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)
I'm Glad There Is You
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A feeling result of confusion
With knowing smile and blase sigh
A cynical so and so, am I
I feel so sure, so positive
So utterly unchangeably certain
Though I never was aware of loving you
In this world of ordinary people
Extraordinary people
I'm glad there is you
In this world of overrated pleasures
And underrated treasures
I'm glad there is you
I live to love
I love to live with you beside me
This role, so new
I'll muddle through with you
If you'll guide me through
In this world where many play at love
And hardly any stay in love
I'm glad there is you
More than ever, I'm glad there is you
Said I many times, love is illusion
In the opening verses of Jamie Cullum's "I'm Glad There Is You," the singer speaks of love as an illusion, a feeling that is a result of confusion. He draws upon his own cynical attitude towards love, with a "knowing smile and blasé sigh." He describes himself as a "cynical so and so," suggesting that he has tried to escape love, perhaps after being hurt by it before. However, the singer has an epiphany when he suddenly realizes that he is in love with someone, even though he was not consciously aware of it before.
The singer then goes on to describe the importance of his lover in his life, indicating that in a world of ordinary and overrated pleasures, he is truly glad that she exists. He speaks of being sure and positive, utterly and unchangeably certain, suggesting that he has found life's true treasure in his significant other. He describes a new role in his life and how he will muddle through it with his lover, if she will guide him through it. In a world where many play at love but hardly any stay in love, the singer is grateful that his love for his significant other endures and that she is by his side.
Line by Line Meaning
Said I many times, love is illusion
I have expressed my disbelief in love multiple times
A feeling result of confusion
I believe love arises from a state of uncertainty and bewilderment
With knowing smile and blase sigh
A cynical so and so, am I
I am a cynical person who is intimately familiar with the nature of love and its disappointments
I feel so sure, so positive
So utterly unchangeably certain
Despite my cynicism, I have become absolutely convinced of my love for you
Though I never was aware of loving you
'Til I suddenly realized there was love in you and oh
I didn't realize my love for you until I saw it reflected back to me in your own feelings
In this world of ordinary people
Extraordinary people
I'm glad there is you
In a world filled with average and remarkable individuals, I am grateful that you stand out to me
In this world of overrated pleasures
And underrated treasures
I'm glad there is you
In a world that overvalues trivial pleasures and underappreciates true worth, I am thankful for the treasure of your companionship
I live to love
I love to live with you beside me
This role, so new
I'll muddle through with you
If you'll guide me through
I take pleasure in loving and being with you, as this kind of love is new to me. I will struggle at times, but with your help, I am willing to navigate this unfamiliar terrain
In this world where many play at love
And hardly any stay in love
I'm glad there is you
In a world where love is often superficial and short-lived, I am grateful that we have a deeper, more enduring connection
More than ever, I'm glad there is you
I continue to cherish and appreciate your role in my life more than ever before
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Madeira
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind