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)
Where is Your Heart At
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have you seen my peacock feathered hat
If it was under a four leaf clover
I'd be on the lawn lookin' for that
Where is your heart at? Nobody knows that
Even though you, him, her, me and then I'll be searching
I've got a feeling you will be reeling
And you'll see me leaving dressed up
As a magician or something like that
You're sad and flip-flops are hidden in the
Pockets of your velvet dressing gown
Your diamond cuff lings are hidden in the
Ruffles of your silk white shirt from town
Where is your heart at? Nobody knows that
Even though you, him, her, me and then I'll be searching
I've got a feeling, you will be reeling
When you are bad and the circus comes to town
And you'll see me leaving dressed up
As a magician or something like that, hey
The lyrics of Jamie Cullum's "Where is Your Heart At" are intriguing and enigmatic. The song speaks of a person who is searching for something elusive - the peacock feathered hat - and is not able to find it. The repeated question "where is your heart at?" suggests that the song is not just about finding a physical object, but about finding oneself and one's true emotions.
The song's protagonist is described as being sad and keeping his emotions hidden. The references to flip-flops, velvet dressing gown, diamond cuff links, and silk white shirt suggest that the character is wealthy and perhaps trying to mask his emotions with material possessions. The repeated line "I've got a feeling you will be reeling when you are bad and the circus comes to town" adds to the enigmatic nature of the song.
The line "And you'll see me leaving dressed up as a magician or something like that" is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the singer is trying to create an illusion or escape from reality. The song as a whole is open to interpretation, but it may suggest that the singer is having difficulty connecting with his true emotions and is hiding behind a veneer of material objects and illusions.
Line by Line Meaning
You asked me over, and over and over
You kept asking me repeatedly
Have you seen my peacock feathered hat
You were looking for your unique hat with peacock feathers
If it was under a four leaf clover
If it was hidden away somewhere
I'd be on the lawn lookin' for that
I would be searching for it outside
Where is your heart at? Nobody knows that
Where are your thoughts and emotions truly focused? It's a mystery
Even though you, him, her, me and then I'll be searching
Everyone, including myself, will be looking for an answer
I've got a feeling you will be reeling
I have a hunch that you will be surprised or shocked
When you are bad and the circus comes to town
When you are in trouble and things get chaotic
And you'll see me leaving dressed up as a magician or something like that
I will try to make a dramatic exit to distract from the situation
You're sad and flip-flops are hidden in the
You're feeling glum and your casual shoes are tucked away in the
Pockets of your velvet dressing gown
Compartments of your soft, luxurious robe
Your diamond cuff lings are hidden in the
Your fancy jewelry is concealed within the
Ruffles of your silk white shirt from town
Frills of your elegant, formal shirt
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind