Blunt was educated at Elstree School, Woolhampton, then Harrow School (where he received his nickname 'Blunty'), and finally the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Before the release of his album, Blunt was a commissioned officer in the British Army, rose to the rank of Captain and served as a NATO peacekeeper in Kosovo. He was also on duty for the funeral of the Queen Mother on 9th April, 2002.
He is currently signed to Linda Perry's American label Custard, and became the first British artist to top the American singles chart in nearly a decade when his first single from Back to Bedlam, "You're Beautiful", reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006. The last British artist to do so had been Elton John in 1997 with the song Candle in the Wind.
His second album, All The Lost Souls, was released on 17th September 2007.
His third album, Some Kind of Trouble, was released on 8th November 2010.
Year active 2004- present
Paradise
James Blunt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Going black
Oh god, you're beautiful
In my throat
Kaleidoscope
Oh god, it's beautiful
I feel my heart beating
It is a love coming up
And it's me or nothing
Like a lifesafer
All the signs say that
There may be trouble in my head
Let love be the reason for breathing
Let love be the light in your eye
'Cause you and me don't need a reason
To fall in love tonight
So darlin', won't you close your eyes?
Hold on tight
We'll find paradise
Let love be the reason for breathing
You and I, you and I tonight
Freefall
Recall
Oh god, it's beautiful
Cold sweat
Regret
Oh no, it's beautiful
I feel my heart beating
I feel my blood pumping
It is a love coming up
And it's me or nothing
Like a lifesafer
All the signs say that
There may be trouble in my head
Let love be the reason for breathing
Let love be the light in your eye
'Cause you and me don't need a reason
To fall in love tonight
So darlin', won't you close your eyes?
Hold on tight
We'll find paradise
Let love be the reason for breathing
You and I, you and I tonight
Spent my life tryin' to find
Paradise, paradise
Spent my life tryin' to find
You
Let love be the reason for breathing
Let love be the light in your eye
'Cause you and me don't need a reason
To fall in love tonight
So darlin', won't you close your eyes?
Hold on tight
We'll find paradise (paradise)
Let love be the reason for breathing
You and I, you and I tonight
The opening lyrics of James Blunt's song "Paradise" convey a sense of imminent danger, with the singer confessing to "holding back" and feeling as if they are "going black." However, amidst these ominous feelings, the singer notes the beauty of the experience, describing it as a "kaleidoscope" in their throat. The chorus then picks up on the song's main theme, which is the power of love to rescue us from our own doubts and uncertainties. The lyrics suggest that love can be both an anchor and a lifeline, something that gives us a reason to keep breathing and a light to guide us through the darkness.
As the song progresses, the sense of danger escalates, with the singer describing "cold sweat" and "regret." However, once again, the beauty of the experience is not lost on them, with the phrase "oh no, it's beautiful" serving as a paradoxical reaffirmation of the power that this love holds over them. The song ends with the singer expressing a sense of completion, having finally found the "paradise" that they have been searching for all their life - a moment of pure emotion and release.
Overall, "Paradise" is a song that explores the power of love to rescue us from our darkest moments. It is a song that speaks to the transformative nature of intense emotion, and the way that love can be a guide star, even during our most difficult days.
Line by Line Meaning
Holding back
Retaining oneself from falling in love
Going black
Succumbing to the feeling of love
Oh god, you're beautiful
The person is extremely attractive
In my throat
Feeling of butterflies in the stomach
Kaleidoscope
The feeling of falling in love is colorful
Oh god, it's beautiful
The feeling of love is beautiful
I feel my heart beating
The person feels they are in love
I feel my blood pumping
The person feels passion and excitement
It is a love coming up
The person is experiencing the feelings of love
And it's me or nothing
The person is in love with one particular person
Like a lifesafer
Love is buoying the person up like a life preserver
All the signs say that
There's an indication that love might be causing trouble in the person's mind
There may be trouble in my head
The feeling of love might be causing confusion in the person's mind
Let love be the reason for breathing
Love should be a primary motivation in life
Let love be the light in your eye
Love should guide a person's actions and decisions
'Cause you and me don't need a reason
They do not require any logical explanation or cause to love each other
To fall in love tonight
To be in a state of love right now
So darlin', won't you close your eyes?
Asking the person to be present in the moment and focus on their feelings of love
Hold on tight
Stay connected to the feeling of love
We'll find paradise
Together, they will experience and find love's paradise
You and I, you and I tonight
Right now, they are experiencing love together
Freefall
They are falling and giving into the feeling of love
Recall
Remembering a feeling of deep love from the past
Cold sweat
Experiencing anxiety or fear about love
Regret
Feeling remorse for past actions related to love
Oh no, it's beautiful
Despite negative feelings, the beauty of love remains
Spent my life tryin' to find
The person has been searching for love for a long time
Paradise, paradise
An ideal state of love
You
The person they are in love with
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BDI Music Limited
Written by: JAMES BLOUNT, AMY WADGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind