Born on born 9th January 1987 in Paisley, Scotland, his father is of Italian descent and his mother Glaswegian, although his father's family have been in Scotland for four generations. Nutini had no formal music training, and was expecting to follow his father into the family fish and chip shop business. He was first encouraged to sing by his music-loving grandfather and a teacher at his school who recognised his talent. He left school to work as a roadie and to sell T-shirts for Speedway and spent three years learning the music business, performing live, alone and with a band, and working as a studio hand at Glasgow's Park Lane Studio.
His big chance came when he attended a concert for David Sneddon's return to his home town of Paisley at the beginning of 2003. Sneddon was delayed, and as the winner of an impromptu pop quiz, Nutini was given the chance to perform a couple of songs on stage during the wait. The favourable reaction of the crowd impressed another member of the audience, who offered to become his manager.
A Daily Record journalist, John Dingwall, saw him performing at the Queen Margaret Union, and invited him to appear live on Radio Scotland. Still only seventeen, he moved to London, and performed regularly at the Bedford pub in Balham whilst still legally too young to drink alcohol himself. Other radio and live appearances followed, including two live acoustic spots on Radio London, The Hard Rock Cafe, and support slots for Amy Winehouse and KT Tunstall.
His debut album, These Streets, produced by Ken Nelson (Coldplay/Gomez), was released on 17th July 2006, and immediately entered the U.K. album charts at number three. Many of the songs on the album, including "Last Request" and "Rewind", were inspired by a turbulent relationship with a girlfriend, and "Jenny Don't Be Hasty" is a true story about encounters with an older woman.
On 29th May 2009 Nutini released his second studio album, Sunny Side Up, after the first single from that album, "Candy", was released on 18th May. In July, he appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, performing "Coming Up Easy". This was released as the second single from the album on 10th August.
Autumn
Paolo Nutini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hungry hands turning soft and old.
My hero cried as we stood out there in the cold,
Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold.
Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes,
Too young to say though I swear he knew.
I hear him singing while he sits there in his chair,
I look at you and I see me, making noise so restlessly,
But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying,
My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry.
Autumn leaves have faded now
That smile I lost well I've found somehow,
Cause you still live on in my father's eyes.
These autumn leaves, oh these autumn leaves,
Oh these autumn leaves are yours tonight.
Paolo Nutini's song "Autumn" is a melancholy and reflective piece that seems to be a meditation on the transience of life and the bittersweet nature of memory. The first verse sets the tone with a striking image of autumn leaves under "frozen souls," an image that suggests a sense of loss, sadness and finality. The second line, "Hungry hands turning soft and old," adds to this sense of loss and impermanence, as if time is slowly wearing away at everything, including those things that we hold dear. The final line of the verse, "Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold," suggests a sense of emptiness and longing, as if the singer has lost something or someone that they cherished deeply.
The second verse takes a more personal turn, as the singer remembers someone they loved who has passed away. The lines "Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes, Too young to say though I swear he knew," suggest a sense of regret for things left unsaid or undone, as if the singer wishes they had been able to express their feelings more clearly before it was too late. The final line of the verse, "While these autumn leaves float around everywhere," seems to suggest that memories of this person are pervasive, haunting and yet somehow comforting at the same time.
The final verse brings the song full circle, as the singer reflects on their own mortality and the legacy they will leave behind. The lines "I look at you and I see me, making noise so restlessly, But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying, My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry," suggest a sense of continuity and connectedness between generations, as if the singer's own children will carry on their legacy long after they themselves are gone. The song ends on a poignant note with the lines "These autumn leaves, oh these autumn leaves, Oh these autumn leaves are yours tonight," as if the singer is offering the memories of the person they loved to the world, as a way of keeping their spirit alive.
Line by Line Meaning
Autumn leaves under frozen souls,
The leaves that fall in the autumn symbolize the death and decay of both nature and people.
Hungry hands turning soft and old.
People grow weak and tired as the years go by, and they experience many hardships and challenges throughout their lives.
My hero cried as we stood out there in the cold,
Even the strongest and bravest of people can feel vulnerable and helpless in the face of difficult situations.
Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold.
Sometimes life can feel empty and meaningless, and one may feel like they have nothing to grasp onto or hold onto for support.
Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes,
This line could be interpreted in multiple ways, but generally refers to someone who looks and acts charming and successful on the surface.
Too young to say though I swear he knew.
Although someone may not have the experience or knowledge to articulate their thoughts and feelings, they can still have a strong sense of intuition and awareness.
I hear him singing while he sits there in his chair,
Music can be a powerful expression of emotion and can bring people comfort and joy, even in difficult times.
While these autumn leaves float around everywhere.
Despite the turbulence and changes in life, nature and its cycles continue on and provide a sense of stability and continuity.
I look at you and I see me, making noise so restlessly,
The song's narrator sees a reflection of himself in another person, who is also restless and searching for meaning and purpose in life.
But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying,
When things calm down and become quiet, one can gain perspective and clarity, allowing them to listen to the important words and messages from loved ones who have passed away.
My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry.
This line is likely a comforting phrase that the singer's loved one used to say, reassuring them that everything will be alright and not to worry or be upset.
Autumn leaves have faded now
As time passes, memories fade and become fainter, but they are still important and hold value.
That smile I lost well I've found somehow,
Although the singer may have lost some of the joy and happiness in their life, they have been able to rediscover it in some form.
Cause you still live on in my father's eyes.
Even though someone may have passed away, their spirit and legacy can live on through the memories and influence they leave behind, especially in those they have impacted the most.
These autumn leaves, oh these autumn leaves,
Once again, the leaves that fall in the autumn serve as a symbol for the fragility and impermanence of life, but also the cyclical nature of nature and that one's impact can still be felt long after they are gone.
Oh these autumn leaves are yours tonight.
The song's narrator offers the autumn leaves - and by extension, the feelings and themes represented by them - to the person they are singing about or someone they care about who has passed away.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIM DUGUID, PAOLO GIOVANNI NUTINI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ish Sha Ulrikke Keylonta
"Autumn"
Autumn leaves under frozen souls,
Hungry hands turning soft and old,
My hero cried as we stood out there in the cold,
Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold.
Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes,
Too young to say, though I swear he knew,
And I hear him singing while he sits there in his chair,
While these autumn leaves float around everywhere.
And I look at you, and I see me,
Making noise so restlessly,
But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying,
'My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry.'
Autumn leaves have faded now,
That smile I lost, well I've found somehow,
Because you still live on in my father's eyes,
These autumn leaves, all these autumn leaves, all these autumn leaves are yours tonight.
remib87
One of the most beautiful songs ever written
Richard Young
One of the most BEAUTIFUL SONGS EVER WRITING CHEERS PAOLO. PEACE BE WITH YOU MY FRIEND'S. ✌️✌️✌️😎😎😎🏴🏴🏴
beyond1957
I reckon so.
England is Wasted
@Dean klous he wrote it. It's about his grand father x
XdouglasX100
Natural talent makes it look so effortless yet one of Scotland's unsung legends in my opinion sings and writes from the heart truly a natural talent and not only writing but singing and performing
Kalmia
Please Paolo come back:) there is no one out there with such voice and depth :)
Anne Dickson
He's back new album out on the 1st of July...😊
Tibor Gabor
Best singer alive! He is my favourite! Only Freddie had such passion for singing!
kelle o'sullivan
i think he's pretty great too... something like we all have heard before a million times.. or ordinary.. yet unforgettable... or quality product-brand/ a stand out / classic /timeless skill ?.. my words aren't perfect.. sorry am rushed...... i wouldn't say "different" or "unique" ... how he presents himself or his records... but maybe he is more together ..or like "natural".. to some degree.. as an audience member.. or admirer/lover of music in general.. i think his genre is necessary or something... you know what i mean.. like relevant.. current but also something nostalgic.. so people of different ages really like his music... that's the w o r d on the street eh x
egregiously disappointed
Sometimes, I just have to take a break from my otherwise misconstrued existence and sit alone and just listen to Paolo's music. It always lifts my heart.