Once hailed as “Britain’s Best Unknown Songwriter”, Tom Rosenthal is an independent singer-songwriter with a knack for sweet, folksy tunes. Rosenthal has produced a host of LPs and EPs, notably two albums dedicated to his daughters: Bess and Fenn. Notable EPs are the The Pleasant Trees series (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, and Vol.3), and one of his 2018 releases, Don’t Die Curious.
Rosenthal has released 6 albums to date, all of them self-released on his own label Tinpot Records. Keep a Private Room Behind the Shop was released in 2011, and the latest is Denis Was A Bird in 2021, written about his father's death. His songs have had over 350 million streams on Spotify.
Rosenthal's makes videos for his songs that he posts on YouTube and Vimeo. Tom Rosenthal’s presence in the YouTube community–such as through collaborative songs with dodie, Savannah Brown, or Will Darbyshire feeds into his success in the music industry. Rosenthal’s personal channel features series of vlogs, the first of which spanned March and April 2017, with a second series running through the latter half of 2017; and a large collection of songs (music videos, lyrics videos, acoustic performances, etc.). With a growing online following, Rosenthal sees social media as a fruitful alternative to dependence on traditional record labels.
Rosenthal's music has been used on television soundtracks. "Forgets Slowly", "Lights on But Nobody's Home", and "Take Care" featured in the Skins episode "Alo". "Go Solo" was featured on the soundtrack of the German film Head Full of Honey (2014), the documentary Kid Poker (2015), the NFL documentary Hard Knocks, the film trailer for Felix and Meira, and the Netflix documentary The Least Expected Day: Inside the Movistar Team 2019. "It's OK" features on the film trailers for Comet (2014),[ Anesthesia (2014). and L'odyssée (2016). From 2016 through to 2018 his songs It's OK and Woes have been used on Neighbours.
Rosenthal's song "Go Solo" featured in a TV commercial for the Renault Zoe E-TRON in 2021 and in a 2022 episode of the NBC drama series New Amsterdam.
Rosenthal played his first concert at St Pancras Old Church on Wednesday 13 March 2019, followed by a tour around Europe and a gig at Union Chapel, with over 40 concerts in 2019.
Rosenthal is also known as Edith Whiskers. This started when his cover version on the single "Home", recorded in 2015, went viral on the social media platform TikTok in 2020. Edith Whiskers is depicted as an older lady, that "Edith enjoys long hot baths, a spot of beekeeping and the occasional bike ride." Rosenthal released the song as a single on October 16, 2020 and on a covers album titled Stop Stealing the Covers. "Home" was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2023.
Soon Soon
Tom Rosenthal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and you dealt with it okay
but tomorrow is a boy who needs to run.
You've seen it all before
and you've knocked on all the doors
but tomorrow is a funny looking one.
but I say bring it closer to me
Oh it's coming soon but
like the spinning of the moon
in truth it is already happening.
Think back to the start
when we sang with bolder hearts
and the darkness wasn't even bothering.
Oh everything is about to change
but I say bring it closer to me
Soon Soon
Soon Soon
Hope it was bird
that flew til it was heard.
and landed in a corner of a mind.
oh I'll get what I'll get,
and we ain't seen nothing yet,
and no one has ever glanced the other side.
Oh everything is about to change
but I say bring it closer to me
Bring the time and the space,
and the lost forgotten place.
and I say bring it closer to me.
Today was just a day
me you dear with it okay
but tomorrow is a boy who needs to run
Oh everything is about to change
but I say bring it closer to me.
The lyrics to Tom Rosenthal's song Soon Soon speak to the concept of change and the inevitability of it. The song begins by acknowledging that today was just a day and that tomorrow is a new day, one that needs to run. The metaphorical use of a boy needing to run speaks to the idea that change is inevitable and that we cannot stop it.
The lyrics continue to talk about how we have seen it all before and have knocked on all the doors, but tomorrow is a funny looking one, suggesting that change can sometimes come unexpectedly or manifest in unusual ways. The chorus repeats the phrase "everything is about to change, but I say bring it closer to me," emphasizing the desire to embrace change rather than reject it.
As the song progresses, the lyrics reference the beginning of something, possibly a relationship, where there was hope and excitement. The darkness wasn't even bothering, implying that there were no worries or fears. The bridge introduces the idea of something unknown, perhaps a bird flying and landing in a corner of a mind, and the promise that there is still more to come. Finally, the song ends with a repetition of the chorus and the acknowledgment that tomorrow is a new day.
Overall, the lyrics to Soon Soon speak to the inevitability of change and the importance of embracing it rather than fearing it. They suggest that there is always hope for something new and exciting to happen, even if we cannot see it yet.
Line by Line Meaning
Today was just a day
Today was an ordinary day
and you dealt with it okay
You coped with it just fine
but tomorrow is a boy who needs to run.
But tomorrow is unpredictable and adventurous
You've seen it all before
You've experienced similar situations in the past
and you've knocked on all the doors
You've explored all possibilities
but tomorrow is a funny looking one.
But tomorrow is unusual and unexpected
Oh everything is about to change
Change is imminent
but I say bring it closer to me
You embrace change and welcome it
Oh it's coming soon but
Change is fast approaching
like the spinning of the moon
Change is as natural as the phases of the moon
in truth it is already happening.
In reality, change is already taking place
Think back to the start
Reflect on the beginning
when we sang with bolder hearts
When we were more carefree and optimistic
and the darkness wasn't even bothering.
When negativity wasn't hindering us
Soon Soon
Change is imminent
Hope it was bird
Hope that it was a positive sign
that flew til it was heard.
That made its presence known
and landed in a corner of a mind.
And settled in the mind
oh I'll get what I'll get,
Acceptance of fate or destiny
and we ain't seen nothing yet,
The best is yet to come
and no one has ever glanced the other side.
The unknown is always intriguing
Bring the time and the space,
Desire for more time and freedom
and the lost forgotten place.
And rediscovery of forgotten memories
and I say bring it closer to me.
Embrace and welcome change
me you dear with it okay
We, as individuals, coped with the day just fine
Oh everything is about to change
A reminder that change is imminent
but I say bring it closer to me.
An affirmation of the desire to embrace change
Contributed by Emma N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@KickThePj
man I loved everything about this
@ConanGray
beautiful :)
@TubularOfficial
+Conan Gray Oh My God! conan ahhh this is like groundbreaking ilysm. i didn't know you like tom
@BatmanAOMC
oh hi conan
@syfinne2268
my faves
@hana7641
<3
@AllyLaws
I looove this! :)
@ezerskii
This is one of those songs that appear when you most need them.
I'm a youngling in my first year of college, and so much shit happened in that span of time. My father died, my boyfriend left me soon after, my panic attacks came back, my addiction resurfaced and I was down in the dumps. Then, I decided it was enough and started making an effort to be better in what I do and keep on doing what I love. Last week, in a talk with my long-time best friend, the future surfaced in the conversation. The conclusion we both came to is that we both don't know what will happen next, and we both are dead scared of the uncertainty of tomorrow. I was just thinking about that today (and by thinking I mean painfully ruminating every little insecurity of mine to the point of feeling the need to end it all) and then this appeared in my subscriptions.
This song brought me the peace I needed to think things out, and the answers I needed today. Mr. Rosenthal, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can't even put it into words. You kinda sorta saved a life today, quite literally. Thank you.
(sorry for the English, I'm peruvian)
@randomestdragon
hey! hope youre doing better! best of luck with everything :) and your english is just fine :)
@jonpwilloughby1
Hi ezerskii, I'm Jon, I play guitar on this song. I just read your message and it made me very happy to know it had such a positive impact, I hope you're doing well now. J