Along with the likes of Lily Allen, Jamie T, Kate Nash, Adele, etc, he is often included in the "Estuary English" pack of UK musicians - the 2006/2007 UK trend of young musicians singing without consciously altering their spoken English accent. (Estuary English being the accent commonly found around the south east of England, most notably in London [and even more notably among the youth], considered a compromise between Cockney and RP)
At 17 he started the band Jack's Basement with his friend Felix White. The band split in two, one half going on to form The Maccabees, the other forming Jack Peñate's band, including Joel Porter (bass) and Alex Robins (drums). Having started a Classics degree at UCL he hooked up with London indie club and label, Young Turks and his studies were dropped in favour of a music career.
His eclectic mix of styles incorporates elements of his varied influences which range from rockabilly and folk to jazz and trip-hop. He lists Prince, Jeff Buckley, Shuggie Otis, Todd Rundgren, JJ Cale, Harry Nilsson and Herbie Hancock among his influences. Yet he delivers a genuine London voice and still manages to sound original.
His live performances are characterised by his much commented, "individualist" style of dancing where he plays guitar and dances simultaneously with a vigorous fluidity - he finds it hard to keep still.
In autumn 2006, Peñate signed to XL Recordings who delivered main-stream success with the release of his debut album Matinée. It was followed up in 2009 with Everything is New.
Body Down
Jack Peñate Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So you might as well become his friend
Be proud when he walks by your side
Hold that head up boy and feel some prode
You're gonna go soon, go soon
Go down the parlor
Pick you up and put you in a shirt and a collar
Drive you down the road and lay your body down
If I didnt make ever damn day such a sin
Then I don't think i would know where to begin
If I couldn't do all those bad things I loved to do
I'd take myself and wanna wait for you
You're gonna go soon, go soon
Go down the parlor
Pick you up and put you in a shirt and a collar
Drive you down the road and lay your body down
Drive you down the road and lay your body down
Body down
(Body down)
Body down
(Body down)
Body down
(Body down)
Body down
(Body down)
Had a wonderful time here
Had a wonderful time here
Had a wonderful time here
Had a wonderful time here
Had a wonderful time here
Had a wonderful time here, oh
I had a wonderful time here
Had a wonderful time here
Had a wonderful time here, oh
You're gonna go soon, go soon
Go down the parlor
Pick you up and put you in a shirt and a collar
Drive you down the road and lay your body down
Drive you down the road and lay your body down
(Oh)
The lyrics of "Body Down" by Jack Peñate are quite metaphorical and elusive, yet they evoke a sense of acceptance and resignation towards the inevitability of death. The song seems to suggest that death is a companion or a friend that we cannot avoid, and therefore, we might as well embrace it with pride and dignity. The line "He's gonna take you in the end, so you might as well become his friend" embodies this sentiment and implies that death is not something to fear or resist, but rather to befriend and accept.
The chorus, "Drive you down the road and lay your body down," is a reference to the funeral procession and burial, which is a common ritual in many cultures to honor and say goodbye to the deceased. The singer seems to acknowledge that death is a necessary part of life and that we should not shy away from it, but rather embrace it as a rite of passage.
The second half of the song takes a more personal turn, as the singer reflects on their own behavior and actions in life. The lines "If I didn't make every damn day such a sin, then I don't think I would know where to begin" suggest that the singer has lived a wild and reckless life, and that their experiences have shaped who they are. The admission that they wouldn't know where to begin if they were to change their ways implies that they have no regrets and are proud of who they are.
Overall, "Body Down" is a poignant and introspective song that contemplates the meaning of life and death, and encourages the listener to embrace their mortality with dignity and pride.
Line by Line Meaning
He's gonna take you in the end
Death is inevitable, so you might as well make peace with it
So you might as well become his friend
Accepting death is easier than fighting it, so embrace it
Be proud when he walks by your side
In death, you are no longer alone, so be proud to walk with your new partner
Hold that head up boy and feel some pride
Don't be ashamed or afraid of death, be proud to have hugged it as a friend
You're gonna go soon, go soon
The inevitability of death is fast approaching
Go down the parlor
Go to the funeral home
Pick you up and put you in a shirt and a collar
Put you in your best clothes for your final sendoff
Drive you down the road and lay your body down
Take you to your final resting place and lay you to rest
If I didn't make every damn day such a sin
If I didn't live my life so recklessly and sinfully
Then I don't think I would know where to begin
I wouldn't know how to change my life for the better, since I'm so used to living dangerously
If I couldn't do all those bad things I loved to do
If I couldn't indulge in my sinful pleasures
I'd take myself and wanna wait for you
I would be so bored and unstimulated by life that I would want to die and join you
Body down
Letting the body rest in peace
(Body down)
Repeating the idea of body being put to rest
Had a wonderful time here
Acknowledging that life was great
Had a wonderful time here, oh
Repeating the idea of having a great life, even if death is near
Contributed by Alexis L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.