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.
Million Faces
Paolo Nutini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the first thing in the morning.
And as I start to let it burn my head, you slowly creep into bed,
And I'm done with all the talking,
You say you know how I'm feeling, I just need to try to settle down.
Oh a million faces pass my way.
Oh they're all the same, nothing seems to change anytime I look around.
All I want to know is if it's with you.
Tired as hell and falling up the stairs, filled with a thousand cares,
As you walk out from the bedroom
Though it feels like all my fire has gone, girl you just turn me on.
Can't believe how much I want you
You say you know how I'm feeling, I just need to try to settle down.
Oh a million faces pass my way.
Oh they're all the same, nothing seems to change anytime I look around.
Oh who knows just what the future holds
All I want to know is if it's with you.
We're distracted by the hard times, and the troubles that we make
Let us throw them in the ocean, let it wash our cares away.
On the phone you know it never stops, it's the last thing I hear at night.
And the first thing in the morning
Oh a million faces pass my way.
Oh they're all the same, nothing seems to change anytime I look around.
Oh who knows just what the future holds
All I want to know is if it's with you.
We're distracted by the hard times, and the troubles that we make
Let us throw them in the ocean, let it wash our cares away.
We're distracted by the hard times, and the troubles that we make.
Let us throw them in the ocean, let it wash our cares away.
Let it wash our cares away, let it wash our cares away.
In Paolo Nutini's song "Million Faces," the singer expresses his feelings about being overwhelmed by the constant ringing of his phone, symbolizing the demands and pressures of his life. He sings about how the daily routine of the phone calls is both the last thing he hears at night and the first thing in the morning, which shows how much it has taken over his life. The lyrics also suggest that the singer is filled with stress and anxiety, and he wishes to escape it all and find peace in his relationship with his lover.
The chorus repeats the phrase "A million faces pass my way," which suggests that the singer is encountering a host of different problems in his life that all seem to be the same. He is looking to find clarity in his life and hoping that his future, whatever it may be, is with his partner. The bridge, which says, "We're distracted by the hard times and the troubles that we make. Let us throw them in the ocean, let it wash our cares away," is a call to find a way to escape the demands of everyday life and focus on love.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the phone you know it never stops, it's the last thing I hear at night
The phone is a constant source of distraction that follows the singer, even into bed at night.
And the first thing in the morning.
The phone is also the first thing the singer encounters when they wake up in the morning.
And as I start to let it burn my head, you slowly creep into bed,
Despite the phone's incessant ringing, the singer's thoughts eventually become consumed by their partner.
And I'm done with all the talking,
The phone conversations offer no respite or solace for the singer.
You say you know how I'm feeling, I just need to try to settle down.
The singer's partner recognizes their stress and encourages them to calm their thoughts and emotions.
Oh a million faces pass my way.
The singer feels overwhelmed and isolated by the constant stream of strangers they encounter each day.
Oh they're all the same, nothing seems to change anytime I look around.
Despite the multitude of faces, the singer feels a sense of monotony and lack of progress in their life.
Oh who knows just what the future holds
The future is uncertain and unpredictable for the singer.
All I want to know is if it's with you.
Despite their uncertainty about the future, the singer just wants to be with their partner.
Tired as hell and falling up the stairs, filled with a thousand cares,
The singer is exhausted from the weight of their worries and responsibilities.
As you walk out from the bedroom
The singer's partner enters the scene, providing a source of relief and support.
Though it feels like all my fire has gone, girl you just turn me on.
Despite feeling drained, the sight of their partner inspires passion and excitement in the singer.
Can't believe how much I want you
The singer is surprised by their own strong feelings for their partner.
We're distracted by the hard times, and the troubles that we make
The singer and their partner are weighed down by their struggles and conflicts.
Let us throw them in the ocean, let it wash our cares away.
The singer suggests that they and their partner forget their troubles and focus on finding relief and comfort in each other.
Let it wash our cares away, let it wash our cares away.
The singer repeats their call for emotional cleansing and release.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MATHEW WILLIAM BENBROOK, MATT BENBROOK, PAOLO GIOVANNI NUTINI, PAULINE ANNITA TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind