According to the Slow Songfacts, Sarah spent the early years of her life in Pakistan,having been born in Islamabad on 3rd June 1979, where her father was the chief-engineer of the enormous Tarbela Dam, 30 miles to the northwest of Islamabad. The youngest of seven children, living in an expat colony without TV or newspapers, Rumer and her family would often sing and write songs together. Her brother Rob gave Rumer her first guitar; which she taught herself to play, and on which, years later, she wrote all the songs on her debut album, Seasons of My Soul.
The singer/songwriter spent her teenage years in Carlisle at Newman School before leaving at 16 to pursue her ambition. It has been a hard slog but years later she is finally hitting the big time and gradually becoming a household name. She now hopes her success will inspire other young people to follow their dreams.
Having had her single listed ahead of its release on both Radio 2 and Magic FM, she is also preparing to support Jools Holland on his UK tour this autumn – the finale being a show at the Albert Hall.
She also has a celebrity fan in the form of easy listening legend Burt Bacharach, who invited her to sing for him when she visited California.
Aretha
Rumer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
High on my headphones and walking to school
I got the blues in springtime 'cause I know that I'll never have the right shoes
Momma she'd notice but she's always crying
I got no one to confide in, Aretha nobody but you
Momma she'd notice but she's always fighting
Something in her mind and it sounds like breaking glass
I tell Aretha in the morning
High on my headphones and walking to school
I got the blues in springtime 'causee I know that I'll never have the right shoes
You got the words, baby you got the words
You got the words, baby you got the words
Aretha
Aretha, I don't want to go to school
'Cause they just don't understand me and I think the place is cruel
Child singer, raise your voice
Stand up on your own, go out there and strike out
I tell Aretha in the morning
High on my headphones and walking to school
I got the blues in springtime 'cause I know that I'll never have the right shoes
But I got the words
The opening lyrics of Rumer's song "Aretha" paint a vivid picture of a troubled teenager who finds solace in listening to music while walking to school. She feels disconnected from the world around her – she has the blues in springtime – and she knows that she doesn't have the right shoes, which highlights her feeling of being outside of societal norms. She has no one to talk to about her problems except for Aretha, the "Queen of Soul" who she listens to on her headphones. The repeated reference throughout the song to Aretha Franklin suggests that the singer sees her as a kind of confidante, someone who understands and empathizes with her struggles.
The second half of the first verse focuses on the singer's relationship with her mother, who she says is always crying or fighting. There is clearly something wrong, but the singer doesn't know what it is, and she feels helpless to offer any kind of support. The sound of breaking glass suggests that something is being shattered, either literally or metaphorically, and adds a sense of danger to the situation.
The chorus of the song emphasises the importance of communication and using words to express oneself. The singer tells Aretha that she has the words, and encourages herself by saying that she too has the words. The second verse expresses the singer's reluctance to go to school – she doesn't feel understood by her peers or the institution itself. However, she is urged to speak up and "raise her voice". The overall message of the song is to find strength in music and to use it to overcome personal struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I got Aretha in the morning
Listening to the music of Aretha Franklin and it brings me joy in the morning
High on my headphones and walking to school
I am walking to school while listening to the music of Aretha Franklin with my headphones on
I got the blues in springtime 'cause I know that I'll never have the right shoes
I feel sad during springtime because I am not able to afford the right shoes
Momma she'd notice but she's always crying
My mother notices my sadness but she is always sad herself and crying
I got no one to confide in, Aretha nobody but you
I have no one to share my feelings with except for Aretha Franklin, her music serves as my emotional support
Momma she'd notice but she's always fighting
My mother notices my problems but she is always fighting with her own struggles
Something in her mind and it sounds like breaking glass
My mother's mind is occupied with something that sounds like shattering glass
You got the words, baby you got the words
Aretha, you are a great artist and you know how to use words to express your feelings perfectly
Aretha, I don't want to go to school
Aretha, I feel like not going to school because I think no one understands me there
'Cause they just don't understand me and I think the place is cruel
No one in my school understands me and I think the environment is mean and harsh
Child singer, raise your voice
I am a young singer and I should raise my voice to be heard and express myself
Stand up on your own, go out there and strike out
I should stand up for myself and go out and make something of myself
But I got the words
Although I may not have the right shoes, I have my words and my voice to express myself and make my mark
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SARAH JOYCE, STEVE BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Tee-yah
I got Aretha 💖
in the morning
high on my headphones and walking to school
I got the blues
in springtime
Cause I know that I’ll never have the right shoes
Mama she’d notice but she’s always crying
I got no-one to confide in
Aretha nobody but you
And mama she’d notice but she’s always fighting
something in her mind
and it sounds like breaking glass
I tell Aretha
in the morning
high on my headphones and walking to school
I got the blues
in springtime
Cause I know that I’ll never have the right shoes
“You got the words
Baby you got the words
You got the words
Baby you got the words!”
Oh Aretha
Aretha I don’t wanna go to school
Cause they just don’t understand me
and I think the place is cruel
“Child
Sing out
Raise your voice
Stand up on your own
Go out there and strike out!”
I tell Aretha
in the morning
high on my headphones and walking to school
I got the blues
in springtime
Cause I know that I’ll never have the right shoes
But I got the words💖
@nickpowell1980
THANK GOD!!!! An artist who isn't caked in make up, who has a truly unique voice!!! God bless you for making the music industry what it should be!!
@shihlin1
This song is like a time capsule catapulting back to the Sixties.
The arrangement brings to mind Bacharach and David.
And Rumer is like Dusty Springfield reincarnated.
The tonal clarity, phrasing, melancholic voice----shades of Dusty, but it's all Rumer.
This melancholic song is just what I need, like finding a private hideaway in the hustle bustle of today's world.
Thanks for this gem.
Wow !
@joanncanete7904
She’s whom I want to listen to after a hard day’s work. Perfect voice for listening to the blues
@clockwork111orange
Her voice is soft as velvet, her face is naturally beautiful, her songs are pure gold.
@susanbird8233
I have been a fan since she first started and this is definately one of my favourite songs. Her voice is so mellow and lush 😘
@fredflintstone676
Exactly the same
@Snowmannorth
I just discovered her when listening to Karen Carpenter…she showed up in the feed. Now, I can’t get enough of her!
@ianm6582
Still sounds so fabulous, 11 years just flew by ❤️💋
@samthestitcher
Love love love her. Can't say any more than finally a female vocalist who actually lets the music speak for itself.
@soniamcalear2824
The most Beautiful Voice ive ever heard!!! God she has SOUL!!!!