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 Nothing I Do
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We had that stupid fight
You called me a useless, selfish prick
So I'm in a fix right now
And we'll measure the truth somehow
Love is a funny thing to me.
Then you stormed out and grabbed your coat while slamming shut the door
Can nothing I do make you happy anymore
Nothing I say put a smile onto your face
Can nothing I say bring us back together
Nothing I do put a smile onto your face
Well, okay.
Next day I called you back
And you called me a stupid twat
And then you were crying on the phone
You sounded so upset
Said I wasn't the man you met
Three years and seven months ago
I pleaded with her. Take me back. I'll change my sorry ways.
So tell me why mysteriously I'm annoyed instead of shamed
Oh, can nothing I do make you happy anymore
Nothing I say put a smile onto your face
Can nothing I say bring us back together
Nothing I do put a smile onto your face
I'm pondering it all
After that call
I think it is clear
I am here
You're from another stratosphere
Oh, now all the things she said
They went around my head
And come out my ear and not before long
This stubborn soul thinks he's done no wrong
As when the questions flutter 'round my head like butterflies
My head spins at reflecting on another love's demise
Oh, can nothing I do make you happy anymore
Nothing I say put a smile onto your face
Can nothing I say bring us back together
Nothing I do put a smile onto your face
The song Nothing I Do by Jamie Cullum is about the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. The lyrics describe a situation where the two people in the relationship have had a fight, with hurtful words spoken in anger. Despite apologies and attempts to reconcile, the relationship seems to be falling apart, and the singer of the song wonders if anything he does can make his partner happy again. The lyrics seem to be referencing the frustrations and misunderstandings that can arise between people who are deeply in love but struggling to communicate their feelings.
The first verse sets the scene for the song, with the singer talking about a fight he had with his partner while they were drunk. Despite making promises to change and trying to win back his partner's affection, nothing seems to be working. The chorus repeats the theme of the song, with the singer expressing his frustration at not being able to make his partner happy anymore. The second verse introduces a phone call between the two people, where hurtful words are exchanged yet again, and the singer pleads with his partner to forgive him and give him another chance. However, even when his partner is crying and appears to be upset, the singer is unable to make her smile.
The bridge of the song is introspective, with the singer reflecting on the situation and questioning his own motives and behavior. He acknowledges that his partner is from a different world than him and that there are misunderstandings and miscommunications between them. Despite this, he still seems to be unable to admit that he may have played a role in the failure of the relationship.
Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of the difficulties that arise in relationships, particularly when communication breaks down. The lyrics capture the frustration and sadness that can come when a relationship that was once full of love and joy starts to fall apart.
Line by Line Meaning
We were so drunk last night
We were both heavily inebriated yesterday evening
We had that stupid fight
We engaged in a nonsensical altercation
You called me a useless, selfish prick
You insulted me by referring to me as an unhelpful, self-absorbed person
So I'm in a fix right now
Consequently, I find myself in a difficult situation
And we'll measure the truth somehow
We will determine the veracity of our relationship in some way
Love is a funny thing to me.
To me, love possesses comedic characteristics
Then you stormed out and grabbed your coat while slamming shut the door
You exited passionately, taking your outerwear and forcefully closing the entrance
A ruthless move so cold, you left your keys inside the door.
Your cold, calculating actions constituted a cruel deed, leaving your keys behind in the process
Can nothing I do make you happy anymore
It appears that anything I undertake no longer provides you with contentment
Nothing I say put a smile onto your face
You seem incapable of exhibiting happiness when presented with my words
Can nothing I say bring us back together
It seems unlikely that my words will mend our relationship
Nothing I do put a smile onto your face
It seems unlikely that anything I undertake will make you happy
Well, okay.
I understand and accept the current state of our relationship
Next day I called you back
The very next day, I contacted you once again
And you called me a stupid twat
You referred to me in derogatory terms by stating that I was foolish
And then you were crying on the phone
You exhibited tears while speaking to me on the telephonic device
You sounded so upset
Your voice conveyed your emotional turmoil
Said I wasn't the man you met
You claimed that I differed from the individual you initially encountered
Three years and seven months ago
A duration of three years and seven months has passed since our initial meeting
I pleaded with her. Take me back. I'll change my sorry ways.
I implored for us to reconcile, elucidating my intention to alter my behavior for the better
So tell me why mysteriously I'm annoyed instead of shamed
I find it perplexing that frustration has overcome me instead of experiencing remorse
I'm pondering it all
I am meticulously contemplating everything
After that call
In the aftermath of that conversation
I think it is clear
It is now evident to me
I am here
I am present and accounted for
You're from another stratosphere
You seem to hail from a different realm altogether
Oh, now all the things she said
Every statement that she proffered
They went around my head
They went round and round in my mind
And come out my ear and not before long
Subsequently, they exited through my ear canal in short order
This stubborn soul thinks he's done no wrong
This obstinate individual believes that they have not committed any errors
As when the questions flutter 'round my head like butterflies
When queries float haphazardly around my consciousness like butterflies
My head spins at reflecting on another love's demise
Mentally, I feel disoriented when contemplating the end of another relationship
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMIE CULLUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind