Emerging from the English-Indian underground, Sean's first album featured political content as well as emotional songwriting baring his personal insecurities and struggles, all of it drawing influence from the traditional pop music of India (such as Bhangra). Released 8 November 2004 in the U.K., January 2005 in Malaysia, and February 2005 in India on 2Point9 Records, Relentless Records, and Virgin Records, 'Me Against Myself' achieved highly supportive critical reviews, with Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music praising Sean's work as "an album of phenomenally accomplished R&B". His release was certified as multi-platinum in his native India and gold in the U.K. His three singles (composed with help from Sean's mentor Rishi Rich) also met with British chart success: "Dance With You" (#12), "Eyes On You" (#6), and "Stolen" (#4).
Sean's touring, as well as the success of his singles in clubs, led Tareck Ghoneim of Contactmusic.com to call Sean an "Asian sensation". Still, he had his eyes on breaking into the U.S. while also keeping his stride with the U.K. charts, and he wanted as well to incorporate more of a slick pop sound to his coming work. His sophomore release, 'My Own Way', featured him on the cover looking as dapper in his light brown suit as a master of business. Released 12 May 2008 on Jayded Records and 2Point9 Records, the work suffered from various leaks and also received some mixed reviews from critics.
Nonetheless, the album became commercially successful in the U.K., reaching #6 on the U.K. Albums Chart and #1 on the UK R&B Chart. It eventually became certified platinum. Lead single "Ride It" also garnered major airplay throughout Europe, featuring Sean remarking about "all about the games people play across the dance-floor on a night out". Momentum building, his third studio album, 'All or Nothing', came out 23 November 2009 with strong promotion in the U.S.
International top 40 singles "Down" and "Do You Remember" cemented Sean's status as a global superstar. With massive tours leading him from TV show to stadium across countries, "Down" (also known as "Down (Feat. Lil' Wayne)" and other titles due to Lil' Wayne's presence) in particular hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming later known as one of the iconic singles of 2009 in American memory. Other nation's listeners also gave his singles strong airplay.
The first official single from Jay Sean's fourth studio album, titled 'Worth It All', was "I'm All Yours", which he sent for airplay on April 18, 2012. The song featured rapper and entertainer Pitbull. Although not quite achiving as much success as he had hoped in the U.S., it became a major international hit, reaching the top 40 in both Germany and New Zealand, and it ended up being mutli-platinum certified in Australia.
When it comes to the business of being a singer there are artists, there are stars and there are phenomenons. Jay Sean is all of the above. The proof is in the press, the sales, the fans and above all, the music.
ALL OR NOTHING is both Jay Sean's first American release and first for Cash Money/Universal Republic Records. But while it's his debut over here, the 29-year-old Pop/R&B singer/songwriter/producer has been a major sensation and multi-platinum artist over there since 2004; releasing two smash albums, scoring two top ten singles, nominated for Britain's heralded MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Award twice and building a worldwide, fervid fan-base that stretches from Russia to Australia to NYC.
In some ways ALL OR NOTHING is the best of both worlds. Featuring sizzling, brand new tracks like the lead off single "Down" (featuring label mate Lil' Wayne), ALL OR NOTHING also includes some of the songs that helped Jay Sean blow up around the rest of the world.
One of those songs is "Ride It" written "strictly on a vibe," built on a hypnotic, sinewy track, and delivered with Jay Sean's slick vocals. The video for "Ride It" clocked an astonishing 12 million hits on You Tube (20+ million hits across all online video channels) and captivated fans everywhere; including Cash/Money Records CEO and co-founder, Ronald "Slim" Williams who was turned on to Jay Sean's music by one of the singer's producers. Slim liked what he heard and proved it by making Jay Sean the first UK artist to join the Cash/Money family.
The match up of Nawlins swagger and UK Pop/R&B drives ALL OR NOTHING's first single "Down" ft/ Cash/Money soldier Lil' Wayne. Already taking radio by storm, "Down" resulted from a conversation that began about what's wrong in the world, and blossomed into a celebration of everything that's right - namely love.
Offers Jay Sean, "I'm a very positive, optimistic person and thought let me write a song about the idea that if you've got someone special in your life then nothing else really matters how you need to appreciate the little things. The title is a play on the word 'down.' That's why Lil' Wayne says, 'Are you down like the economy.' It's a fun, very easy track something to pump in your car."
Another mid tempo breeze born out of real life is "War." The message? "To battle with anybody, whether it's your girl, family or another country never solved anything," explains Jay Sean.
It is that mix of introspection and keenly crafted Pop/R&B songs that has brought Jay Sean from where he was to where he is.
Born and raised in London, England and of Indian/Punjabi heritage, Jay Sean started rapping at 12 and credits rap with helping him structure, produce and write songs. Inspired by R&B stars Jodeci, Brian McKnight, Joe, and Musiq Soulchild, Jay Sean started singing hooks and then stepped it up.
Amazingly, at the same time he was exploring his artistic side, Jay Sean was at med school; surely a steadier profession than "pop-star." Luckily Jay Sean's parents had his back.
"It wasn't as though they suddenly went 'you sing?' Jay Sean laughs. "They knew there might be a strong possibility I'd do music. They told me, 'The same way you apply yourself to your studies you have to work hard doing music.' That's always stayed with me."
Jay Sean's songs caught the attention of a producer putting together a groundbreaking project fusing traditional Punjabi music and contemporary Pop/R&B. As soon as the single dropped, Jay Sean became the face and voice of a new generation.
"It was so interesting that the kids who love listening to Pop/R&B and traditional Indian music said, 'What the hell is this, it's brand new.'"
Along with galvanizing a heretofore, untapped demographic, Jay Sean caught the ears of the industry, because as he explains, "The English labels knew I had this huge following.
His solo debut ME AGAINST MYSELF dropped in 2004 and exploded on the Internet. Jay Sean toured through Europe, South East Asia, as well as spot dates in the US. He even performed, with Akon, at the Ruler of Dubai's daughter's sweet sixteen. In India, this album outsold Jay-Z, Britney Spears and Madonna.
"I have a heavy fan-base in many countries including India. I'm in a minority culture but in many countries, there's still Indians there and they all knew me," says Jay Sean.
After dealing with creative issues and the desire to change his musical direction to straight-forward Pop/R&B, Jay Sean made the decision in 2008 to go for self.
"I realized I had a global fan base so why not make the music myself?"
Those instincts paid off and then some when MY OWN WAY, his first release on his own label, Jayded Records, out sold and then some Jay Sean's prior effort. The album peaked at #6 on the UK album chart.
All of which brings Jay Sean to ALL OR NOTHING and a future that is just beginning.
Speaking with a refreshing mix of humility and confidence, Jay Sean says, "I've got a different up-bringing and take on a music that you guys make so well and would like to think that I'm a fresh new face and voice. Hopefully American audiences will like it. People always like a change. That's what I have to offer."
See: www.jaysean.com
I'm Gone
Jay Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't even bare to see you smile.
Now-a-days I can't look in your eyes
Well I can but it takes a while to show
Told a lot of white lies to hide it all.
But they're beginning to break me down,
Though I promise it's over now.
I don't blame you at all.
'Cause after all the things that you did for me
I Got beaten by temptation
I'm gone.
Girl you're better off alone.
I don't want you to see, the truth in me.
I'm gone.
Try my best to keep it all together.
Tryna take it back to where we were.
Never been to good at keeping secrets,
I'll Give you reasons but for what it's worth
Lemme go.
What the hell would make you look at me the same?
Used to say "We're unbreakable."
But I just went & changed it all.
See if I told you?
Could you live with that?
If I told you?
Could you live with that?
If I told you,
I couldn't live with that! I couldn't live with that!
Noooo!
I'd rather give you no excuses at all.
I'm gone.
I don't blame you at all.
'Cause after all the things that you did for me
Got beaten by temptation
I'm gone.
Girl you're better off alone.
I don't want you to see, the truth in me.
You gave everything & honestly it's every fault of mine.
To beg you for forgiveness just seems wrong.
See, leaving you is one thing
But you've got to realize:
Some things are best unspoken
So please don't ask me why!
Ohhhh
I'm gone.
I don't blame you at all.
'Cause after all the things that you did for me
Got beaten by temptation
I'm gone.
Girl you're better off alone.
I don't want you to see, the truth in me
That's why I'm gone
I'm gone
I'm gone
Byeee
I'm gone.
The song "I'm Gone" by Jay Sean is a heartbreaking track about a man who is leaving his significant other. He is ashamed of what he has done and feels that he cannot face her with the truth. The lyrics reveal his inner turmoil and the intense guilt that he feels. He no longer wants to be with her because he believes that she deserves better.
The opening lyrics of the song indicate the singer's desire to not have to see his significant other happy. This suggests that he believes he has done something wrong to her and finds her happiness hard to bear. He admits that he can look her in the eyes, but it takes a while to show. This could mean that he feels ashamed about what he has done and looks away from her to avoid confronting his guilt. He also acknowledges that he has told a lot of white lies to hide his actions, but now they are breaking him down, which indicates that he no longer wishes to live with the burden of his lies.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses his regret at how things have turned out. He admits that he is to blame for what has happened and that he is not worthy of her love. He understands that he has been beaten by temptation and that is why he needs to leave. The song ends with the singer saying a final goodbye as he leaves his lover behind.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to have to see you happy.
I cannot bear the thought of seeing you smile because it reminds me of what I've lost.
I can't even bare to see you smile.
Your happiness is a constant reminder of my own failure to keep what we had together.
Now-a-days I can't look in your eyes
I find it difficult to look into your eyes because I'm afraid you'll see the truth and I cannot hide behind my lies and excuses anymore.
Well I can but it takes a while to show
It's difficult for me to show the depth of my feelings when I look into your eyes, but I can if I try.
Told a lot of white lies to hide it all.
I've been telling you many half-truths in order to conceal the fact that I've changed and can no longer be the person I was with you.
But they're beginning to break me down,
The lies I've kept up are slowly starting to erode my sanity and stress me out.
Though I promise it's over now.
I swear that I'm done and it's time for me to move on from the past.
I'm gone.
I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do to stop me.
I don't blame you at all.
Despite everything you've done for me, I'm not blaming you for my actions and decisions.
'Cause after all the things that you did for me
Even though you've given so much to me, I've still let you down.
I Got beaten by temptation
I was lured and overpowered by the temptation, and I gave in to it.
Girl you're better off alone.
It's better for you to be alone and find someone better than me who can actually treat you well.
I don't want you to see, the truth in me.
I'm afraid that if you saw the real me, you wouldn't recognize me and things would be worse.
Try my best to keep it all together.
I've been making my best effort to maintain everything as it was, but it's become too much for me.
Tryna take it back to where we were.
I'm struggling to go back to the good old days, but it's become increasingly difficult for me to revisit those memories.
Never been to good at keeping secrets,
I'm not skilled at holding on to secrets and I fear that this information will eventually come out.
I'll Give you reasons but for what it's worth
I'll try and give you explanations, but I know that it won't make a difference in how you feel towards me.
Lemme go.
I need to move on and free both you and I from this toxic situation.
What the hell would make you look at me the same?
I don't even know what could make you see me in the same way again after what I've done.
Used to say "We're unbreakable."
We were so close and matched so well, but that bond has since disappeared.
But I just went & changed it all.
It's all my fault that what we had is now ruined, and I can't take it back.
See if I told you?
If I told you the entire truth, would you still feel the same way towards me?
Could you live with that?
Would you be able to accept what I've done and move on from it?
I couldn't live with that! I couldn't live with that!
I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did something to ruin the only good thing in my life.
Noooo!
Please don't ask me and put me in such a difficult position.
I'd rather give you no excuses at all.
Instead of giving half-truths and excuses, I'd rather be honest with you and tell you that I'm leaving because of what I did.
You gave everything & honestly it's every fault of mine.
You put in everything and it's because of my own faults that things turned out this way.
To beg you for forgiveness just seems wrong.
I think it's wrong of me to ask for forgiveness because I can't undo what I've done.
See, leaving you is one thing
Although leaving you would be painful for me, it's something that needs to be done.
But you've got to realize:
It's important for you to understand that although I'm leaving, this is the best course of action.
Some things are best unspoken
There are some things that should remain unsaid and kept inside.
So please don't ask me why!
I'm begging you not to ask me the question that I know can only end badly for both of us.
Byeee
With that, I'm gone and there's nothing left for me to say.
I'm gone.
I'm finished and it's time for me to move on from the past and find a new beginning somewhere else.
Contributed by Ryan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.