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)
Sad Sad World
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking among the wasteland
I guess you out ran all of the people you can
A line on your hand tells me that you might know the way
You see those faces blinking up out the darkness now
It's just the traces of everyone you've loved and how
So don't erase it maybe then you'll know what to say
Let it fall
Let it fall
We're all prisoners in a simple mind baby
Let it fall
You can grip my arm to pass the time baby
Let it fall,
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Your lashes dancing making my aching heart sing
The lights are flashing stirring up all this feeling
My hands are burning every time I'm touching your face
Let me surround you with all the love that you deserve
The dawn'll tell you of everything that you are worth
The blood it runs through everything we know of our fate
Let it fall
When it meets you on the other side baby
Let it fall
We're all prisoners in a simple mind baby
Let it fall
You can grip my arm to pass the time baby
Let it fall,
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
"Sad Sad World" by Jamie Cullum is a song that explores themes of love, loss, and the struggle to find meaning in life. The song's opening lines, "So what's your game plan / Walking among the wasteland / I guess you out ran all of the people you can", immediately set the tone for a song that is introspective and contemplative in nature. It speaks to the feeling of being lost and alone in a world that can seem desolate and uncaring.
The lyrics go on to describe a line on the singer's hand that seems to hold some sort of significance, hinting at the idea that there might be a way out of the confusion and pain that they are experiencing. As they look out into the darkness, they see the faces of those they have loved and lost, and it is this connection to others that gives them the strength to carry on.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of longing and a desire to connect with others, to find some sense of meaning and purpose in an often senseless world. The chorus, "Will you help me paint a smile / On this sad, sad world", is a plea for help and an acknowledgement that we are all in this together.
Overall, "Sad Sad World" is a poignant and moving song that speaks to the human condition in all its complexity and fragility.
Line by Line Meaning
So what's your game plan
What is your strategy or approach in life?
Walking among the wasteland
Living in a desolate and barren world
I guess you out ran all of the people you can
You have surpassed everyone you could and there's no one else to outrun
A line on your hand tells me that you might know the way
The mark on your hand gives me an indication that you could have a path to follow
You see those faces blinking up out the darkness now
You perceive those familiar faces emerging from the dark
It's just the traces of everyone you've loved and how
Those are only remnants of people you've cared for and the memories you shared
So don't erase it maybe then you'll know what to say
Don't erase those memories, maybe then you'll have an idea of what to express
Let it fall
Let everything go
When it meets you on the other side baby
When you face the consequences of your actions
We're all prisoners in a simple mind baby
We are all limited by our own thinking capacity
You can grip my arm to pass the time baby
You can hold on to me to get through difficult moments
Will you help me paint a smile
Can you assist me to create a happy atmosphere
On this sad, sad world
In this sorrowful and unhappy reality
Your lashes dancing making my aching heart sing
The movement of your eyelashes bringing joy to my pained heart
The lights are flashing stirring up all this feeling
The flickering lights arousing strong emotions
My hands are burning every time I'm touching your face
My palms are heating up when I touch your face
Let me surround you with all the love that you deserve
Allow me to envelop you with all the affection you merit
The dawn'll tell you of everything that you are worth
The sunrise will reveal the true value of your existence
The blood it runs through everything we know of our fate
The blood that flows within us shapes our destiny
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMIE PAUL JOSEPH CULLUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@einstfara
So what's your game plan
Walking among the wasteland
I guess you out ran all of the people you can
A line on your hand tells me that you might know the way
You see those faces blinking up out the darkness now
It's just the traces of everyone you've loved and how
So don't erase it maybe then you'll know what to say
Let it fall
When it meets you on the other side baby
Let it fall
We're all prisoners in a simple mind baby
Let it fall
You can grip my arm to pass the time baby
Let it fall,
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Your lashes dancing making my aching heart sing
The lights are flashing stirring up all this feeling
My hands are burning every time I'm touching your face
Let me surround you with all the love that you deserve
The dawn'll tell you of everything that you are worth
The blood it runs through everything we know of our fate
Let it fall
When it meets you on the other side baby
Let it fall
We're all prisoners in a simple mind baby
Let it fall
You can grip my arm to pass the time baby
Let it fall,
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
@julianvickery8341
"Sad, Sad World" by Jaimie Cullum featuring Laurie Mvulla (live at Abbey Road Studios, 2013)
https://youtu.be/-1b82VmUjh0
Lyrics:
So let it fall
When it meets you on the other side baby
Let it fall
We're all prisoners in a simple mind baby
Let it fall
You can grip my arm to pass the time baby
Let it fall, yeah
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Your lashes dancing making my aching heart sing
The lights are flashing stirring up all this feeling
My hands are burning every time I'm touching your face
Let me surround you with all the love that you deserve
The dawn'll tell you of everything that you are worth
The blood it runs through everything we know of our fate
So let it fall
When it meets you on the other side baby
Let it fall
We're all prisoners in a simple mind baby
Let it fall
You can grip my arm to pass the time baby
Let it fall, yeah
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
Will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
So will you help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
So come and help me paint a smile
On this sad, sad world
@budgetpack
What a combination, Laura’s voice is beautiful.
@RobertDimbleby
Love how when Laura starts to sing the band really get in the groove! :)
@TheHustonShcarr
UGHHHHHH This song ALWAYS GETS ME!!!!!! both of their voices on this. This version should have been recorded for the album
@tysonf89
Best part about this song is that even though its probably been rehearsed half a dozen times or more, every person included seems to have a moment where they just break away and improvise and do whatever the song makes them feel.... if that's not the case, its still an amazing thing to be able for me to feel like that's what happens because there is so much raw soul in this song. Simply brilliant.
@therisinghope
Love your work Jamie. Always picks me up and charges me, whenever i need it in these sick times! Never abandon music brother.!
@MichelleWilliams-kh5kp
I think they both have amazing voices and when each singer both sings 'let it fall' it sends pure shivers through my body! Its true it doesn't sound in harmony when the chorus comes in but who says they have to be the same? There is so much about this song to be appreciated...
@BAMLOVE123
This is so phenomenal. What a freaking vibe.
@mikimodesign-studio7965
Love this song. The fact that their voices bring differing flair makes it even more poignant and dynamic.
@zeryks
this version is absolutely stunning...slower tempo gives this song much more power and mood...i am sad sad that this version is not on the album...
@zaria9071
their voices give me chills