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)
wheels
Jamie Cullum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shouldn't drag your soul around you like a leather vogue
You remember everything you thought your life would be
Well it's fallin' through the cracks of ancient history
Woah, is this something that I never, something that I never had
Woah, is this something that I never, something that I never had
Tell you what I've heard
Friday night and everything is a-OK
We are living like we've always known a different way
We are taking on our different roads before our goal
It'll bring you back around to the one you know
Woah, is this something that I never, something that I never had
Woah, is this something that I never, something that I never had
Tell you what I've heard
The wheels are falling off, the wheels are falling off the world
Woah, is this something that I never, something that I never had
Tell you what I've heard
The wheels are falling off, the wheels are falling off the world
The wheels are falling off the world
The wheels are falling off the world
The song "Wheels" by Jamie Cullum talks about the unpredictability of life and how things can fall apart even when we have the best-laid plans. The lyrics suggest that we should not let the weight of our aspirations and our ideals drag us down. Instead, we should embrace the present and take on whatever life throws our way with positivity and an open mind. The song also talks about the different paths we take in life, and how every situation we face has the potential to bring us back full circle. The chorus appears to be a warning about the current state of the world, indicating that things are falling apart and that we need to prepare for the impact.
The first two stanza’s of the song seem to be the singer talking to someone who is struggling with life, assuring them that they should not let their aspirations consume them. The words "drag your soul around you like a leather vogue" suggest the weight of the unfulfilled ambitions one can carry around with them. The chorus suggests a sense of resignation, as if the wheels of life have turned and things are beyond control, and that we need to prepare for the worst. The final repetition of "The wheels are falling off the world" feels like a warning that things are coming to a head, that we need to brace ourselves for the future, and that we can only cling to the things that we know to be true and dependable. Overall, “Wheels” seems to urge us to stay grounded, in touch with reality, and to find strength in the uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyday you live a life so full of hope
The singer is encouraging the listener to live their life with optimism and positivism.
Shouldn't drag your soul around you like a leather vogue
The singer suggests that one should avoid carrying unnecessary burdens that make their lives more difficult.
You remember everything you thought your life would be
The singer reminds the listener of past aspirations and goals that may not have been achieved.
Well it's fallin' through the cracks of ancient history
The singer acknowledges that some of the listener's dreams and expectations have failed or become outdated.
Woah, is this something that I never, something that I never had
The singer wonders if there are things in life that they have never experienced or had.
Tell you what I've heard
The singer is about to share some information with the listener.
The wheels are falling off, the wheels are falling off the world
The singer is using a metaphor to describe the current state of the world where things are falling apart and going out of control.
Friday night and everything is a-OK
The singer describes a moment of contentment and peace in the midst of chaos.
We are living like we've always known a different way
The singer suggests that the way we are living now is not natural or sustainable.
We are taking on our different roads before our goal
The singer indicates that everyone has their own journey in life and unique ways of achieving their objectives.
It'll bring you back around to the one you know
The singer believes that despite taking different paths, everyone will eventually come back to their familiar self or place.
The wheels are falling off, the wheels are falling off the world
The singer repeats the metaphor from earlier to emphasize the idea that the world is in a state of decline and chaos.
The wheels are falling off the world
The singer repeats the metaphor one more time to close the song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BEN CULLUM, JAMIE CULLUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind