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
promise
Nitin Sawhney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lost in a clouded mind
Held down by all the things that seem so real
The world you can't leave behind
You've made all of the money you could spens
You're begging for something more
Behind the prison tou call your home my friends
Lately, you've followed your fears under the bed
And fell for a hundred years
Into the arms of a wounded melody
The promise that love's still here
You held a cynical world like God's bruised fruit
Chopped from a sacred tree
It's us, the enemy we fought all these years
The stories of you and me
So we hurry, go faster and faster to find that we've ran our whole life
Forgoing the sweetest view
There's a buzz like a lightbulb up to our ears
Promise that love's still here
Retrace the steps in the snow to find your friend
'Cause the child had melt so fast
Big dreams, the future you taste on summer's time
Having it just won't last
Right here, we've all got the answer in our heart
If we could just let that go
Lifetimes of beautiful Sunday church bell girls
The junkies upon the floor
So we hurry, go faster and faster to find that we've ran our whole life
Forgoing the sweetest view
We could argue forever and ever, be clear
Promise that love's still here
If forever and ever and ever we find that we've ran our whole life
Forgoing the sacred view
There's a buzz like a lightbuld up to our ears
Promise that love's still here
The promise that love's still here
The promise that love's still here
The promise that love's still here
In Nitin Sawhney's song Promise, the lyrics portray the struggles of a person who has achieved financial success, but is trapped in a world from which they cannot escape. The person is lost in their own mind, holding onto the things that seem real and are unable to let go. The light at the end of the tunnel seems like an elusive dream. They are grappling with their fears, falling into wounded melodies, and running towards a future that won't last.
The song speaks of how we are all in search of something, and we run our whole life to find it. In the process, we often miss the sweetest views and the sacred things of life. The song urges us to retrace our steps and find the answers that are already in our hearts. It speaks of the promise that love is still here, even when it seems like nothing else is.
The lyrics are poetic and introspective, inviting the listener to reflect on their own life and search for meaning. They are backed by a haunting melody that evokes a sense of longing and yearning. Together, the lyrics and music create a mood of reflection and contemplation.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately, lately I've seen you in your dream
Recently, the singer has observed the listener in their dreams.
Lost in a clouded mind
The listener is confused and uncertain.
Held down by all the things that seem so real
The listener is discouraged by the difficulties in their life because they seem real to them.
The world you can't leave behind
The listener feels trapped by their past and can't move forward.
You've made all of the money you could spend
The listener has acquired wealth beyond what they need.
You're begging for something more
The listener is searching for something to give their life meaning.
Behind the prison you call your home my friend
The listener feels trapped in their own life.
The light in the endless dark
Despite the difficult circumstances, there is hope for the listener.
Lately, you've followed your fears under the bed
The listener has been consumed by their fears.
And fell for a hundred years
The listener feels like they've been stuck in their situation for a very long time.
Into the arms of a wounded melody
The listener seeks solace in a melancholy song.
The promise that love's still here
The listener hopes that love is still present in their life.
You held a cynical world like God's bruised fruit
The listener views the world as damaged and imperfect.
Chopped from a sacred tree
The listener feels that people are disconnected from their spiritual roots.
It's us, the enemy we fought all these years
The listener finally realizes that they have been fighting themselves all along.
The stories of you and me
The memories and experiences of the listener's past.
So we hurry, go faster and faster to find that we've ran our whole life
People rush through life and then realize they have missed it completely.
Forgoing the sweetest view
People miss out on the beauty of life while they rush through it.
There's a buzz like a light bulb up to our ears
There is a sense of excitement and hopefulness that surrounds people.
Promise that love's still here
Despite everything, there is still love in the world.
Retrace the steps in the snow to find your friend
The listener is advised to look back on their life and remember the people they have lost touch with.
'Cause the child had melt so fast
People often lose touch with the simple, innocent parts of themselves as they grow older.
Big dreams, the future you taste on summer's time
As young people, we have big dreams about the future.
Having it just won't last
Unfortunately, those dreams do not always become reality.
Right here, we've all got the answer in our heart
The answer to our problems lies within ourselves.
If we could just let that go
If people could just let go of their fears and problems, they could find the answers they seek.
Lifetimes of beautiful Sunday church bell girls
Reference to the singer's memories of church bells and presumably love.
The junkies upon the floor
A reminder of the darker side of life, that people can end up addicted and alone.
We could argue forever and ever, be clear
People can argue about everything, but at the end of the day, they need to be clear about the things that truly matter.
Promise that love's still here
Regardless of all the problems and arguments, love is still present in the world.
If forever and ever and ever we find that we've ran our whole life
If people look back on their life and realize they've wasted it, they can still make changes.
Forgoing the sacred view
Don't forget the beauty in the world that surrounds us.
The promise that love's still here
Regardless of what people have lost in life, they can find love again.
The promise that love's still here
Love is always present in the world, despite the difficulties we face.
The promise that love's still here
Those words are repeated to emphasize the hope that still exists in the world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: JACOB GOLDEN, NITIN SAWHNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheCaelina
Great song ♥♥♥
Thank you so much for the upload :)
Nitin Sawhney - Promise
"There is an indefinable mysterious power that pervades everything, I feel it though I do not see it." (Gandhi)
Lately, lately I've seen you in your dream
Lost in a clouded mind
Held down by all the things that seem so real
A world you can't leave behind...
You've made all of the money you could spend
You're begging for something more
Behind the prison you call your home my friends
A light in the endless dark...
Lately, you've followed your fears under the bed
And fell for a hundred years
Into the arms of a wounded melody
The promise that love's still here...
You held the cynical world like God's bruised fruit
Dropped from a sacred tree,
Besides the enemy we fought all these years
The stories of you & me
So we hurry, go faster & faster to find that we've ran our whole life
Foregoing the sweetest view
There's a buzz like a lightbulb up to our ears
The promise that love's still here
Re-trace your steps in the snow to find your friend, 'cause childhood melts so fast.
Big dreams, the future you taste on summer's tongue... having it just won't last.
Right here, we've all got the answer in our heart if we could just let that go.
Lifetimes, beautiful Sunday church bell girls and junkies upon the floor
So we hurry, go faster & faster to find that we've ran our whole life
Foregoing the sweetest view, we could argue forever and ever - be clear.
The promise that love's still here
And for forever and ever we find that we've ran our whole life
Foregoing the sacred view.
There's a buzz like a lightbulb up to our ear.
The promise that love's still here, the promise that love's still here
The promise that love's still here.
TheCaelina
Great song ♥♥♥
Thank you so much for the upload :)
Nitin Sawhney - Promise
"There is an indefinable mysterious power that pervades everything, I feel it though I do not see it." (Gandhi)
Lately, lately I've seen you in your dream
Lost in a clouded mind
Held down by all the things that seem so real
A world you can't leave behind...
You've made all of the money you could spend
You're begging for something more
Behind the prison you call your home my friends
A light in the endless dark...
Lately, you've followed your fears under the bed
And fell for a hundred years
Into the arms of a wounded melody
The promise that love's still here...
You held the cynical world like God's bruised fruit
Dropped from a sacred tree,
Besides the enemy we fought all these years
The stories of you & me
So we hurry, go faster & faster to find that we've ran our whole life
Foregoing the sweetest view
There's a buzz like a lightbulb up to our ears
The promise that love's still here
Re-trace your steps in the snow to find your friend, 'cause childhood melts so fast.
Big dreams, the future you taste on summer's tongue... having it just won't last.
Right here, we've all got the answer in our heart if we could just let that go.
Lifetimes, beautiful Sunday church bell girls and junkies upon the floor
So we hurry, go faster & faster to find that we've ran our whole life
Foregoing the sweetest view, we could argue forever and ever - be clear.
The promise that love's still here
And for forever and ever we find that we've ran our whole life
Foregoing the sacred view.
There's a buzz like a lightbulb up to our ear.
The promise that love's still here, the promise that love's still here
The promise that love's still here.
TheSheebabutterfly
I just simply love this song !!!
Bearingz
Love this song!
Rohini1993
Love Jacob Goldens voice, soo good!
FiltyIncognito
Still as good now as it was back then
Nina Nina
FANTASTIC SONG !
Nina Nina
........Lately, you've followed your fears under the bed And fell for a hundred years Into the arms of a wounded melody The promise that love's still here............................
xenidus
Haha, this song has hit over the 100 play count in my windows media player... now THAT is a sign of a good song!
WorldisArt
I am amazed by this dude!!!!!! I just want to yell "YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAYAYAYAY" out wildly, lmao.
sanjay gregory
but promise me that LOVE is still here