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)
Invincible
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We know how to spend, spend
War, war that can′t be won
Never gonna end, won't end the fun
Let′s hang from the moon and stars
Like drunks behind a bar
It's who we are
When we get down we sing
That′s who we are
That′s who we are!
In the bar, in the bar tonight
We'll be impossible to fight
In the darkness, There′s a light
Invincible, Invincible tonight
We'll be impossible to fight
We′re invincible
We're invincible!
Just for one more night, one more night
We′ll be invincible
We'll be invincible, just for one night
Fate, never comes too late
It's knocking on my door again
Love, never seems enough
Fill me up with more champagne
Let′s hang from the moon and stars
Like drunks behind a bar
That′s who we are
We're all tramps and kings
When we get down we sing
That′s who we are
That's who we are!
In the bar, in the bar tonight
We′ll be impossible to fight
In the darkness, There's a light
Invincible, Invincible tonight
We′ll be impossible to fight
We're invincible
We're invincible!
Just for one more night, one more night
We′ll be invincible
We′ll be invincible, just for one night
Invincible, invincible tonight
We'll be impossible to fight
In the darkness, There′s a light!
Invincible! Invincible tonight
We'll be impossible to fight
We′re invincible
We're invincible!
Just for one night
Yeaaaah!
Jamie Cullum's song "Invincible" is an upbeat and energetic ode to living in the moment, reveling in the present, and embracing a fearless sense of bravado about whatever the future may hold. The chorus repeats the title word "Invincible" over and over again, as if to cement the idea that, at least for one night, nothing can stop us. The song mentions the currency of now, implying that time is a valuable and fleeting resource that should be spent living, dancing, and enjoying life. The lyrics mention war that can't be won, perhaps a nod to the chaos and violence that plagues the world, but the song insists that we won't let that ruin our fun. Instead, we'll keep dancing, keep drinking champagne, and keep singing, fully embracing the dual nature of humanity: sometimes tramps, sometimes kings.
Throughout the verses, the song encourages us to dream big and reach for the stars, saying, "Let's hang from the moon and stars like drunks behind a bar." This image is a vivid and fun metaphor for the idea of embracing our wildest and most daring desires. The chorus continues to repeat the idea that we'll be unbeatable, unstoppable, and invincible, even if just for one night. The song is a call to arms, a rallying cry to embrace the present moment and live our lives to the fullest. It's a joyful and upbeat song that encourages listeners to throw off the shackles of fear and self-doubt and just enjoy the ride.
Line by Line Meaning
In time, the currency of now
The present moment is valuable and worth spending wisely.
We know how to spend, spend
We understand how to enjoy the moment and live in the present.
War, war that can't be won
Conflict is futile and pointless, yet it seems to never end.
Never gonna end, won't end the fun
Despite the troubles and difficulties, we will still find ways to enjoy ourselves.
Let's hang from the moon and stars
Let's embrace life and live it to the fullest.
Like drunks behind a bar
Inhibitions are down and we are free to be our true selves.
It's who we are
Our true nature is revealed when we let loose and have fun.
We're all tramps and kings
We are all flawed and yet capable of great things.
When we get down we sing
Music and joy go hand in hand, and we express ourselves through song.
In the bar, in the bar tonight
We are out, having fun, and drinking with friends.
We'll be impossible to fight
We are in high spirits and won't let anyone bring us down.
In the darkness, there's a light
Even in difficult times, there is always hope and something to look forward to.
Invincible, invincible tonight
We feel unbeatable and ready to take on the world.
Just for one more night, one more night
We know this feeling won't last forever, so we want to make the most of it now.
Fate, never comes too late
Things happen for a reason and at the right time, even if we don't see it at first.
It's knocking on my door again
Opportunity is presenting itself, and we should be ready to take it.
Love, never seems enough
We always want more of what we love, and it can be hard to be satisfied.
Fill me up with more champagne
Let's keep the party going and enjoy ourselves to the fullest.
Invincible, invincible tonight (yeah!)
We feel unstoppable and nothing can bring us down, at least for now.
Writer(s): Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench, Jamie Callum, Joel Hugh Compass
Contributed by Lily A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.