Faulkner began playing guitar at the age of 11-12 with session guitarist Bob "crazy guy" Cranham and also attended the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, where he spent 2 years gaining both diploma and the higher diploma award under the tutelage of Eric Roche.
His first band was a Green Day cover band, in which he played bass guitar. His experience on the stage grew as he formed Half a Guy, a funk rock group with a quirky edge, with fellow band mates Matt Buchanan, Dave Elvy and Nicola Crawshaw. Half a Guy recorded two demo CDs and managed 2 years before splitting. He then spent time recording and gigging under the name Newton Battenberg Faulkner, where he played the Lapagestock festival on the 11th June 2005.
Recent appearances on BBC Radio 2 as well as a publishing deal with Peermusic UK compelled the Independent on Sunday to tell its readers to "Watch this face". Faulkner performed at the 2006 South by Southwest music festival and at Guilfest 2007.
In 2006 he had a support slot for Steve Forbert at The Spitz in London, England.
Newton has recently been signed by [labelSony BMG records and on the 30th of July 2007 he released his debut album Hand Built By Robots. He supported James Morrison on his February UK tour as well as Paolo Nutini on his UK tour in April, and also John Mayer on his September dates in the United Kingdom. He also supported The John Butler Trio on a number of European dates.
In June 2007 Newton's second single Dream Catch Me was selected Jo Whiley's 'Pet Sound' on her daily Radio 1 show. This gave the track much exposure and was highly commented on by listeners to Jo's show.
Newton appeared twice at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2007 - once on the Friday on the Acoustic Stage and once on the Sunday on the Leftfield Stage. He appeared at V Festival 2007 in August where he played in the Virgin Mobile Sessions Tent - a venue much too small as people overflowed outside. He also appeared at the Connect Music Festival at the end of August 2007 on the Guitars and Other Machines stage
On July 29, Dream Catch Me entered the UK Singles Chart at number 16. The following week it had risen to number 7 with Hand Built By Robots entering the album charts at number 3. The song rose to #8 on 12 August, the album to number 1 on 26 August.
Eric Roche is undoubtedly one of Newton's biggest influences, both from a stylistic point of view (vis a vis the percussive use of the guitar's body) and through the use of tapping, uncommon tunings and inventive chord changes, such as in I Need Something and Ageing Superhero, from his debut album. This method of playing also shows heavily in the work of Jon Gomm and Pete Wailes, although with a slightly different feel in both.
Lipstick Jungle
Newton Faulkner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna live in a lipstick jungle
I wanna find what I'm searching for
I'm tired of rollin on soul and thunder
I just want something of my own
I've been thinking
and I've been known to think too much
and it's about time that I stopped
I've been sinking
I don't know what she knows but I know that she's all I got
So I'll go yes I'll go we should go
She said
I wanna live in a lipstick jungle
I wanna be a million miles away
'Cos we're drifting in a faithless tumble
I know that things will never be the same
I've been thinking
and I've been known to think too much
I've been drinking
and it's about time that I stopped
I've been sinking
I don't know what she knows but I know that she's all I got
So I'll go yes I'll go we should go
And I wanna see the sun through her eyes
Wanna feel how she feels inside
Oh as time flows by
Times flows by
She wants to live in a lipstick jungle
Chasing rainbows through a salty sky
She's looking for a dream that she can handle
Falling under her as time flows by
And I wanna see the sun through her eyes
Wanna feel how she feels inside
Oh as time flows by
Times flows by
The song "Lipstick Jungle" by Newton Faulkner is about a woman who is tired of the monotony of her life and wants to explore something new. The phrase "lipstick jungle" implies a world of bright lights, glamour, and excitement. She wants to find something she's been searching for, a sense of ownership and control over her life. The singer is aware that he is thinking too much, drinking too much, and going through a difficult phase, but he knows that she is all he's got, and he'll do whatever it takes to make her happy.
The woman's desire to live in a "lipstick jungle" could be interpreted as a desire for excitement and adventure, but the chorus suggests something deeper. She wants to be "a million miles away" from where she is now, as she feels like she's "drifting in a faithless tumble." She's searching for a dream she can handle, and the journey to find it will be long and hard. The singer wants to experience life through her eyes, to feel what she feels inside. The phrase "as time flows by" is repeated, emphasizing the passage of time and the urgency to live life to its fullest.
Overall, the song captures the universal desire we all have to find something that makes us feel alive. It's about taking control of one's life, chasing one's dreams, and not settling for anything less than what we truly want. The lyrics paint a picture of two people who are struggling but are willing to go through the difficult times together to reach the other side.
Line by Line Meaning
She said
The woman vocalizes her desire to live in a colorful and exciting world
I wanna live in a lipstick jungle
She wants to live in a world full of vibrancy and color
I wanna find what I'm searching for
She is looking to find something that fulfills her and gives her purpose
I'm tired of rollin on soul and thunder
She is exhausted from living a life full of constant ups and downs
I just want something of my own
She desires to have something that belongs solely to her
I've been thinking
The singer has been contemplating something
and I've been known to think too much
The singer has a tendency to overthink things
I've been drinking
The artist has been consuming alcohol
and it's about time that I stopped
The artist recognizes that they need to quit drinking
I've been sinking
The artist's mental state has been deteriorating
I don't know what she knows but I know that she's all I got
The singer is unsure of what the woman knows, but he knows that she is his everything
So I'll go yes I'll go we should go
The artist and the woman should leave together
Cos we're drifting in a faithless tumble
The singer and the woman are losing faith and direction in their lives
I know that things will never be the same
The singer is aware that their lives will change drastically
And I wanna see the sun through her eyes
The singer wants to experience the world as the woman does
Wanna feel how she feels inside
The artist desires to feel the woman's emotions and have a deeper connection with her
Oh as time flows by
As time passes
She wants to live in a lipstick jungle
The woman desires to live in a world of beauty, vibrancy, and excitement
Chasing rainbows through a salty sky
She aspires to go on adventures and chase dreams that may seem impossible to others
She's looking for a dream that she can handle
The woman is searching for a dream that she can manage and attain
Falling under her as time flows by
As time goes on, the woman is continually moving closer to achieving her dreams
Contributed by Cameron E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.