A musician and lyricist of uncommon and mature gift, and one blessed with a gloriously fluid and expressive voice, Lawson was born and raised in Plymouth in what was he says a resolutely non-musical household. “No-one sang or played anything. We didn’t have any records. My dad would listen to Radio 2 a bit but that was the extent of it. And this was back in the days before the station got really good. There was nothing in what I heard that spoke directly to me.” Then the elder of his two brothers hit adolescence and things began to change: “He got me into The Smiths, The Housemartins, the Jackson 5 ...” A disparate trio of early influences, you might think, but Jamie says not really. “They’re all very big on melody. And Morrissey and the young Michael Jackson both have a real passion to the way they sing.”
Aged eight, he asked for and received his first guitar. Early on in secondary school, he was invited to join his first band. “We were quite a dedicated little bunch, rehearsing every lunchtime when the rest of the class was out playing football. It was pretty much all covers, of course ... R.E.M., the Chilli Peppers, some Hendrix. By the time I was 15 we had quite a wide repertoire of other people’s badly-done songs.” He was writing material of his own too, “all of it terrible to start with, of course. I’d be 17 at least before I came up with anything good.” And he was singing, though mainly in unconscious impersonation of Michael Stipe. “My own voice took a while to find. I had to stop trying to replicate someone else’s tricks.”
When he did properly uncover it, that voice proved to be something very special indeed. No one who has heard him sing live would disagree (and in addition to his own regular schedule of gigging, he has played with artists including The Frames, Martha Wainwright and Damien Rice, as well as having been chosen as opening act for outdoor gigs by both Van Morrison and Katie Melua). Even-keeled, even undemonstrative offstage, he comes alive in front of an audience and in the service of his songs. “American Music Club’s Mark Eitzel has been a big influence, in the sense that he sings with his whole body and puts so much into his performance. The difference is that my voice is sweeter and more pure.”
There was a brief and half-hearted attempt at following a different career path. But unhappy and unfulfilled in his earliest weeks at Art College, Lawson sought the advice of a counsellor who then asked him, ‘So what do you want to do with your life?’ “And when I said that I wanted to be a singer she told me, ‘Then go and do it!’ which totally surprised me but which was absolutely the right thing to say. I met that woman just once and for five minutes. I don’t even know her name. But she showed me what I had to do.” And via a geographically circuitous route that has taken in Dublin, Cornwall and now London and during which both his song writing skills and stagecraft have increased by leaps and bounds, he has done it.
Lawson is not just a singer but also an exceptionally blessed and affecting one. His voice and songs have proven to work equally beautifully and well whether in a tiny indoor venue like London’s 12 Bar Club or outdoors before 10,000 people. “And the simple fact is that I love to sing,” he says. “I love the intimacy of live performance. I love drawing people into my mood. I love bringing them to where I am.”
Alan Jackson.
The Times
London.
Almost All the Time
Jamie Lawson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can see your hands on me and I don't know what I feel.
I know whats coming, I know exactly what you'll steal.
Keep it close to yours and help it shine.
And I'll think about you almost all the time.
I just watch you sleep and its not hard to understand.
I know you'll be leaving when I don't know where I am.
I can see it coming, I don't want to but I can.
And I'll think about you almost all the time.
But I can't help thinking that we've both been sinkin' and I can't swim, I'm drowning in my mind.
And if you're deciding that the love we are fighting isn't worth the feeling you get down your spine.
And I will think about you almost all the time.
But I don't want to be the one to make you try.
Don't want you to be the one to say goodbye.
Is it a long way to heaven, I know that I can't fly.
Well maybe you'll love me further down the line.
And I will think about you almost the time.
I will think about you almost all the time.
I will think about you almost all the time.
In "Almost All the Time," Jamie Lawson grapples with the end of a relationship and the confusion that comes with it. While difficult, Lawson does acknowledge that time will eventually heal the pain. However, he finds himself caught between conflicting emotions. He can see and feel the closeness and affection of his partner, but at the same time, he knows the inevitable end is coming. He wishes to hold onto those precious moments and their love, but he understands that it's not entirely within his control.
As the song progresses, Lawson begins to question the relationship's worth and whether it's worth continuing to fight for. He recognizes that both he and his partner are struggling and that he may not have the strength to continue fighting. Yet, he doesn't want to be the one to give up and let go. Instead, he continues to hold onto hope and the possibility that maybe further down the line, their love can be rekindled.
In summary, "Almost All the Time" speaks to the complexities of relationships and the difficulty of letting go when you still have feelings for someone. Lawson portrays a raw and emotional sentiment that feels authentic and genuine.
Line by Line Meaning
Difficult as time is, I know this will heal.
Even though time is tough, I am aware that this will eventually fix itself.
I can see your hands on me and I don't know what I feel.
I can sense your touch, but I am unclear about my emotions.
I know whats coming, I know exactly what you'll steal.
I am aware of your intentions and what you plan on taking from me.
Keep it close to yours and help it shine.
Take good care of what you have and let it flourish.
And I'll think about you almost all the time.
You will never leave my thoughts, you will constantly be on my mind.
I just watch you sleep and its not hard to understand.
I observe you when you're asleep, and it's easy to comprehend.
I know you'll be leaving when I don't know where I am.
I am unsure of where I stand, but I know that you'll be leaving soon.
I can see it coming, I don't want to but I can.
I can anticipate what's about to happen even though I don't want it to.
I'll give you love and I hope that you'll be fine.
I'll offer you my love, and I pray that everything will turn out okay.
But I can't help thinking that we've both been sinkin' and I can't swim, I'm drowning in my mind.
I feel as though we're both in a sinking situation, but I can't do anything to help. I feel helpless and lost in my own thoughts.
And if you're deciding that the love we are fighting isn't worth the feeling you get down your spine.
If you're considering that our relationship isn't worth the sensations you get from it.
And I will think about you almost all the time.
Even if you leave, you'll never escape my mind.
But I don't want to be the one to make you try.
I don't want to be the one to force you to do something.
Don't want you to be the one to say goodbye.
I don't want you to be the person who ends things between us.
Is it a long way to heaven, I know that I can't fly.
Is it a distant journey to salvation? I know I can't make it there on my own.
Well maybe you'll love me further down the line.
Perhaps you'll fall in love with me sometime in the future.
And I will think about you almost the time.
You'll always be in my thoughts.
I will think about you almost all the time.
You will never leave my mind, you'll be present in my thoughts constantly.
I will think about you almost all the time.
You'll always be in my thoughts.
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Becky Millington
on I'm Gonna Love You
Marriage not memories