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.
Cold in Ohio
Jamie Lawson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing stays still
Somebody's always leaving
Somebody always will
There are airplanes
Taking off and landing
Lovers left behind
It's cold in Ohio
I'm not going there
It's cold in Vostok station
In the middle of nowhere
It's cold in New York city
With that north wind blowing through
Cold in Ohio
But it's warm here next to you
I understand you're worrying
I know the feeling
Love is always shifting sand
Not much to believe in
These are the times we're living in
This is the way of the world now
I'm not giving in and you
You don't know how
It's cold in Ohio
I'm not going there
It's cold in Vostok station
In the middle of nowhere
It's cold in New York city
With that north wind blowing through
Cold in Ohio
But it's warm here next to you
Let the snow fall down
Let the wind blow through
It doesn't matter now
It doesn't matter now
It's cold in Ohio
I'm not going there
Cold in Vostok station
In the middle of nowhere
It's cold in New York city
With that north wind blowing through
It's cold in Ohio
But it's warm here next to you
Next to you, oh
It's cold in New York city
With that north wind blowing through
It's cold in Ohio
But it's warm here next to you
Next to you
Next to you
The song Cold in Ohio by Jamie Lawson is a poignant and stirring ballad that delves into the complexities of love and loss. The lyrics capture the transience of life and love, with people constantly on the move and relationships fragile and uncertain. The opening lines "This city's always moving, nothing stays still" set the tone for the song, with the constant movement and change of modern life depicted as a backdrop to the singer's personal journey.
The singer acknowledges the difficulties of love and commitment, with "love always shifting sand, not much to believe in." But despite the challenges, the warmth and comfort of being with someone they care about is what matters most. The chorus repeats the contrast between the coldness of Ohio and other places, with the warmth of being near their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
This city's always moving
The city is always active, with constant movement and change.
Nothing stays still
Nothing remains the same or in one place for long.
Somebody's always leaving
People are always departing, whether physically or emotionally.
Somebody always will
There will always be someone leaving, as this is a natural part of life.
There are airplanes
Airplanes are always in the sky, transporting people to their destinations.
Taking off and landing
Airplanes are either departing or arriving at airports.
Lovers left behind
Partners are left alone when their loved ones leave.
Without understanding
Often, the reasons for leaving are unclear or confusing to those who remain behind.
It's cold in Ohio
The state of Ohio is experiencing cold weather.
I'm not going there
The artist has no plans to travel to Ohio.
It's cold in Vostok station
Vostok station, a research station in Antarctica, is experiencing cold weather.
In the middle of nowhere
The station is located in a remote area with no nearby civilization.
It's cold in New York city
New York City is experiencing cold weather.
With that north wind blowing through
A chilly north wind is affecting the city's temperature.
But it's warm here next to you
Despite the cold weather elsewhere, being close to the person they love brings warmth and comfort to the singer.
I understand you're worrying
The artist is aware that the other person is concerned about something.
I know the feeling
The artist can relate to the other person's emotion.
Love is always shifting sand
Love is a fluid, changing emotion that can be unpredictable.
Not much to believe in
In a world where love is ever-changing, there is little that can be relied upon to stay the same.
These are the times we're living in
The current state of the world is tumultuous and ever-changing.
This is the way of the world now
The unpredictability of love and life is the new normal in this day and age.
I'm not giving in and you
The artist does not want to give up hope, and neither should the other person.
You don't know how
The singer is encouraging the other person to keep fighting, even if they don't know how to do so.
Let the snow fall down
The artist is resigned to the cold weather, encouraging acceptance of it rather than trying to fight it.
Let the wind blow through
Similarly, the singer is accepting of the harsh weather conditions.
It doesn't matter now
The weather is not important when the singer is with the person they love.
Next to you, oh
Being close to the person the singer loves is more important than anything, and is worth tolerating any kind of weather.
Next to you
Reiteration of the fact that being near the person they love is the most important thing to the artist.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KIM RICHEY, JAMIE LAWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
anni b
love his voice and this song. it's hardly ever hot here in england, although it's not freezing either. so it's not too bad. Although it's going to snow soon apparently. i love snow though x
Sam Foster
There needs to be more views and likes on this song, it is awesome.
lisaGail taylor
I'm in love with a guy in Ohio! I love this song love your voice like there's something in the atmosphere, playing sharing with every one. good job
Christine George
i loveeee your songs!! they all kinda sound alike but i love the lyrics and the music though <3
Vicki Bohall
This is my ring tone!!!! Love it!!!!
LAWSON J
Really good song, Love it
Dia
Yes, Jamie, it IS cold in Ohio. And from the middle of Ohio, a thanks for that lovely song.
Call me Private property
just love this song...it melts me!!😍
what the
great Song 👌 i love it
Lorene strand
I love his accent it pretty cool and I like the instrument he's using!!! #awsome