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)
Singin' In The Rain
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just singin' in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun's in my heart
For love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Ev'ryone from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
And singing
Singing in the rain
In the rain
Daba do, do do do do
Do da do
Daba do, do do do do
Do da do
La la la la, la la
La la la la
La la la la, la la
La la la la
La la la la, la la
La la la la
La la la la, la la
La la la la
I'm singin' in the rain
Just singin' in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm happy again
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
And singing
Singing in the rain
In the rain, in the rain, in the rain
Daba do, do do do do
Do da do
Daba do, do do do do
Do da do
Daba do, do do do do
Do da do
...
The song "Singing in the Rain" by Jamie Cullum is a cover of the iconic song from the 1952 film musical of the same name. The song describes the joy of singing and dancing in the rain, even when ominous clouds hang overhead. The lyrics describe a carefree attitude that comes with letting go of worries and embracing life's simple pleasures. The image of the singer laughing at dark clouds captures this sentiment perfectly, showing that even in the midst of hardship, one can find joy and happiness.
The chorus is especially effective at conveying this message, with the simple declaration "I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain; what a glorious feeling, I'm happy again." The repetition of the phrase "in the rain" reinforces the idea that the singer is not just singing, but actively enjoying the experience of being caught in a downpour. The final lines of the song, with their whimsical syllables and joyful scatting, underscore the carefree spirit at the heart of the song.
Overall, "Singing in the Rain" is a celebration of the simple pleasures of life and a reminder that joy can be found even in the midst of hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm singin' in the rain
I am expressing my joy through vocalization while in the midst of precipitation
Just singin' in the rain
I am exclusively performing musical pieces while enduring the weather condition of precipitation
What a glorious feeling
The sensation that I am experiencing due to my current state and behavior is truly wonderful
I'm happy again
I am feeling a sense of contentment or satisfaction after being previously unhappy
I'm laughing at clouds
I am experiencing amusement or joy at the sight of the condensed water droplets that form visible masses in the sky
So dark up above
The aforementioned masses of condensed water droplets appear to be very grim or somber in nature
The sun's in my heart
Although the sun's rays may be obstructed by the above-mentioned clouds, I still feel warmth, love or happiness within myself
And I'm ready for love
My current state of mind or emotions allow me to be receptive, accepting and ready for the pleasant and positive experience of love
Let the stormy clouds chase
I am encouraging the movement or departure of the abovementioned clouds that bear characteristics of tumultuous weather conditions away from my current location
Ev'ryone from the place
I suggest that individuals or groups nearby also distance themselves from the unpleasant weather conditions
Come on with the rain
I accept and make a positive association with the precipitation that is currently falling on my surroundings
I've a smile on my face
My facial expression is one of happiness or amusement regardless of the unpleasant weather conditions around me
I walk down the lane
I am strolling down the pathway or street using my legs in a relaxed and casual manner
With a happy refrain
I am expressing myself vocally with a lyrical utterance or melody that contains positive emotions
And singing
I am currently using my vocal cords and other relevant body parts to make pleasing sounds
Singing in the rain
I am performing the vocal activity of creating pleasing sounds while being exposed to falling precipitation
Daba do, do do do do
This is a non-lexical vocable utterance sound that has no standard meaning in the English language
Do da do
This is another non-lexical vocable utterance sound that has no standard meaning in the English language
La la la la, la la
This is a non-lexical vocable utterance sound that is used to communicate melody or tune but has no standard meaning in the English language
In the rain, in the rain, in the rain
This line reaffirms and emphasizes that the song is occurring during a time of precipitation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Arthur Freed, Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind