That’s Jack McManus speaking. And don’t worry, there’s plenty to write about.
He is someone everyone seems to be getting very hot under the collar about. For different reasons. His songs. His performances. The effect his curly-haired scampish quality has on women. His love life. But more about that later.
For someone who’s still only 25, he’s got a lot on his CV. He’s had a best-selling, self-penned debut album; collaborations with Groove Armada, songs for Boyzone, months spent in LA writing with the likes of Jean Baptiste, of Black Eyed Peas fame and Scott Cutler and Busbee, best known for their work with Katy Perry and Timbaland; a stint in a West End musical; hanging out at school with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Adele and Leona Lewis; a new single he produced himself… See what we mean? Plenty to write about.
“My life’s ambition is to write a song that people are still listening to after 30 years,” he says.
After a stint at the BRIT School, which he chose because the academic side was kept to a minimum, the music side to the max, while his classmates were out pounding streets and trying to get leg ups into “the business”, Jack pretty much locked himself in his room working on songs.
He started doing the rounds of publishers but got a reaction he wasn’t quite expecting: in the course of showcasing songs he’d written to sell to other artists, the publishers he was seeing were all saying he should do the songs himself.
And you can see why. Apart from being great songs – both lyrically and musically – he has the thing, the way of putting the songs over. His voice has a smoky quality that radio loves, while his performing style is low-key but very charismatic in a way that can hold a room. What can you say? He’s got it.
And you can add to that a formal music background today’s performers would kill for. An ability to read and write music as well as play piano, drums and guitar, among other instruments, classical training on the trumpet, stints in award-winning youth orchestras, he has music in his DNA. Apart from a stint acting and playing trumpet in 125th Street, a musical about the Harlem jazz scene it’s all been about music, whether as a jobbing musician or writer of songs.
His first album, Either Side of Midnight, released when he was just 23, got raves across the board. In an age of covers-driven talent shows, a very unlikely star was born, one that seemed to appeal across the board. From top ten airplay success and Loose Women to festival slots at T in the Park and V.
And it wasn’t just a national phenomenon, with Jack going down brilliantly in Europe “In places like Holland, where I’d never been, they were going a little bit mad for it.”
Coming from a music influenced background it’s clear to see where Jack got his inspiration, his dad was a major pyrotechnician who used to produce the fireworks in shows for the likes of Bon Jovi and Ozzy Osbourne which Jack was exposed to at a young age.
And music is still very much in Jack’s household with long-term girlfriend Martine McCutcheon, who, let’s not forget, won an Olivier award for My Fair Lady and had a number one single herself. “She’s a great inspiration to me,” he says, who reckons she has a really good ear not only for a song but for a performance, being able to pick out the best version of anything he does. “We’re a good team.”
However it all fits together, it’s all led to here, the new album and its first single, Heart Attack, an upbeat, electronic flavoured track “about when you get so high, you can’t come down” that Jack wrote and produced himself and which was mixed by the legendary Greg Wells, who has worked with everyone from Katy Perry and Pink to Mika.
Producing was a dream for him, what with his obsession with all things gadgety, but this time the touring is going to be a bit different to what everyone was so excited about the last time round. “I want to be the conductor of my own show, not just play piano in a rock band.”
“I’m still evolving,” says Jack. “Luckily, my record label know that I’m the real deal and have every faith in me. I think they know that I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life.”
She's Gone
Jack McManus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our feet don't touch the ground
You know it couldn't get much higher
That's why we're coming down
We leave the zero pool of gravity
Back into the atmosphere
Burning up again
Now she's gone
I think she won the war
But what's the fighting for
Forgot myself again
One on one
They both feel the same
When the feelings fade away
And she's gone
And we can start again
Sometimes it's easier pretending
We fall as perfect as we can be
Back into the atmosphere
Love's burning up again
Now she's gone
I think she won the war
But what's the fighting for
Forgot myself again
One on one
They both feel the same
When the feelings fade away
And she's gone
And we can start again
We can't avoid it
And it gets us every time
We have a choice but
We're leaving it behind
A million miles away
I never though I'd hear you say
Now she's gone
I think she won the war
But what's the fighting for
Forgot myself again
One on one
They both feel the same
When the feelings fade away
And she's gone
And we can start again
The lyrics to Jack McManus's song She's Gone explore the theme of a relationship that is moving too fast and is ultimately doomed to fail. The opening lines, "And we're moving far too fast now / Our feet don't touch the ground / You know it couldn't get much higher / That's why we're coming down", suggest that the couple is caught up in the excitement of a new relationship and is ignoring the red flags that indicate that they are moving too quickly. They are living in a state of blissful ignorance as they leave the "zero pool of gravity" and head "back into the atmosphere".
The chorus of the song, "Now she's gone / I think she won the war / But what's the fighting for / Forgot myself again / One on one / They both feel the same / When the feelings fade away / And she's gone / And we can start again", suggests that the relationship has come to an end and that the singer is reflecting on what went wrong. He questions the purpose of the fighting that occurred during the relationship and wonders if it was worth it. He acknowledges that the excitement and passion of the early days of the relationship have faded, leaving them both feeling the same. Despite the pain of the breakup, the singer sees it as an opportunity to start again.
In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that sometimes it is easier to pretend that everything is perfect rather than confront the problems in the relationship. He describes how their love burns up again as they head back into the atmosphere, suggesting that the cycle of falling in love and being hurt may repeat itself.
Overall, the lyrics to She's Gone are a poignant exploration of the ups and downs of relationships and the difficult choices we face when they come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
And we're moving far too fast now
Our relationship is progressing too quickly.
Our feet don't touch the ground
We feel like we're in a dreamlike state of elation.
You know it couldn't get much higher
Things have been going so well that it feels impossible to improve.
That's why we're coming down
Our high is coming to an end and things are about to take a turn for the worse.
We leave the zero pool of gravity
We're leaving behind our comfortable bubble of happiness.
Back into the atmosphere
We're facing the harsh realities of life again.
Burning up again
We're experiencing intense emotions once again.
Now she's gone
My partner has left me.
I think she won the war
My partner was the one who initiated the breakup, and therefore, they have won the battle.
But what's the fighting for
I'm struggling to understand the reason for our fight or end of the relationship.
Forgot myself again
I got so wrapped up in the relationship that I lost sight of who I am.
One on one
Dealing with a breakup can be an individual experience.
They both feel the same
Both parties feel the impact of the breakup and its aftermath.
When the feelings fade away
Over time, the pain of the breakup will fade.
And we can start again
There is hope for a new beginning and a chance to move forward.
Sometimes it's easier pretending
It's easier to put on a facade that everything is okay instead of dealing with the heartache.
We fall as perfect as we can be
We try to present ourselves as a flawless couple when in reality we were not.
We can't avoid it
We can't avoid the pain and heartbreak of the breakup.
And it gets us every time
Even though we know how much it hurts, every breakup still hits us hard.
We have a choice but
We have a choice to either wallow in our hurt or move towards healing.
We're leaving it behind
We're leaving the relationship and its associated pain behind.
A million miles away
The distance between us, both literally and emotionally, feels immeasurable.
I never thought I'd hear you say
Hearing my partner say goodbye was something I never thought would happen.
Contributed by Julia V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steffan Hoffmann
There are so many of what your description detailed in England. Wales. Scotland. Northern Ireland.
You'd spend all your life and you'd never get around!
I should know.....I was a computer software analyst at one time in my working life!
I travelled the length and breadth of the country!
My recommendation?
Cardiff, capital city of Wales 🏴
It's known as the "fifteen minute city" but not because it's no good! But because there's so much to take in!
Voted fourth best in Europe cafe culture.
Google it! You'll see what I mean!
sbb
I'll be trouble
You're so nice
And if I chose to listen
I wouldn't take your advice
I'm really sorry
Feeling sorry for myself again
But this isn't working
I wish I could talk to you
You think I don't care but I do
Yeah I do
When you leave me
You think I don't care but I do
Wish you knew
But I'm too scared
To tell you how I really feel
Got to do this sometime
Might as well do it now
I want you close
But give me just a little room
I'll leave the engine running
That is what I do
Putting on a front
You might like that
But will you like me when I'm real
It seems like a long way
A long way to go from here
You think I don't care but I do
Yeah I do
When you leave me
You think I don't care but I do
Wish you knew
But I'm too scared
To tell you how I really feel
Got to do this sometime
When it comes rushing out
Is it just too little to late
I messed it up
I think I messed it up
And I think I messed it up with you
You think I don't care but I do
Yeah I do
When you leave me
You think I don't care but I do
Wish you knew
But I'm too scared
To tell you how I really feel
Got to do this sometime
Might as well do it now
You think I don't care but I do
You think I don't care but I do
Silvana Esquivel Cuenca
I'll be trouble
You're so nice
And if I chose to listen
I wouldn't take your advice
I'm really sorry
Feeling sorry for myself again
But this isn't working
I wish I could talk to you
You think I don't care but I do
Yeah I do
When you leave me
You think I don't care but I do
Wish you knew
But I'm too scared
To tell you how I really feel
Got to do this sometime
Might as well do it now
I want you close
But give me just a little room
I'll leave the engine running
That is what I do
Putting on a front
You might like that
But will you like me when I'm real
It seems like a long way
A long way to go from here
You think I don't care but I do
Yeah I do
When you leave me
You think I don't care but I do
Wish you knew
But I'm too scared
To tell you how I really feel
Got to do this sometime
When it comes rushing out
Is it just too little to late
I messed it up
I think I messed it up
And I think I messed it up with you
You think I don't care but I do
Yeah I do
When you leave me
You think I don't care but I do
Wish you knew
But I`m too scared
To tell you how I really feel
Got to do this sometime
Might as well do it now
You think I don't care but I do
Wish you knew
You think I don't care but I do
You think I don't care but I do
Georgie 1710
So glad this song was in 'Wild Child' or I'd have never discovered it!
Oil Pemika
After I listen this song, always I have a good feel. Do you have that feel too? ☺️☺️
louis cotterell
No one would have
나라유다
@Lucy N. ㅡ
Amelia Millichamp
Omg haha same
Daniela Muñoz
YeAh same jajaak
А
Should be on apple music and Spotify... At least soundcloud... Love this
Musi Geller
Bring this to Spotify please
joi avasyila
and itunes huhuhu...
UmadBRO1999
I've never been to England, but watching Wild child and some other movies set in British schools I would love to visit. London would be nice of course, but what I really want to see is the winding roads leading to small towns on steep hills. That scene with them on the bench was the best part of the movie :]