Nitin attended Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School and studied law at Liverpool University for a short time. He then went to London, where he met Sanjeev Bhaskar. The pair became friends and created a comedy double act, The Secret Asians, together. The show sought to turn absurdly dated Asian stereotypes on their heads. It led to a contract with BBC radio and eventually grew into the award-winning BBC TV sketch show Goodness Gracious Me.
During that time he met up with an old school friend, acid jazz keyboards-player James Taylor. He joined Taylor for a 40-date tour in as part of The James Taylor Quartet. It introduced him to the jazz club scene and provoked him into forming his own band, The Jazztones. He moved on to join forces with tabla master Talvin Singh to form the Tihai Trio and, after that collaboration ended in 1993, released his debut album, Spirit Dance on his own label. Shortly afterwards, he signed with Outcaste Records.
Sawhney's music is intensely political, commonly approaching themes of multiculturalism, empowerment, identity, immigration, poverty, and spirituality. He is active as an artist in residence for five different performing arts organisations in Europe and Asia, and along with George Martin is a patron for the British Governments Access-to-Music Program which brings music education to the inner-city students.
Sawhney's skills include classical and jazz piano and flamenco guitar. He has released six studio albums, as well as countless remixes and collaborations. After releasing Beyond Skin on London's Outcaste Records in 1999, he was signed by V2 to do six albums. His first album with the Virgin subsidiary, the millennial/apocalyptical Prophesy, in 2001 won a MOBO Award and a BBC Radio 3 Music Award.
Sawhney's music is influenced by his roots in India, utilising and featuring Urdu and Hindi lyrics, Qawwali singing, tablas and other instruments from the subcontinent, and Raga phrasings in music which is often primarily meant for the dance floor.
Sawhney's work in production and arrangement has led to his working in film and television scores. He has scored television ads for Sephora and Nike, as well as more than 25 films from his London-based Spirit Dance Studios. He was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award for Film and TV Composition in 2004 for his music on Channel Four's film, Second Generation. From there, he has begun to see acceptance from the "classical" community, and in 2004 he was commissioned by the city of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Britten Symphonia to compose new performance works. London's Royal National Theatre invited him to write, direct, and score a work to be opened in 2005.
For photographs and additional information visit Nitin's official site, www.NitinSawhney.com
Flipside
Nitin Sawhney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyday I could wear a new face
If Nixon never lied
And Martin Luther never died
On the flipside
On the flipside you can do anything
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
The hands of time are changing
My world is rearranging
So many pasts to futures
That my history's never seen
Out comes change
But I don't know
Still everywhere the sunlight glows
For every one tomorrow brings another day
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside A to be
Should've been more like a why to Z
Every time I open my eyes I still see
On the flipside
My soul is a shadow of pain
No thrills of bills to bury shame
Oh, I love to be alive on the flip slick side
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
Encrypted recipes to reconfigure easily
The mess we made on world, side be
Encrypted recipes to reconfigure easily
The mess we made on world, side be
The truth could set us free
And no more blame for you and me
On the flipside
The truth could set us free
And no more blame for you and me
On the flipside
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
Reality
Is on the flipside
Happiness is
On the flipside
No more pain
On the flipside
The truth speaks
On the flipside
The lyrics of "Flipside" by Nitin Sawhney suggest a longing for change and new opportunities, with the singer expressing a desire to escape his current situation and explore new realities. The opening lines reflect this desire for change, with the singer suggesting that he could be in multiple places and wear different faces every day. The references to Nixon and Martin Luther suggest that the song is set in the 1960s or 70s, a time of great social upheaval.
The chorus conveys the idea that anything is possible on the "flip side," a metaphor for a new perspective or alternate reality. The repetition of the phrase "On the flipside you can do anything" reinforces this idea, and the references to winter, autumn, and spring suggest that the flipside represents a new season or stage of life.
The lines "My world is rearranging, so many pasts to futures that my history's never seen" suggest that the singer is undergoing a profound transformation, one that involves leaving past traumas behind and embracing a new reality. The song ends on a positive note, with the singer expressing a belief that the truth will set us free and that, on the flipside, happiness and a pain-free existence can be found.
Line by Line Meaning
I could be in more than one place
I have the ability to exist in multiple locations.
Everyday I could wear a new face
I have the ability to reinvent myself every day.
If Nixon never lied
If Richard Nixon had told the truth.
And Martin Luther never died
And if Martin Luther King Jr. had not been assassinated.
On the flipside
Looking at things from a different perspective.
On the flipside you can do anything
A different perspective allows for limitless potential.
Let the flipside bring a second wind
A new perspective can energize and inspire.
To change your world
To initiate meaningful change.
The hands of time are changing
The passage of time brings change.
My world is rearranging
My personal reality is constantly shifting.
So many pasts to futures
Countless possibilities for the future based on past events.
That my history's never seen
An unforeseen future that is not bound by history.
Out comes change
Change is inevitable.
But I don't know
Uncertainty about the future despite change.
Still everywhere the sunlight glows
The beauty and wonder of the world remains constant amidst change.
For every one tomorrow brings another day
Tomorrow is a new day with new opportunities.
A to be should've been more like a why to Z
Questioning the predetermined path in life and seeking answers.
Every time I open my eyes I still see
The reality before me remains, no matter how I view it.
My soul is a shadow of pain
Emotional suffering is a constant presence in my life.
No thrills of bills to bury shame
Money cannot fix my inner turmoil and shame.
Oh, I love to be alive on the flip slick side
Despite pain and struggle, it is still worthwhile to look at life from a different perspective.
Encrypted recipes to reconfigure easily
Solutions to complex problems can be found through creative problem-solving.
The mess we made on world, side be
The world can be a chaotic and confusing place.
The truth could set us free
Honesty and transparency can lead to liberation.
And no more blame for you and me
Taking accountability and moving forward from past mistakes.
Reality is on the flipside
Perception and reality are not always the same.
Happiness is on the flipside
A shift in perspective can lead to newfound happiness.
No more pain on the flipside
A different perspective can alleviate emotional suffering.
The truth speaks on the flipside
Clarity and honesty can be achieved through a new perspective.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: NITIN SAWHNEY, S. DUNCAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex Bott
I could be in more than one place
Everyday I could wear a new face
If Nixon never lied
And Martin Luther never died
On the flipside
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
The hands of time are changing
My world is rearranging
So many pasts to futures
That my history's never seen
Out comes change
But I don't know
Still everywhere the sunlight glows
For every one tomorrow brings another day
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On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside A to be
Should've been more like a why to Z
Every time I open my eyes I still see
On the flipside
My soul is a shadow of pain
No thrills of bills to bury shame
Oh, I love to be alive on the flip slick side
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
Encrypted recipes to reconfigure easily
The mess we made on world, side be
Encrypted recipes to reconfigure easily
The mess we made on world, side be
The truth could set us free
And no more blame for you and me
On the flipside
The truth could set us free
And no more blame for you and me
On the flipside
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
On the flipside you can do anything
On the flipside, winter, autumn, spring
Let the flipside bring a second wind
To change your world
Reality
Is on the flipside
Happiness is
On the flipside
No more pain
On the flipside
The truth speaks
On the flipside
Josh Linsley
I love this track!
Alex Bott
if the truth set me free, you wouldn't be following me, then I wouldn't have anything to eat
Alex Bott
The truth will set you free
duppy conqueror
Paradiso Amsterdam ohhh meng goshhh remember???
Fabian Gregory
flip clip slip d bleeep