Although comparisons have been made to many artists, such as Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Jimi Hendrix, James prefers to celebrate his own unique style which he says has been influenced by "everything and nothing" (but not forgetting Bob Dylan).
Finalist in 2005's BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards, playing to a full house at the Sage, Gateshead, and featured on Mike's Radio 2 folk programme in December 2005, James and other finalists were described by Mike Harding as "the cream of the UK's young acoustic folk and roots scene".
Serotonin
James Chadwick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just turn off the lights babe,
You don't have to see what I've become.
And don't look into my eyes,
They're turning black again and again,
Nobody knows where I end up.
I can feel it sinking it,
But it's the sweetest feeling just to think of your name.
I thought you'd be glad just to know how I feel.
Well the pain is much to much,
But I'm feeling sublime - I'm dying inside.
Please believe me that everything's going to be alright.
Everything's going to be alright.
I'll make it for you if you make it for me,
Everything's going to be alright.
The lyrics of James Chadwick's song "Serotonin" depict a person struggling with addiction and the chaos it brings to their life. The singer in the song is pleading with their partner not to cry, not to look at them, because they are ashamed of who they have become. They describe their eyes as "turning black again and again" which is a metaphor for their drug use and the feeling of losing control. They admit to feeling like they are sinking and that their addiction is taking over once more, but they find solace in the thought of their partner, their "sweetest feeling."
Despite their love for their partner, the singer acknowledges the pain they are in and how they feel like they are "dying inside." However, they want their partner to know that they will make it through together, and that everything will be alright, even if it feels like it won't be. The repetition of the phrase "everything's going to be alright" is meant to reassure both the singer and their partner that they can overcome the struggles they're facing, as long as they support each other.
Overall, "Serotonin" is a poignant look at addiction and how it affects not only the person struggling with it, but those around them who love and care for them. It is a message of hope in the face of despair and a reminder that, even when things seem bleak, there is always the possibility of getting better.
Line by Line Meaning
Please, no, baby don't cry.
I am pleading with my beloved not to shed any tears.
Just turn off the lights babe,
I want my beloved to switch off the lights in the room.
You don't have to see what I've become.
I don't want my beloved to witness the kind of person I have transformed into.
And don't look into my eyes,
I don't want my beloved to make eye contact with me.
They're turning black again and again,
Repeatedly, my eyes are changing color to a black hue.
Nobody knows where I end up.
It's uncertain where I will end up.
I can feel it sinking it,
A dark sensation is seeping through me.
It's taking over again.
That feeling is prevailing once more.
But it's the sweetest feeling just to think of your name.
The only thing that brings me joy is to recollect my beloved's name.
I thought you'd be glad just to know how I feel.
I assumed knowing that I'm dying inside would bring delight to my beloved.
Well the pain is much to much,
The level of agony is unbearable.
But I'm feeling sublime - I'm dying inside.
Nevertheless, I'm in a state of euphoria while my insides rot away.
Please believe me that everything's going to be alright.
I want my beloved to have faith that everything is going to be alright.
Everything's going to be alright.
In the end, everything will be fine.
I'll make it for you if you make it for me,
I will endure if my beloved does the same for me.
Everything's going to be alright.
I promise everything will eventually turn out okay.
Contributed by Alexander M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.