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)
Introduction to Get Your Way
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I spose it means you'll turn up round 9,
Bought a bunch of flowers just for her,
She says the burden's on the receiver,
I opened the door and you walked in,
The scent of wild jasmine,
The room seemed to freeze in time,
Radiant and elegant you might be,
But your concentration is so go-lightly,
Both of your eyes reflect the room,
You really think you own the room,
So what game shall we play today?
How about the one where you don't get your way?
And even if you do, that's OK,
So what game shall we play today?
How about the one where you don't get your way?
And even if you do, that's OK,
Try to pick it up, I'm reading the signs,
It's turning out to be a real good time,
Now who'd have thought that entertainment,
Lies in the winter of our discontent,
We sit at the table, face to face,
Queen takes pawn check on, check mate,
I feel your foot brush against my leg,
I'm not that easily led,
You flutter your eyes and touch your hair,
I have to say that it is kinda unfair,
Now let me tell you baby what's in store,
You win the battle but I'll win the war,
So what game shall we play today?
How about the one where you don't get your way?
And even if you do, that's OK,
So what game shall we play today?
How about the one where you don't get your way?
And even if you do, that's OK,
This has been fun, I suppose,
Although my feelings are all juxtaposed,
Truth be told I'm as fickle as hell,
But a gentleman never kisses and tells,
So what game shall we play today?
How about the one where you don't get your way?
And even if you do, that's OK,
So what game shall we play today?
How about the one where you don't get your way?
And even if you do, that's OK.
The song "Get Your Way" by Jamie Cullum is a playful tale about a date with someone who is used to getting what they want. The singer, who seems somewhat infatuated with their date, prepares for their arrival and is taken aback by their beauty upon entering the room. However, rather than being bowled over by their charm, the singer decides to challenge them by playing a game where they do not get their way. Despite being impressed with their date's elegance, they are also aware of their arrogance and the way they try to dominate the situations they are in, hence the need for a challenge.
The lyrics suggest that the singer is not easily swayed by their date's charm and is confident in their ability to hold their own. However, they also reveal that they are somewhat unsure of their feelings and may not be as committed to the relationship as their date is. The idea of playing games could symbolize both the playful nature of the relationship and the singer's reluctance to fully commit.
Overall, "Get Your Way" is a fun and catchy song with a relatable theme. It captures the excitement, uncertainty, and complexities of early dating and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Dinner at 8, that sounds fine,
Agreeing to dinner at 8 o'clock
I spose it means you'll turn up round 9,
Expecting the other person to arrive an hour late
Bought a bunch of flowers just for her,
Purchased flowers as a gift
She says the burden's on the receiver,
Acknowledging that receiving gifts can be difficult for some people
I opened the door and you walked in,
Describing the other person's arrival
The scent of wild jasmine,
Noticing the fragrance of the air
The room seemed to freeze in time,
Feeling a moment of stillness
My regular table will be just fine,
Preferring a specific table in the restaurant
Radiant and elegant you might be,
Complimenting the other person's appearance
But your concentration is so go-lightly,
Saying the other person is not paying attention
Both of your eyes reflect the room,
Noting how the other person is taking in the environment
You really think you own the room,
Observing the other person's level of confidence
So what game shall we play today?
Asking what activity they should do together
How about the one where you don't get your way?
Suggesting a game where winning isn't everything
And even if you do, that's OK,
Saying that it doesn't matter who wins
Try to pick it up, I'm reading the signs,
Paying attention to the other person's body language
It's turning out to be a real good time,
Enjoying each other's company
Now who'd have thought that entertainment,
Reflecting on how much fun they're having
Lies in the winter of our discontent,
Commenting on the unexpected nature of their good time
We sit at the table, face to face,
Describing their seating arrangement
Queen takes pawn check on, check mate,
Making a chess reference
I feel your foot brush against my leg,
Noticing physical contact
I'm not that easily led,
Expressing a sense of independence
You flutter your eyes and touch your hair,
Noting the other person's flirty behavior
I have to say that it is kinda unfair,
Commenting on the other person's tactics
Now let me tell you baby what's in store,
Suggesting future events
You win the battle but I'll win the war,
Talking about future victories
This has been fun, I suppose,
Reflecting on the evening
Although my feelings are all juxtaposed,
Feeling conflicting emotions
Truth be told I'm as fickle as hell,
Admitting to being indecisive
But a gentleman never kisses and tells,
Referring to his own behavior
So what game shall we play today?
Asking again what they should do together
How about the one where you don't get your way?
Repeating the game suggestion
And even if you do, that's OK,
Reiterating that winning doesn't matter
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: DANIEL M. NAKAMURA, JAMIE CULLUM, ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind