Panes, who plays mandolin and guitar, is accompanied by Georgie Harris (Viola), Joanne Sy (Cello), Sean Hatton (Drums) and Deborah Panes (Vocals).
Panes is a British songwriter with a guitar to his chest and a heart swelling with hopes and dreams. A common on-paper pitch, perhaps, and one sold a thousand times before. But Dorset-born Panes has something special to offer those willing to wait a while for their favourite songs to settle into place.
Panes’ debut album, ‘Little Giant’, isn’t a collection operating at the vanguard of a cutting-edge, ultimately transient scene worthy of clicks for the next few months. It’s not an album that sets out to trick its audience in any way – what you hear is succinct, honest songwriting, from a place of deep personal expression, resonating with universal truths and values. It’s an embracing set, a welcoming one, which represents everything that its maker has worked towards since first picking up a guitar and exploring his innermost thoughts and feelings through song. No follower of fashion, Panes walks to his own beat.
It’s a strange admission for any artist, but nevertheless: “I’ve never really listened to much music,” says Panes. “Influences from other artists, they’re not really that important. I find that my music comes to me from situations I find myself in – those situations can come to me as songs. In terms of first picking up an instrument, my granny was a classical pianist – we’d go to her house, hear her play, and run around in circles. And my mum used to be in a travelling theatre company, so I was encouraged towards culture, towards the arts. But I always thought: if I want to listen to music, I’ll just write it.”
Don’t mistake confidence for arrogance – such statements come from a sincere place, as Panes’ upbringing in Wimborne, once home to novelist Thomas Hardy, proved more inspirational to his writing than any sessions in the company of a parent’s record collection. The natural beauty of Dorset’s open spaces – and those of the Lake District, a place he loves to visit – have become woven into the fabric of his craft. The peace, the silent solitude: it’s here that Panes feels more alive with ideas than he does in the hubbub of his adopted home of London. There’s a pastoral warmth to ‘Little Giant’ that couldn’t have manifested had its roots been laid within urban limits.
The comfort of home, of a tight and supportive family, punctuates proceedings throughout Panes’ debut LP – which is perhaps inevitable, as the collection was recorded there. Beside producer Rupert Coulson – a man with numerous soundtrack credits, as well as experience of working on records by Portishead, Robbie Williams and Oasis – Panes and his band captured the classic 12-string guitar sounds, rippling percussion and sweeping strings that decorate ‘Little Giant’ in, says the singer, “the music room, down at our house – just a small, wooden-floored room. I thought, why not keep the recording close to where I write the songs?”
He continues: “I’m a really big fan of the idea that you don’t need all the stuff you find in a big studio – it’s about how you use the things you do have. Rupert had a lot of imagination, and got a good grasp of the room and harnessed it. I love working in places that have an atmosphere, and I think it’s good to have that extra, background noise on a record. I’m sure there’s an ambulance on the album, actually.”
He was, briefly, the face of a Burberry campaign, something he describes as “random”. “I was on tour,” he says, “and I got a phone call asking me to do it. I just grabbed the opportunity that was in front of me. I went in a musician, and came out a musician. It’s a short episode in my life, but one that’s had some quite big repercussions.” Indeed, a Google search pulls up many attractively composed black-and-white photographs of Panes sporting fine threads – but it’s music that surges strongest in his veins, above all other passions.
And now that you’ve separated your senses from social media for a while, closed your chattering inbox, just what does ‘Little Giant’ offer above more garden variety singer-songwriter recordings? A little patience provides the answers: this is material that truly connects on an emotional level, its gentle rhythms and compelling cadences topped by vocals that can’t be faked, that come characterised by a complete lack of artifice and affectation. His is a deep voice, one that sounds aged beyond its years, perhaps. And yet, it’s telling of timeless stories, endless ache and forever love. It asks that we all find the right way to see the world around us.
One number that specifically addresses the need for optimism is the single ‘Tiger Striped Sky’. Says Panes: “It’s about the idea where we can look at any situation ahead of us in two ways: either it’s challenging, and off-putting, or you can say that you love a challenge. It’s about the idea that you chose your context, and if you put yourself into a negative context, you’re going to come out with stripes on you.”
The title track is about addressing one’s own shortcomings in order to better themselves. “It’s accepting that you have to realise your own vulnerabilities in order to become stronger,” says Panes. “That’s why there’s the line, ‘Have the heart of a giant / But know you’re a man.’ You have to take things step by step. It’s also got that message of hope, as well.”
These songs are, says Panes, “personal, and vulnerable – but expansive, too. Because I don’t want it to just be about me. Here’s a bit of me, to help you understand a bit of you. I think positivity and hope are things worth giving to people, and I think that the album does transmit a lot of hope.”
All These Walking Thoughts
Roo Panes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't say another word
Seems the more exquisite love
And the more exquisite hurt
Oh, I could live a lifetime
Trying to understand and learn
But some things are too damn deep
To make sense of, girl ah, ah
Well, I've learnt the saplings sweet
Where the gentle songbird sings
Then there's a blood-red paradox
At the bloody heart of things
And all these walking thoughts
Oh, darling, I can't shake them free
I wish that they were you walking into me
Darling, please, please, please
Would you follow me, please, please, please?
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you follow me, please?
Well, maybe I'm just proud
I never learnt to turn around
And I know that table well
It just devours it's devout
But I'm already leaving
Do you feel the irony?
You may have slipped the knife
But I can be the end of me
Darling, please, please, please
Would you follow me, please, please, please?
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you follow me, please?
Darling, please, please, please
Would you follow me, please, please, please?
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you follow me?
The lyrics of Roo Panes's song "All These Walking Thoughts" evoke a potent sense of inner turmoil and emotional conflict. The opening lines "I feel like I'm fire, Don't say another word" suggest a passionate intensity, a feeling of being consumed by strong emotions. The juxtaposition of "exquisite love" and "exquisite hurt" highlights the complexity of human relationships and the profound impact they can have on us. This duality is further emphasized as the singer reflects on the impossibility of fully comprehending certain deep experiences, indicating a struggle to make sense of the complexities of life and love.
The imagery of the "saplings sweet" and "gentle songbird sings" conveys a sense of innocence and purity, contrasted with the darker "blood-red paradox" at the core of existence. This contrast between beauty and darkness reflects the inner turmoil and conflicting emotions the singer is grappling with. The phrase "all these walking thoughts" suggests a sense of restlessness and inner turmoil, a constant swirling of thoughts and emotions that the singer cannot escape from. The plea for the thoughts to be personified as the beloved walking into the singer's life underscores a deep longing for connection and understanding in the midst of inner chaos.
The repeated entreaty to "please, please, please, would you follow me" conveys a sense of desperation and yearning for companionship and understanding. The singer seems to be seeking solace and support from the beloved in navigating their inner struggles and uncertainties. The reluctance to turn back, despite a deep awareness of the potential dangers ahead, reflects a sense of stubborn determination and perhaps a hint of recklessness. The metaphor of the devouring table symbolizes the destructive forces at play, highlighting the self-destructive tendencies that the singer recognizes within themselves.
The closing lines carry a sense of resignation and acceptance of the complexities of life and love. The acknowledgment that the beloved may have inflicted wounds but ultimately, the singer recognizes their own capacity for self-destruction. The repeated pleas for the beloved to follow suggest a desire for companionship and support in facing the uncertainties and challenges ahead. Overall, the lyrics of "All These Walking Thoughts" weave together themes of inner turmoil, longing for connection, and the struggle to navigate the complexities of human emotions and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel like I'm fire
I experience an intense passion and fervor within myself.
Don't say another word
I urge you to remain silent, as words may complicate the feelings we share.
Seems the more exquisite love
It appears that the most beautiful forms of love we experience come with significant complexity.
And the more exquisite hurt
And with that beautiful love often comes equally profound pain.
Oh, I could live a lifetime
I could dedicate my entire existence to exploring these feelings.
Trying to understand and learn
Endeavoring to grasp the complexities and lessons that love teaches us.
But some things are too damn deep
However, certain emotions and experiences are so profound that they resist understanding.
To make sense of, girl ah, ah
They defy explanation, leaving me in a state of bewilderment, particularly with you in mind.
Well, I've learnt the saplings sweet
I've come to appreciate the innocent joys, symbolized by young trees full of potential.
Where the gentle songbird sings
In places that are peaceful and harmonious, much like the soothing calls of songbirds.
Then there's a blood-red paradox
Yet, juxtaposed to this sweetness is a painful contradiction, marked by suffering.
At the bloody heart of things
This suffering lies at the core of our experiences and relationships.
And all these walking thoughts
All these restless reflections and concerns follow me as I navigate life.
Oh, darling, I can't shake them free
I find it impossible to release these burdensome thoughts from my mind.
I wish that they were you walking into me
I long for these thoughts to transform into your presence, bringing me comfort.
Darling, please, please, please
I plead urgently for your attention and presence in my life.
Would you follow me, please, please, please?
I ask you to join me on this journey of exploration together.
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you accompany me on this path that symbolizes our life together?
Would you follow me, please?
I reiterate my desire for you to be by my side, emphasizing its importance.
Well, maybe I'm just proud
Perhaps my sense of pride prevents me from making necessary turns in my life.
I never learnt to turn around
I've not learned how to change direction or reconsider my choices.
And I know that table well
I am familiar with the consequences of my experiences and the place they occupy in my life.
It just devours its devout
It consumes those who follow it, often without mercy or hindrance.
But I'm already leaving
However, I've decided to move on from this situation regardless of its pull.
Do you feel the irony?
Can't you see the contradiction in this outcome compared to our past?
You may have slipped the knife
You may have caused me pain, perhaps unintentionally, like a hidden betrayal.
But I can be the end of me
I acknowledge that my own choices can lead to my downfall, independent of your actions.
Darling, please, please, please
Once more, I implore you to consider my feelings and presence in your life.
Would you follow me, please, please, please?
Again, I ask for your companionship in a plea that carries great weight.
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you walk alongside me on this journey that represents our shared future?
Would you follow me?
I seek confirmation of your willingness to be part of my life moving forward.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW PANES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oktavianus7165
I feel like I'm on fire
Don't say another word
It seems the more exquisite love
Then the more exquisite hurt
Oh, I could live a lifetime
Trying to understand and learn
But some things are too damn deep
To make sense of, girl
Well, I've learned the serpent sleeps
Where the gentle songbird sings
That there's a blood-red paradox
At the bloody heart of things
And all these walking thoughts
Oh, darling, I can't shake them free
I wish that they were you
Walking next to me
Darling, please, please, please
Would you follow me please, please, please?
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you follow me please?
Well, maybe I'm just proud
I never learned to turn around
And I know that table well
It just devours its devout
But I'm already leaving
Do you feel the irony?
You may have slipped the knife
But I can be the end of me
Darling, please, please, please
Would you follow me please, please, please?
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you follow me please?
Darling, please, please, please
Would you follow me please, please, please?
Would you follow me down this street?
Would you follow me?
@swostikashakya9278
I always thought that I felt things deeply so much so no one understood me. But listening to Roo Pane have given me a friend that relates with me to the core.
@danielanobre1360
@Roo Panes: you have such an extraordinary gift to put the most difficult feelings into such beautiful words and music! Thank you for sharing your gift with the world.
@victordominick673
i guess Im asking the wrong place but does someone know a method to log back into an Instagram account..?
I somehow forgot my password. I love any assistance you can offer me
@rbmakegreenstoner6580
@@victordominick673 VERY WRONG PLACE!!!
Try forgot password 🥺
@shrewkumar
Yet another masterpiece, thank-you for touching souls and hearts while you exist with us on the same planet ☺️ grateful for your existence. ❤️
@jahanbakht8572
You speak out for the souls that are hurt. While, many of the HIT songs relate to superficial thoughts. Thank you for existing in 21st century! ❤️
@natalienatalie7182
Dankeschön ❤️
@wilsonsantiago8122
The style, the voice, the lyrics he is the whole package....will look forward to more Roo !
@kevinvarghese5204
A song no one can dislike 🖤
@Lola-bt1lh
Roo panes, You are so beautiful.. Thank you ..