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.”
Open Road
Roo Panes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To lose your load, to find your silver lining.
You left my side, because mother let you run and hide.
But even from afar I hear you crying.
Let me out of this cage, before I swell up with rage.
Let me sing to old age before I'm done.
Let me shout to the skies that I'm too young to die.
Finally found, the dreaming lived those ties unbound.
That guest for peace, that hopeless search for sweet release.
You've found your feet, but now they only run to meet.
A hope that's hanging loosely whilst your crying.
Let me out of this cage, before I swell up with rage.
Let me sing to old age before I'm done.
Let me shout to the skies that I'm too young to die.
And that fate will never stop me from trying.
Open road, you will only lead back home.
Because you stole the heart, but your heart is still alone.
You left my side, and mother let you run and hide.
Because wisdom knows the eyes through which you're crying
Let me out of this cage, before I swell up with rage.
Let me sing to old age before I'm done.
Let me shout to the skies that I'm too young to die.
And that fate will never stop me from trying.
The song "Open Road" by Roo Panes is about a person who sets out on a journey to find themselves and their purpose in life. The lyrics convey a sense of determination and a desire for freedom, but also a hint of sadness and longing for someone who was left behind. The first verse reflects on how the person has been given the opportunity to try and succeed on their own, without anyone holding them back. They have left someone behind, possibly a loved one, but even from afar, they can hear that person crying. The second verse expresses the person's desire to break free from their own mental and emotional limitations and to pursue their dreams with passion and dedication. The third verse concludes with a bittersweet realization that, despite all the wandering and searching, the person's heart remains lonely and incomplete. They have come full circle and are back where they started, with only their memories and regrets to keep them company.
Overall, the song's message seems to be one of hope and resilience. The person is determined to keep trying, even in the face of repeated disappointment and setbacks. The lyrics also touch on themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. The song's gentle acoustic guitar melody and the singer's emotive voice lend a sense of poignancy and introspection to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Open road, no one stopped you from trying.
You have the freedom to pursue your path without any restrictions from others.
To lose your load, to find your silver lining.
Surrender your worries to uncover the best outcome in any circumstances.
You left my side, because mother let you run and hide.
You abandoned our relationship because your mom allowed you to protect yourself from life's challenges.
But even from afar I hear you crying.
I can sense your pain despite being far away physically.
Let me out of this cage, before I swell up with rage.
I want to escape from my current situation before my anger consumes me.
Let me sing to old age before I'm done.
I desire to express myself and create music until the end of my days.
Let me shout to the skies that I'm too young to die.
I want to proclaim to the universe that I am not ready to give up on life.
And that fate will never stop me from trying.
I am determined to persevere through any obstacles and reach my goals in life.
Finally found, the dreaming lived those ties unbound.
You have discovered your true calling after abandoning the things that held you back.
That guest for peace, that hopeless search for sweet release.
You have been seeking serenity and some form of relief from your struggles.
You've found your feet, but now they only run to meet.
You have gained your footing, but your efforts are now solely focused on chasing what you desire.
A hope that's hanging loosely whilst your crying.
You are holding onto an aspiration with little assurance while still carrying the weight of your emotions.
Open road, you will only lead back home.
Despite exploring new paths, it is inevitable to return and face your past.
Because you stole the heart, but your heart is still alone.
You took someone's affection but still feel empty and disconnected from yourself.
Because wisdom knows the eyes through which you're crying
Maturity recognizes the true source of your suffering and can see past the surface level pain.
Contributed by Brayden F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dwightalexander2648
0:27 United Kingdom
0:53 France
1:13 Spain
1:20 Croatia
1:23 Italy
1:29 Slovenia
1:37 Bosnia-Herzegovina
1:40 Egypt
1:50 Sudan
2:06 Ethiopia
2:29 Kenya
2:41 Tanzania
2:50 Uganda
3:08 Rwanda
3:19 Malawi
3:27 Mozambique
3:37 Burundi
4:01 Namibia
4:09 South Africa
@bc-qg1dx
Open road, no one stopped you from trying
To lose your load, to find your silver lining
You left my side, because mother let you run and hide
But even from afar I hear you crying
Let me out of this cage, before I swell up with rage
Let me sing to old age before I'm done
Let me shout to the skies that I'm too young to die
And that fate will never stop me from trying
Finally found, the dreaming lived those ties unbound
That quest for peace, that hopeless search for sweet release
You've found your feet, but now they only run to meet
A hope that's hanging loosely whilst your crying
Let me out of this cage, before I swell up with rage
Let me sing to old age before I'm done
Let me shout to the skies that I'm too young to die
And that fate will never stop me from trying
Open road, you will only lead back home
Because you stole the heart, but your heart is still alone
You left my side, and mother let you run and hide
Because wisdom knows the eyes through which you're crying
Let me out of this cage, before I swell up with rage
Let me sing to old age before I'm done
Let me shout to the skies that I'm too young to die
And that fate will never stop me from trying
@nuhaidris5499
I wanna go on a roadtrip someday. Alone or with someone i love. I wanna get away. Explore places. Sleep in the car. Stop a lot just to admire the view. Visit museums and try out coffee shops. Listen to my favorite albums while driving. Have a polaroid camera. Take pretty pictures of the sunrise. Take pictures of myself. Run through a forest. Chase fog. Chase the sun. Spend hours on a field making flower crowns. Feel the wind in my hair. Buy souvenirs. Meet people. Take time to observe. I wanna make memories. I wanna feel alive. - Alien.
#RooPanes ❤️
@Soulfull8
Nuhæ Nouah same woman same 🙏🏼 i wholeheartedly hope that you get to do all of this and much more 🌸
@matija2109
Dooooo iiiiiiiiit ! This song encouraged me to do it and now I'm far away from home, just to realize I am my home and the world is my home. DO IT!
@nuhaidris5499
@@matija2109 Yes, I will. Live the moment, stay safe. Thanks !
@nuhaidris5499
@@Soulfull8 Surely will do it, same goes to you hiba. Thanks !
@therealmeemawmallen9493
Amen! Me too!
@dwightalexander2648
0:27 United Kingdom
0:53 France
1:13 Spain
1:20 Croatia
1:23 Italy
1:29 Slovenia
1:37 Bosnia-Herzegovina
1:40 Egypt
1:50 Sudan
2:06 Ethiopia
2:29 Kenya
2:41 Tanzania
2:50 Uganda
3:08 Rwanda
3:19 Malawi
3:27 Mozambique
3:37 Burundi
4:01 Namibia
4:09 South Africa
@popegramzz479
like you were there 😂
@christinemav7862
I want a life like this so much, just a car, some good friends, great music and the open road. Great song!
@raspberry481
take me with ya!