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
Passenger Side
Jay Sean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But who was that
I ain't feelin' the way that he's leanin' back
With his arm around you Like he ownin' that
Somebody needs to tell the boy to drop the act
Its gotta be
Something in the water that you're drinkin'
What the fuck you thinkin'
But I thought we were worth it
And I thought we deserved it
But you weren't down for that, no
And I had to watch you go
I kinda wish I hadn't just seen you again
Girl I coulda sworn I just saw you
Passin' me by passin' me by pa passin' me by
I swore I caught a glimpse of you from the corner of my eye
That used to be me drivin' that ride
That used to be you by my side
I'd do anything just to have you
Back in my (ba) back in my
(Pa) passenger side
Do you remember
We would cruise around
In the middle of the night
Just to fool around
Lookin' for a place to hide
So I could get you out them jeans
And I could give it to you right
You would climb on top of me
On your passenger side
I can't lie I still think about you when I drive
But you won't remember that girl
And I had to watch you go
Kinda wish
I hadn't just seen you again
Girl I coulda sworn I just saw you
Passin' me by passin' me by pa passin' me by
I'm sure caught a glimpse of you from the corner of my eye
That used to be me drivin' that ride
That used to be you by my side
I'd do anything just to have you
Back in my (ba) back in my
(Pa) passenger side
Let me remind of the days that you forgot so listen
Remember back when I was broke without a pot to piss in
I used to drop you home and leave you from a distance
Because your fam didn't like the fact that I was so different
You had alotta friends and some of 'em got a Benz
They had a whole lotta what I just never had then
But I had something they could only ever dream of ever owning
I had you it and it was always what had mattered then
We had that real shit used to go way back
Didn't have a deal yet he had a may bach
Now i'm speedin' past you in a Lamborghini
Hope your fucking glad to see me
Wish I never had these feelings but
Girl I coulda sworn I just saw you
Passin' me by passin' me by pa passin' me by
I'm sure caught a glimpse of you from the corner of my eye
That used to be me drivin' that ride
That used to be you by my side
I'd do anything just to have you
Back in my (ba) back in my (Pa) passenger side
The lyrics of Jay Sean's "Passenger Side" is a nostalgic reflection on lost love while driving down the street. The song opens with the singer recognizing his ex-girlfriend in another person's car. He expresses his annoyance by the way the guy is with her with his arm around her. The singer remembers their past experiences, including cruising around and looking for a place to hide so they could be intimate. He reminisces about their past relationship and confesses that he can't stop thinking about her while driving, despite trying his best to forget her.
In the following verse, the singer reminds his ex-girlfriend of a time he was broke and had no car to drive, so he would drop her off from a distance at her home, so her family wouldn't see him. Despite him being different and not having much, he had her, and that's all he cared about. The song ends with the singer driving away, but wishing he had his former girlfriend back, sitting right there with him in their car.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah that was you
The singer recognizes the person he sees.
But who was that
The singer notices a man next to the person he recognizes.
I ain't feelin' the way that he's leanin' back
The singer does not like the way the man has his arm around the recognized person.
With his arm around you Like he ownin' that
The artist feels possessive of the recognized person.
Somebody needs to tell the boy to drop the act
The artist believes that the man with the recognized person is faking or putting on a show.
Its gotta be Something in the water that you're drinkin'
The singer is trying to find an explanation for the person's actions.
What the fuck you thinkin'
The singer is questioning the recognized person's decision to leave him.
Girl I know that it wasn't perfect But I thought we were worth it And I thought we deserved it
The artist believed that he and the recognized person had a strong relationship that was worth fighting for.
But you weren't down for that, no And I had to watch you go
The recognized person did not want to work things out, and the artist had to accept that.
I kinda wish I hadn't just seen you again
The artist has mixed feelings about seeing the recognized person again.
Girl I coulda sworn I just saw you Passin' me by passin' me by pa passin' me by
The singer is nostalgic and thinks back to their time together.
I swore I caught a glimpse of you from the corner of my eye
The artist thinks he sees the recognized person.
That used to be me drivin' that ride That used to be you by my side
The singer remembers driving with the recognized person.
I'd do anything just to have you Back in my (ba) back in my (Pa) passenger side
The singer wishes he was back to driving with the recognized person as his passenger.
Do you remember We would cruise around In the middle of the night Just to fool around Lookin' for a place to hide So I could get you out them jeans And I could give it to you right You would climb on top of me On your passenger side
The singer reminisces about their time together, where they would sneak around and be intimate in the car.
But you won't remember that girl And I had to watch you go
The artist acknowledges that the recognized person may not have the same memories he does.
Kinda wish I hadn't just seen you again
The artist's conflicting emotions continue.
Girl I coulda sworn I just saw you Passin' me by passin' me by pa passin' me by
The singer still can't shake the feeling that he saw the recognized person.
I'm sure caught a glimpse of you from the corner of my eye
The singer is still convinced he saw the recognized person.
That used to be me drivin' that ride That used to be you by my side
The artist remembers the good times they had in the car.
I'd do anything just to have you Back in my (ba) back in my (Pa) passenger side
The artist longs to be with the recognized person again.
Let me remind of the days that you forgot so listen
The artist wants to remind the recognized person of their past.
Remember back when I was broke without a pot to piss in
The singer brings up how he was poor when they first met.
I used to drop you home and leave you from a distance Because your fam didn't like the fact that I was so different
The artist had to be careful when dropping off the recognized person because her family did not approve of him.
You had alotta friends and some of 'em got a Benz They had a whole lotta what I just never had then
The singer's lack of money meant that he couldn't keep up with the recognized person's wealthier friends.
But I had something they could only ever dream of ever owning I had you it and it was always what had mattered then
The singer valued the relationship with the recognized person over material wealth.
We had that real shit used to go way back Didn't have a deal yet he had a may bach Now i'm speedin' past you in a Lamborghini Hope your fucking glad to see me
The singer reflects on their past together, and how he has achieved success in the present.
Wish I never had these feelings but Girl I coulda sworn I just saw you Passin' me by passin' me by pa passin' me by
Despite the artist's newfound success, he still yearns for the recognized person.
I'm sure caught a glimpse of you from the corner of my eye That used to be me drivin' that ride That used to be you by my side I'd do anything just to have you Back in my (ba) back in my (Pa) passenger side
The artist concludes the song by repeating his desire to be with the recognized person again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAY SEAN, JEREMY DAVID SKALLER, KHALED ROHAIM, ROBERT W. LAROW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind