Cullum was born in Romford, East London. He was brought up in Hullavington, Wiltshire, and educated at the independent fee-paying Grittleton House School and the sixth form at Sheldon School. He then went on to study English Literature, and minored in Film Studies, at Reading University where he graduated with First Class Honours.
His mother, Yvonne, is a secretary of Anglo-Burmese origin, whose family settled in Wales after Burma's independence; his father, John Cullum, worked in finance. His paternal grandfather was a British Army officer, while his paternal grandmother was a Jewish refugee from Prussia who sang in Berlin nightclubs.
Cullum married British model Sophie Dahl at a country hotel in the New Forest National Park in England on 9 January 2010.
Cullum released his first album, Jamie Cullum Trio—Heard it All, in 1999, of which 500 copies were made. Due to their rarity, original copies have sold for as much as £600 on eBay. The success of Heard It All Before resulted in Cullum being invited to appear on Geoff Gascoyne's album Songs of the Summer.
After graduating from Reading University, Cullum released a best-selling album, Pointless Nostalgic, which stirred interest from Michael Parkinson[2] and Melvyn Bragg.
Just after Cullum made his first television appearance, on Parkinson in April 2003, he signed a £1m contract[3] for three albums with Universal, who beat Sony in a bidding war. Cullum's third album, Twentysomething, released in October 2003, went platinum and became the #1 selling studio album by a jazz artist in the United Kingdom. Cullum ended 2003 as the UK's biggest selling jazz artist of all time.[3]
Although primarily a jazz musician, he performs in a wide range of styles and is generally regarded as a "crossover" artist with his musical roots firmly based in jazz. Cullum draws his inspiration from many different musicians and listens to an eclectic mix of music from Miles Davis[4] to Tom Waits and many more. Cullum has belonged to several bands, ranging from banging drums in a hip hop group to playing guitar in rock bands such as Raw Sausage and The Mystery Machine, in his teenage youth. Cullum names his elder brother, Ben Cullum, as his biggest musical influence, and the two continue to collaborate extensively.
Cullum is well known not only for his abilities on the piano, but also for his unique entertainment style and charisma. One of the many things that features in Jamie's concerts is the "stompbox" (not to be confused with an effect pedal for guitars), made from a small wooden block. The stompbox is used to amplify a musician's tapping foot. Jamie found this in Australia and uses it to enhance upbeat and fast-paced songs such as Seven Nation Army originally by the White Stripes and "Gold Digger", originally by Kanye West. He is also often found using a looping machine. This plays a heavy part in Cullum's versions of Seven Nation Army and Teardrop by Massive Attack. Cullum is also often found beatboxing at most gigs.
As well as the White Stripes and Kanye West, Cullum has performed work by Massive Attack, Rihanna, Pussycat Dolls, Radiohead, Gnarls Barkley, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Joy Division, Lady Gaga and many others. He has also performed with Kylie Minogue, Sugababes, Will.i.am and Burt Bacharach.
Cullum rarely works to a set list and on average his gigs last just over two hours. The gigs are largely improvised, rooted in jazz but not solely consisting of jazz music.
Cullum has played at many large music festivals, including Glastonbury Festival (in 2004 & 2009), Coachella 2005, 2006 South by Southwest, North Sea Jazz Festival, the Hollywood Bowl (performing with the Count Basie Orchestra) and the 2006 Playboy Jazz Festival. On the April 29th 2006 Cullum played his biggest ever crowd on Queensday in The Netherlands.
Discography:
1999 - Heard It All Before
2001 - Pointless Nostalgic
2003 - Twentysomething
2005 - Catching Tales
2009 - The Pursuit
2010 - Devil May Care
2013 - Momentum
2014 - Interlude
2018 - The song society playlist
2019 - Taller
2020 - The pianoman at christmas
2021 - The pianoman at christmas (The complete edition)
Gran Torino
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your story is
Nothing more
Than what you see
Or
What you've done
Or will become
Standing strong
In your skin
Just wondering
Gentle now
The tender breeze
Blows
Whispers through
My Gran Torino
Whistling another
Tired song
Engine hums
And bitter dreams
Grow
Heart locked
In a Gran Torino
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
Realign all
The stars
Above my head
Warning signs
Travel far
I drink instead
On my own
Oh, how I've known
The battle scars
And worn out beds
Gentle now
A tender breeze
Blows
Whispers through
A Gran Torino
Whistling another
Tired song
Engines hum
And bitter dreams
Grow
Heart locked
In a Gran Torino
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
These streets
Are old
They shine
With the things
I've known
And breaks
Through
The trees
Their sparkling
Your world
Is nothing more
Than all
The tiny things
You've left
Behind
So tenderly
Your story is
Nothing more
Than what you see
Or
What you've done
Or will become
Standing strong
Do you belong
In your skin
Just wondering
Gentle now
A tender breeze
Blows
Whispers through
The Gran Torino
Whistling another
Tired song
Engines hum
And bitter dreams
Grow
A heart locked
In a Gran Torino
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
May I be
So bold and stay
I need someone
To hold
That shudders
My skin
Their sparkling
Your world
Is nothing more
Than all
The tiny things
You've left
Behind
So realign
All the stars
Above my head
Warning signs
Travel far
I drink instead
On my own
Oh
How I've known
The battle scars
And worn out beds
Gentle now
A tender breeze
Blows
Whispers through
The Gran Torino
Whistling another
Tired song
Engines hum
And better dreams
Grow
Heart locked
In a Gran Torino
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
It beats
A lonely rhythm
All night long
"Gran Torino" is a song that was written and performed by Jamie Cullum. This song has been interpreted in many ways and has been described as melancholic and thought-provoking. The lyrics speak of someone who is reflecting on their life and the world around them as they sit in their Gran Torino car. The tender breeze that blows represents the moment of clarity when they finally realize that they have been consumed by their bitterness and pain.
The lyrics, "your world is nothing more than all the tiny things you've left behind," suggests that the person has been unable to move on and let go of things that have happened in the past. The Gran Torino, the car that the person is sitting in, represents the life that they have lived and the things that they have done. The "lonely rhythm" of the heart suggests that they are empty and lost inside, with no hope for the future.
The song evokes feelings of nostalgia, sadness and a desire for solace. The lyrics are rich in metaphorical language and are open to interpretation. Through this song, Jamie Cullum reminds us of the importance of self-reflection and the need to overcome past pain and agony.
Line by Line Meaning
So tenderly
In a gentle and loving manner
Your story is
Your life experiences define who you are
Nothing more
Your story is all that you have
Than what you see
Your perception of your own story
Or
Alternative to perception
What you've done
Your actions define your story
Or will become
Your future actions will alter your story
Standing strong
Maintaining composure in the face of adversity
Do you belong
Asking if you fit in with the world around you
In your skin
Being comfortable in your own presence
Just wondering
A curious and introspective state of mind
Gentle now
Maintaining sensitivity to the situation
The tender breeze
A gentle and soothing wind
Blows
Silent action of the breeze
Whispers through
The breeze flows quietly and peacefully
My Gran Torino
Referencing the car as a symbol of the singer's past
Whistling another
The car makes noise, indicating its age
Tired song
Symbolizing the weariness of age and life
Engine hums
The engine of the car runs steadily
And bitter dreams
Desires that have yet to be fulfilled
Grow
Intensifying over time
Heart locked
Emotional vulnerability is blocked
In a Gran Torino
Emotions are connected to past experiences, specifically with the car
It beats
The singer's heart is a metaphorical vehicle
A lonely rhythm
The rhythm is sad and solitary
All night long
The loneliness and sadness persist
Realign all
Reflect and reassess
The stars
The universe and its mysteries
Above my head
The vast unknown
Warning signs
Cues to be cautious
Travel far
Messages travel great distances
I drink instead
Self-medication and avoidance of reality
On my own
Facing problems alone
Oh, how I've known
Intimate experience with pain and hardship
The battle scars
Emotional and psychological damage from life events
And worn out beds
A metaphor for the exhaustion of the mind and spirit
These streets
The physical location of the singer's experiences
Are old
The location contains memories and emotions from the past
They shine
The place still holds significance
With the things
Memories and emotions are attached to the location
I've known
The past experiences of the singer
And breaks
The light shines through the trees
Through
The shining light passes through the leaves
The trees
An obstacle between the singer and the light
Their sparkling
The effect of the light on the leaves
Your world
Individual experience of the world
Is nothing more
Perspective is limited by one's own experiences
Than all
The sum total of one's experiences
The tiny things
Small details and memories that make up one's life story
You've left behind
The impact one's life has had on others
May I be
A polite request
So bold and stay
A desire to remain present
I need someone
The singer desires company
To hold
The physical comfort of another
That shudders
Referring to the sensation of touch
My skin
Physical touch for emotional comfort
All the stars
All of the universe's mysteries and complexities
So realign
Reassess the significance of the universe and one's place in it
Warning signs
Cautionary cues from the universe
Travel far
Messages from the universe are relevant far beyond physical location
It beats
Referring to the singer's heart and life experiences
A lonely rhythm
Lonesome and solitary existence
All night long
Loneliness persists without release
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CLINT EASTWOOD, JAMIE CULLUM, KYLE C. EASTWOOD, MICHAEL C. STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Be_Positive339
A movie for all time, one that will never age. A coming of age story for two men, one young and one old. A movie that touches the heart. Thank you Clint, Jamie, the very talented supporting cast and the entire production team for creating this quiet masterpiece.
@pattybraithwaite2589
I agree! One of the absolute best!
@GayleShepherdess
This is Clint Eastwoods' best acting role and movie directed by him. I still can't believe it wasn't nominated for Best Movie, Best Director, and/or Best Actor. I always cry when I watch this video. What a powerful movie with powerful themes.
@davidringo1399
agreed...
@barnanimal30
This song is a masterpiece, a piano, minimal strings and brilliantly sung.
@user-dv8we2qi8m
を。わ
@filipefreitas8007
tottaly agree.
@peterricciardi3058
Clint is a national treasure! Actor,director, musician , singer. There will never be another like him.
@pattybraithwaite2589
Absolutely!!
@teambrownies6322
I can watch this movie over and over. It is a pure masterpiece