Since 2005, and prior to his participation in The X Factor, he was a vocalist and guitarist in a number of bands, and later, as a solo artist as well as forming his own The James Arthur Band and James Arthur Project.
Arthur was born in Middlesbrough, England to English mother Shirley Ashworth and Scottish father Neil Arthur. James’ father was a delivery driver, but also used to be a DJ and a drummer for many years. Arthur’s parents split when he was just two-years-old and each settled with a new partner. Neil and Shirley were not on talking terms with each other for more than twenty years. But they agreed to attend the show together in a family reunion to attend their son’s performance.
Arthur first went to Ings Farm Primary School in Redcar, North Yorkshire. When he was nine, he moved with his mother Shirley and his step father Ronald Rafferty to Bahrain where he studied at the local British School of Bahrain for four years. When they split, Arthur, then 14, had to move back with his mother and his two half-sisters Jasmine and Neve to the UK to live in a modest house in Saltburn-by-the-Sea.Upon his return, he continued his studies at Redcar’s Rye Hills School.
Arthur has five siblings, an older brother called Neil Arthur, an older sister called Sian Arthur, and three younger sisters, Charlotte Arthur and Jasmin and Neve Rafferty.
Arthur has been writing and recording songs since he was 15 as an unsigned artist both solo and in many bands including:
Moonlight Drive - a Cleveland-based progressive, experimental, rock five-piece band with Arthur in lead vocals. The band was active between 2005 and 2008. They had recordings such as «Said You’d Be There», «Hole in My Heart» and «Tear Me Apart».
Cue the Drama - an alternative rock band based in Marske-by-the-Sea and active between 2005 and 2008. Recordings included «On the Radio 98KUPD», «It’s Killing Me», «I Reach You» and «It Hurts».
Save Arcade - a Middlesbrough alternative rock band made up of Arthur (vocals, guitar), Josh Brown (keyboards, vocals), Matthew Green (guitar), Alex Beer (bass, vocals), Travis Shaw (guitar, percussions, vocals) and Karl Dowson (drums). In 2009, the band released a three-track EP called Truth, carrying the title track «The Truth», as well as «Echoes» and «I Un-Proudly Present». In June 2010, the band released a five-track EP, Tonight We Dine in Hades, which in addition to the title track «Tonight We Dine in Hades» included «Superhero», «You Always Want a Fight», «Juliet Is Not Dead» and «She Aims to Please». Both releases were on the independent 57 Records UK.
Emerald Skye - a four-piece indie pop/rock band formed in March 2011 based in Redcar / Saltburn-by-the-Sea and made up of Arthur (guitar, vocals), Dean Harrison (piano, violin), Paul Gill (bass) and Save Arcade bandmate Green (drums).
Arthur also uploaded many of his own songs to Soundcloud and YouTube including an album entitled Sins by the Sea. In 2011, he auditioned for The Voice UK and made it into the final 200 contestants but no further.
In early 2012, he recorded songs and released two EPs as The James Arthur Band. The band consisted of Arthur (vocals and guitar), Jez Taylor (guitar), Chris Smalls (keyboards), Jordan Swain (drums) and Rich Doney (bass). In 2012, the band released The EP Collection CD with nine tracks with R&B, soul and hip hop influences, a compilation of tracks on both EPs. Arthur also released an EP named Hold On under the name The James Arthur Project in August 2012 in collaboration with John McGough. The tracks were written and arranged by McGough, and mixed by Matt Wanstall with all vocals by Arthur.
Arthur auditioned for The X Factor with an acoustic rendition of judge Tulisa Contostavlos’s «Young», before explaining his past, including spells in care and time spent on the streets after break-ups within his family. He also revealed his father and mother had not spoken to each other for over 20 years, and this was a reunion of sorts for them to attend his audition. After his judges’ houses performance of «I Can’t Make You Love Me», he was picked by his mentor Nicole Scherzinger as one of the 12 contestants for the live shows, and one of just three in the «Boys» category. After the second live show, Arthur suffered from an anxiety attack backstage. Whilst being treated at the studio, paramedics determined he did not need to go to hospital, and he was ordered back to his hotel to rest. He later returned for the results show the following. Arthur was in the bottom two in week 7 after performing «Can’t Take My Eyes Off You». He sang «Fallin’» for survival against Ella Henderson, with the judges going to deadlock after their vote was evenly split 2-2 (mentor Scherzinger and Gary Barlow voting to keep him, while Contostavlos and Louis Walsh voted in favour of Henderson). Arthur was then saved by the public vote. On 8 December, he made it through to the second night of the live finals.
Arthur won The X Factor on 9 December 2012, with 53.7% of the vote, against Jahméne Douglas who received 38.9% of the vote.
New Tattoo
James Arthur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You slip and slide away
Let me begin to understand how you operate in such a calculated way
Before today, I didn't know if I'd make it
But now it's all making sense
Yeah, yeah
The design, the desire, I don't wanna remove
You're the kind of thing that I could love forever
I wear it like a new tattoo
And I'll be so happy that I'm stuck with you
And we cannot deface in any weather
Da, da, da, da
And do you ever look in the mirror
Oh, and not know who you are, or know where you going
Oh, and before today
I didn't know if I'd make it
But now it's all making sense
Yeah, yeah
I wear you like a new tattoo
The design, the desire, I don't wanna remove
You're the kind of thing that I could love forever
I wear it like a new tattoo
And I'll be so happy that I'm stuck with you
And we cannot deface in any weather, any weather, any weather
And I was so lost, and I was so lost, in this world
With no place, and no purpose, no
Blowing up, and I will get bigger, never high
Run a fire, the harder we'll love
I wear you like a new tattoo
And I'll be so happy that I'm stuck with you
And we cannot deface in any weather
I wear you like a new tattoo
And I'll be so happy that I'm stuck with you
And we cannot deface in any weather
Any weather, any weather, any weather
The lyrics to the song "New Tattoo" by James Arthur explore the idea of love as a symbol or a new tattoo that a person wears, which is permanent and something that they cannot or wouldn't want to remove. The metaphor of a new tattoo is utilized to describe the attachment, the desire and the permanent mark that love leaves on a person. James Arthur suggests in the lyrics that love can make a person feel lost, but at the same time, it can help the person find their purpose or direction. Through love, one can begin to understand how the other operates in a calculated way, and as such, they cannot be defaced by the weather or anything that comes in their way.
The chorus to the song reinforces the metaphor of the "New Tattoo." "I wear you like a new tattoo, the design, the desire, I don't wanna remove. You're the kind of thing that I could love forever." The idea is that the love feels as though it has seeped into the very skin of the person, becoming an indelible mark that is felt forever. The idea is that the sense of love is so intense that it becomes part of the person's identity, and they don't want to give it up. James Arthur acknowledges that before experiencing the love he sings about, he felt lost in the world with no purpose or direction. The mark of the love he experiences is now a part of him and has given his life meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Under my skin, beneath my fingertips
You are constantly present in my life and I cannot stop thinking about you.
You slip and slide away
You are elusive and difficult to understand or pin down.
Let me begin to understand how you operate in such a calculated way
I am trying to make sense of your actions and figure out what you want from me.
Before today, I didn't know if I'd make it
I was struggling to find my way in life before I met you.
But now it's all making sense
Since I've met you, everything seems to be falling into place and making more sense.
I wear you like a new tattoo
You have become a part of me that I cannot remove or forget.
The design, the desire, I don't wanna remove
My attraction to you is so strong that I do not want to let it go.
You're the kind of thing that I could love forever
I see a future with you and could love you for a long time.
And we cannot deface in any weather
Our love is strong and can withstand any obstacle or challenge.
And do you ever look in the mirror
Do you ever question your identity or where you are going in life?
Oh, and not know who you are, or know where you going
Feeling lost and unsure of yourself or what the future holds.
And I was so lost, and I was so lost, in this world
I felt like I had no direction or purpose before I met you.
With no place, and no purpose, no
Before meeting you, I felt like I had no home or reason for being.
Blowing up, and I will get bigger, never high
My love for you will continue to grow and strengthen.
Run a fire, the harder we'll love
The obstacles we face will only make our love stronger and more passionate.
Any weather, any weather, any weather
No matter what happens, our love will endure.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HERBERT LOUIS ROONEY, JAMES ANDREW ARTHUR, SALAAM REMI GIBBS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@The64halo
Under my skin, beneath my fingertips
You slip and slide away
Let me begin to understand how you operate in such a calculated way
Before today
I didn't know if I'd make it
But now it's all making sense
Woah-woah, oh
I wear you like a new tattoo
The design I desire, I don't wanna remove
You're the kind of thing that I could love forever
I wear you like a new tattoo
And I'll be so happy that I'm stuck with you
And we cannot deface in any weather, oh-oh
Do you ever look in the mirror
And not know who you are, or know where you going?
Well, I've been that boy
For what feels like 500 years
Now I'm finally finding me
Before today
I didn't know if I'd make it
But know it's all making sense
Woah-woah, oh, yeah
I wear you like a new tattoo
The design I desire, I don't wanna remove
You're the kind of thing that I could love forever
I wear you like a new tattoo
And I'll be so happy that I'm stuck with you
We cannot deface in any weather, oh-oh
And I was so lost
And I was so lost in this world
With no place and no purpose
Now I'm blowing up and I will get bigger
Never hide from the fight, got a heart of a winner
I wear you like a new tattoo
The design I desire, I don't wanna remove
You're the kind of thing that I could love forever
I wear you like a new tattoo
And I'll be so happy that I'm stuck with you
We cannot deface in any weather, oh-oh
Any weather
@shanedangers
Speaking of tattoos, I read that you were getting laser removal to remove a lot of your tattoos.
This is fantastic news. I always wonder when a person full of tattoos comes to the realization that they look like shit, what that fantastic realization must feel like!!!
Thankfully I will never know because I knew wisely never to get a tattoo from young age. They exploded in popularity sometime in the eighties I suppose and now it's just not even original anymore.
Even worse is how many people in prison have them and all those damn gangbangers. They are the stupidest lot.
The true original Italian gangsters of 1930s era Chicago, and black mobsters of Harlem, original Irish immigrant gangs of New York, etc., they never had tattoos, and they didn't need to. The "gangsters" of today, if you want to call them that, are plain fools, clearly identifying themselves to law enforcement and pretty much everyone, that they're "in a gang", and that they "think it's cool". I laugh at them. The ones who wise up? Good for them., the ones who don't? I say good riddance to them, and i shed NO TEARS for them when they stupidly die. I hope the stupid ones do, because they clog up society with crime and death. They disrespect their own families, their own races. This is especially true in Latino populations. The surenos and nortenos is a perfect example of this.
Yet they foolishly go around preaching about "respect", but they respect NO ONE, not even themselves. They will shoot you over a misconceived "look", or a "mean mug" if you will.
They also adorn their bodies with religious tattoos, symbols, crucifixes, the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. Then they stupidly go around spouting off about and acting like they are "OG's", yet EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM are mere cardboard copycat cutouts of each other.
The worst thing about the religious tattoos, is that they don't honor God and His number one commandment, which is "love thy neighbor as thy self, and God too". They actually worship Satan.
Anyway James. Keep going, remove all the trashy tattoos! Glad you wised up brother
@hellwolsp645
Still one of the MOST underrated songs ever!!!!
@VanessaSilva-hi9eu
Que lindo, sou apaixonada por suas músicas.
@chloejo-annwright8482
One of the most underrated songs going 🙌
@musicinspired4797
Always loved this track. Even better live. 👌
@ohlala5883
" I love this album I bought it 3 years ago and it helped me through a bad time in my life but I listen to it now happier than I've ever been. Hope he produces more raw emotional songs like these.
@laura19682
This is seriously crazy,I love ALL your songs! There's no one that i don't like 💙 You have a awesome voice
@azizsamb4691
many people don't listen james' old stuff they don't know the beauty of these songs
@jortepap
amazing song. Love it.
And the live version on Transmitter is brilliant
@meganisabear5033
Such a vibe ❤
@alexc5243
How does this track not have millions of views?! It’s SO GOOD!