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
Throw
Nitin Sawhney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What we give
What we take
Who we are
What we have
What we give
What we take
What we have
What we take
Who we are
What we have
What we give all away
Always
What we do if we throw it all away
All away
Always
What we do
If we throw it all away
One man gambles in a London house casino
A glass of whiskey and a BLT
He spins the wheel of fortune
Blows his night in just one roll
Stumbles out into the street
All away
Always
What we do
If we throw it all away What we have
What we give
What we take
Who we are
So he staggers out into the night
& takes the night bus to his home
A hotel room, an empty chair
He hears a voice but no one's there
A gun and Bible by the phone
All away
Always
What we do
If we throw it all away What we have
What we give
What we take
Who we are
A drunken fool with broken memories
Says his prayers & takes a drink
The morning brings a brand new season
One more chance, and one more reason
Tomorrow's just a dream away
All away
Always
What we do
If we throw it all away What we have
What we give
What we take
Who we are
What we have
What we give
What we take
Who we are
What we have
Is what we give
What we take
Who we are
The lyrics of "Throw" by Nitin Sawhney explore themes of risk-taking, reflection, and identity. The repeated phrases of "What we have, what we give, what we take, who we are" suggest that these elements are all interconnected and shape our lives. The verses follow a man who takes a chance and gambles in a casino, losing his money and stumbling out into the night. He returns to an empty hotel room, hears a voice but no one is there, and contemplates the gun and Bible by the phone.
The lyrics highlight the consequences of our choices and actions. The man's decisions to gamble and drink have led to his current state of loneliness and regret. However, the chorus provides a glimmer of hope, with the words "tomorrow's just a dream away" suggesting that there is always a chance for redemption and growth.
The use of religious symbolism, such as the Bible and prayer, adds another layer to the meaning of the lyrics. They suggest that our actions are not just individual, but also have a spiritual dimension. The repeated phrase "All away, always" further implies that the person's choices and actions have a continuous impact on their life.
Overall, "Throw" is a poignant reflection on the interconnectedness of our choices, actions, and identity, and the possibility for change and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
What we have
The possessions and resources that we possess
What we give
The actions that we take to benefit others
What we take
The things we acquire for ourselves through our actions
Who we are
Our identity and personal traits that define us as individuals
What we have
The possessions and resources that we possess
What we give
The actions that we take to benefit others
What we take
The things we acquire for ourselves through our actions
What we have
The possessions and resources that we possess
What we give
The actions that we take to benefit others
What we take
The things we acquire for ourselves through our actions
Who we are
Our identity and personal traits that define us as individuals
What we have
The possessions and resources that we possess
What we give all away
Making a sacrifice and giving away everything we have
Always
Always making this kind of sacrifice
What we do if we throw it all away
The consequences of making such a sacrifice
All away
Losing everything we have
Always
The repeated occurrence of this kind of loss
What we do
How we react to this loss
If we throw it all away
The act of making a significant sacrifice
One man gambles in a London house casino
A man taking risks with his possessions and resources
A glass of whiskey and a BLT
The man is indulging in vices while taking these risks
He spins the wheel of fortune
Taking a chance on a particular outcome
Blows his night in just one roll
Losing all his resources in a single event
Stumbles out into the street
The repercussions of his actions leading to his downfall
So he staggers out into the night
The man leaving the casino after his losses
& takes the night bus to his home
Returning to his regular life and routine
A hotel room, an empty chair
His living environment devoid of company and warmth
He hears a voice but no one's there
Experiencing a feeling of loneliness or regret
A gun and Bible by the phone
Objects that could represent a range of emotions, from protection to despair
A drunken fool with broken memories
A person who has lost control of themselves and their faculties
Says his prayers & takes a drink
The man is coping with his problems through faith and substance abuse
The morning brings a brand new season
A new opportunity to start fresh
One more chance, and one more reason
Having a renewed sense of hope and purpose
Tomorrow's just a dream away
The future is uncertain and full of possibilities
What we have
The possessions and resources that we possess
What we give
The actions that we take to benefit others
What we take
The things we acquire for ourselves through our actions
Who we are
Our identity and personal traits that define us as individuals
What we have
The possessions and resources that we possess
Is what we give
Choosing to sacrifice and give away our possessions and resources
What we take
The things we acquire for ourselves through our actions
Who we are
Our identity and personal traits that define us as individuals
Contributed by Aiden F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
HumbertoCarneiro7
Cool song! Love the beat and storytelling👍
L A
This is gold, stay pure, peace
k y
cool☆