back, I realize that I should have been more proactive in my attempts to connect with the girl.
If I could only put my flask, down,
I am aware that my own personal issues, such as my reliance on alcohol, may have contributed to my hesitancy in pursuing her.
I miss the little red haired girl,
Despite everything, I still feel a profound sense of loss and longing for the girl.
Why can't I talk to the red haired girl?
I am still unable to let go of the dream of being with her and am left with many unanswered questions.
Contributed by Camilla M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.