He has appeared on "Shout", released by Shout for England in 2010, as England's unofficial World Cup song. It reached #1 in the UK charts.
His latest singing endeavor is "The Greatest Gift", as used in the Sainsbury's 2016 Christmas advert. It can be streamed on Spotify, and can be downloaded from iTunes, with all profits going to charity.
Percy's Pressure
James Corden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But the haters out there hating got my ratings low low low
It's hard to compete with videos of twerking hogs
And water skiing squirrels and monkeys riding on the backs of dogs
(So much pressure)
Have mercy! I'm not the Percy that you've always heard about
That Percy, he was successful, that Percy had a lot of clout
But now, I'm broke here on the bottom with no way to pay my bills
It's getting harder every day to catch a break
So when I see a chance, that is a chance I really need to take
I'm just looking for a way of bouncing back
The rent is due, I'm in a fix and I'm about to crack
(Under pressure)
Brenda, I'm making this up on the spot
(Under pressure)
Which is impressive, lets be honest, come on!
Brenda, Brenda I'm a desperate man!
So help me get back on the top a-rocking again!
(No pressure)
Brenda, Brenda won't you hear my plea?
The weight of all the world is really weighing on me!
(So much pressure)
This is no time to quit
I'm on the verge of a hit
And I'm determined to make this a success, yeah
Brenda, tell me you see
All the potential of me
I'll do whatever it takes to make you say yes
Down on my knees
Begging you please
Won't you tell me you understand
Lend me a hand
All you've gotta save me, save me, save me, save me
In James Corden's song Percy's Pressure, the singer reflects on his once successful career and how he has fallen from the spotlight. He believed he had made it after getting his own TV show, but due to the rise of viral animal videos, his ratings have plummeted. The pressure of financial instability, with bills piling up and rent due, is weighing heavily on his shoulders. The singer feels as though he has lost his identity, and the outside world only sees him as someone who has fallen from grace. He desperately seeks the help of his friend Brenda, hoping she will help him get back to the top.
The song touches on the reality of the entertainment industry where one minute you can be on top and the next you can fall to the bottom. In this industry, the slightest change or trend can make or break one's career. The singer's plea to Brenda for help illustrates the importance of support from those around us during tough times, especially those we trust and admire.
Overall, James Corden's Percy's Pressure is a relatable song, as many people have gone through similar situations where they have lost their footing in life and feel the weight of pressure on their shoulders.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought I'd made it, celebrated, when I got my TV show
I believed I had achieved success and celebrated when I landed my TV show.
But the haters out there hating got my ratings low low low
However, the haters who criticize me, forced my ratings to drop significantly.
It's hard to compete with videos of twerking hogs
It's a tough competition against features such as twerking hogs.
And water skiing squirrels and monkeys riding on the backs of dogs
Additionally, videos of animals skiing on water and monkeys riding on dogs don't make it easier.
(So much pressure)
Have mercy! I'm not the Percy that you've always heard about
That Percy, he was successful, that Percy had a lot of clout
Back then, back when, I was high on that hill
But now, I'm broke here on the bottom with no way to pay my bills
The pressure is weighing on me. I am not the successful Percy you might have heard of earlier. The previous Percy had a lot of power, but right now, I'm unable to pay bills and struggling to survive.
It's getting harder every day to catch a break
So when I see a chance, that is a chance I really need to take
I'm just looking for a way of bouncing back
The rent is due, I'm in a fix and I'm about to crack
It gets tougher every day to find an opportunity to make it big. Whenever there's the slightest possibility of me succeeding, I need to seize it because I'm desperate to get back on track. I'm on the verge of collapsing because my rent is due and my life is falling apart.
(Under pressure)
Brenda, I'm making this up on the spot
(Under pressure)
Which is impressive, lets be honest, come on!
I'm recording this under pressure without any pre-written script, Brenda. That should be impressive, don't you think?
Brenda, Brenda I'm a desperate man!
So help me get back on the top a-rocking again!
(No pressure)
Brenda, Brenda won't you hear my plea?
The weight of all the world is really weighing on me!
(So much pressure)
Brenda, I'm a desperate man requiring your kind help to get back on top. Don't feel the pressure, Brenda. I'm requesting you to consider my situation. The weight of the world is making me anxious.
This is no time to quit
I'm on the verge of a hit
And I'm determined to make this a success, yeah
This moment isn't to give up, I can feel that I'm on the verge of accomplishing something big, and I'm devoted to making it successful.
Brenda, tell me you see
All the potential of me
I'll do whatever it takes to make you say yes
Brenda, please tell me you can see all the hidden talents in me. I'll do everything necessary to earn your approval.
Down on my knees
Begging you please
Won't you tell me you understand
Lend me a hand
All you've gotta save me, save me save me, save me
I'm almost begging you to hear me out, Brenda. Please empathize with me and help me along this struggling journey. You're the one who can save me now.
Writer(s): David Bowie, Roger Taylor, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, John Richard Deacon
Contributed by Alexander W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.