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)
Sack o' Woe
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life's done never such a terrible blow
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
Misery company and I'm feeling low
Trouble follows me wherever I go
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
Trouble one thing I understand
Misery and me go hand in hand
Never ever let me be
Sure as I'm born one thing I know
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
Always screaming cause I'm suffering so
Life's done never such a terrible blow
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
Misery company and I'm feeling low
Trouble follows me wherever I go
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
Trouble one thing I understand
Seems to be a part of me
Misery and me go hand in hand
Never ever let me be
Sure as I'm born one thing I know
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
The lyrics of Jamie Cullum's "Sack o' Woe" deal with themes of misery, suffering, and trouble. The singer laments that their life is full of hardships, and they feel like they are trapped in a "sack o'woe" - a metaphor for a life full of sorrows and misfortunes. The singer also acknowledges that trouble seems to be a part of their identity, and they have come to accept it as a constant companion. The repetition of the chorus underscores the singer's feelings of hopelessness and despair.
One interpretation of this song could be that it speaks to the human experience of living through tough times that can be overwhelming and hard to overcome. At times, we may feel like we are in a state of misery and that our problems follow us wherever we go. However, the song also suggests that there is a certain comfort in accepting one's suffering as a part of life, and acknowledging that misfortune and hardship are universal experiences that we all share.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sack o' Woe" paint a picture of a tough life filled with difficulties, but also of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. It is a song that resonates with anyone who has experienced struggles and challenges in life, and finds solace in the knowledge that they are not alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Always screaming cause I'm suffering so
I'm constantly expressing my agony through screams
Life's done never such a terrible blow
My life has been hit with an extremely unpleasant event
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
The condition I find myself in is filled with despair
Misery company and I'm feeling low
I'm surrounded by sadness and it's making me feel down
Trouble follows me wherever I go
I can't seem to escape from problems and difficulties
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
The situation I'm in is full of misery
Trouble one thing I understand
I've come to comprehend that trouble is a constant in my life
Seems to be a part of me
It's like trouble is ingrained in my being
Misery and me go hand in hand
Sadness and I are inseparable
Never ever let me be
It never leaves me alone
Sure as I'm born one thing I know
Without a doubt, I know for a fact
Thing I'm in is just a sack o'woe
The situation I'm in is an endless pit of despair
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JULIAN ADDERLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind