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.
So Near
Jack Peñate Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To find out which way my feet would fall
The right way must be left
Straight ahead is never good at all
I found myself beside
A boat about to leave for foreign tides
I shouted for a ride
What's a room when we are gone?
Just some walls that don't belong
What's a body when there's fear?
Of love man, we're so near
I'm so near, I'm so near, I'm so near
I'm so near, I'm so near
I ran towards the sound
Of falling trees crashing to the ground
But nothing could be found
So I dropped my hat and slowly turned around
Love is not a game
But something that I am desperate not to tame
I'm searching for your name
In places that I'll never go again
What's a room when we are gone?
Just some walls that don't belong
What's a body when there's fear?
Of love man, we're so near
I'm so near, I'm so near, I'm so near
Every moment passes by me
Every moment passes by
Every moment passes by me
Every moment passes by
Every moment passes by me
Every moment passes by me
Every moment passes by me
Every moment passes
I'm so near, I'm so near, I'm so near
I'm so near, I'm so near, I'm so near
I'm so near, I'm so near
The lyrics of Jack Peñate's song "So Near" portray a sense of restlessness and desire for connection. The singer seems to be searching for direction as he takes a step forward to determine his destination. The lyrics suggest that the right way is not always apparent and that sometimes it is necessary to take unconventional paths. The boat symbolizes a departure from the familiar and an opportunity to explore new horizons. The singer's plea for a ride is met with silence, indicating perhaps that the journey is one that must be taken alone.
The following lyrics reflect the longing for connection and belonging, as well as the fear that such a connection will bring: "What's a room when we are gone?/ Just some walls that don't belong/ What's a body when there's fear?/ Of love man, we're so near." The idea that walls are just walls without the presence of people implies a sense of emptiness and lack of purpose without human relationships. The fear of love suggests the vulnerability that is required to form genuine connections, yet at the same time, there is a sense that people are close to one another despite their fears.
Overall, the lyrics of "So Near" portray a sense of searching for direction and connection, as well as the fear and vulnerability that come with those desires.
Line by Line Meaning
I took another step
I made a decision to move forward
To find out which way my feet would fall
To discover where my actions will take me
The right way must be left
Sometimes the answer is not straightforward
Straight ahead is never good at all
Moving forward blindly can be dangerous
I found myself beside
I discovered I was near
A boat about to leave for foreign tides
A new adventure was beginning without me
I shouted for a ride
I called out for help
But no one answered me, no one replied
No one was there to help me
What's a room when we are gone?
The physical space we occupy doesn't matter when we're not there
Just some walls that don't belong
Empty space that lacks purpose
What's a body when there's fear?
Fear can make us feel like our physical bodies don't matter
Of love man, we're so near
Love is close to us, but sometimes hard to find
I ran towards the sound
I moved towards an interesting noise
Of falling trees crashing to the ground
A dramatic event was happening
But nothing could be found
The source of the noise wasn't what I expected
So I dropped my hat and slowly turned around
I gave up my search and reassessed my surroundings
Love is not a game
Love is serious and not something to be played with
But something that I am desperate not to tame
I want to explore love and let it be free
I'm searching for your name
I'm looking for a specific person
In places that I'll never go again
I'm searching in unlikely locations
Every moment passes by me
Time keeps moving and I can't stop it
I'm so near
Love is close
Contributed by Emma P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BEARONICA
This song makes me feel like dancing down the city streets at night and pointing at strangers as if I know them.
Abdul Razak Harun
I heard this at the GAP store in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Jack has some amazing songs!
Marissa Lamoreaux
I heard this in Forever 21 and I love it.
baazooka86
another example how music can both move and inspire one.
banana85
I listen to this song as I'm driving down the freeway and near the beach
Lieutenant Duck
Heard this in a "hippie shop" as some would call it. Forget what it was called, pretty dope tho.
nobby roberts
heard this as blackpool beat notts forest in 2010 play off semi final on sky sports 1 = fantastic
ninelaaa
perfection, happines
Tinkeroftime
that's the way to do life. xD Awesome idea!
N Hawthorne
Ahaha, I work at Hollister, and I hear this occassionally:P I love this song.