Born in 1982, singer and jazz pianist Ruben Hein grew up in a very musicall… Read Full Bio ↴Born in 1982, singer and jazz pianist Ruben Hein grew up in a very musically gifted family, near the city of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. At the age of four he discovered the piano. By the time he was eight years old, he had his first classical lessons at the local music school. Already in this period of his life, Ruben was fascinated by musicians like Ray Charles, Randy Newman, Miles Davis, the Beach boys and the Beatles. Soon after his first classical lessons, Ruben started taking jazz lessons. In 2001 Ruben started to study jazz piano at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. In the summer of 2008 he finished his Masters degree at that same conservatory. He studied with Kris Goessens, Karel Boehlee, Hans Vroomans, Rob van Bavel, John Taylor , Kenny Werner a.o. He also participated in many masterclasses and got the chance to work with people like John Clayton and Justin DiCioccio. Nowadays Ruben works with several groups: Hans Teeuwen Zingt!, Pete Philly & Perquisite, Benjamin Herman Quartet and Renske Taminiau Amsterdam Jazz Orchestra. Ever since he was young, Ruben had a fascination with singing. This fascination took a professional step when he was working on a cruiseboat as a pianist and singer in the beginning of 2006. In February 2007 Ruben won the 2nd prize in the Dutch Jazz Vocal Competition. At the moment Ruben is working on his own repetoire and recording his first album.

Everybody's Talking
Ruben Hein Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody's talkin' at me
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
Only the echoes of my mind

People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes

I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off the north east wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone

Everybody's talking at me
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind

People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes

I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Backing off the north east wind
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone

No I won't let you leave my love behind
No I won't let you leave my love behind

Overall Meaning

The song “Everybody’s Talking” by Ruben Hein is about one's desire to disconnect from the world around them and simply escape to a place where they can find peace and clarity of mind. The lyrics express how people are talking to the singer, but he is not listening to them, instead he is just hearing the echoes of his own thoughts. Even as he moves through the world, he cannot see people's faces, but only the shadows of their eyes. This suggests a sense of detachment from others and the world around them.

The chorus reveals the singer's solution to this feeling of being trapped and disconnected - he plans to leave everything behind and search for a place where he can feel free and at peace. He wants to go where the sun keeps shining even through the pouring rain; where the weather suits his clothes, and he can back off the northeast wind. He wants to sail on a summer breeze, and skip over the ocean like a stone. This repetition of wanting to skip over the ocean like a stone could represent a desire for freedom and liberation from his current reality.

The last line, "No I won't let you leave my love behind," suggests that the singer cannot completely leave everything behind, but instead try to find a balance where he can escape from some things while holding on to what he loves. Overall, Ruben Hein's "Everybody's Talking" is a song that speaks to the human desire for freedom, peace, and detachment from the world around us when it becomes overwhelming.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody's talkin' at me
Everyone around me is talking and making noise

I don't hear a word they're sayin'
I am not paying attention to what they are saying

Only the echoes of my mind
I am lost in my own thoughts and not listening to others

People stopping, staring
Others are noticing me and looking at me

I can't see their faces
I am not making eye contact with them

Only the shadows of their eyes
I can only see the dark shapes of their eyes

I'm going where the sun keeps shining
I am looking for a brighter and more positive place

Through the pouring rain
Even if things are difficult or challenging

Going where the weather suits my clothes
I want to be in a place where I feel comfortable and happy

Backing off the north east wind
I am avoiding things that are negative or harsh

Sailing on a summer breeze
I want to experience joy and freedom