Young was born in Wokingham, Berkshire, UK, with a non-identical twin, Rupert. He was educated at Horris Hill preparatory school and Wellington College.
He then attended the University of Exeter where he read Politics. At university, some of Young's old haunts included Timepiece, The Old Firehouse, and Harry's, where he used to work. In September 2001, he became a student at the Arts Educational School in Chiswick, London, starting a three-year course in musical theatre with a scholarship.
In February 2002, Young came to national prominence by singing in and winning the ITV singing contest/reality tv show Pop Idol.
Contrary to popular belief, Will was not a surprise winner when beating Gareth Gates in the final show; in fact, he gained the most votes nearly every week throughout the entire finals. A lot of 'casual' viewers of Pop Idol may have been surprised at Will's victory because Gareth had got a lot of publicity (partly) due to his stutter, perhaps creating the illusion that he was more likely to win than Will.
Young's first single was a double A-side featuring Westlife's song "Evergreen" and "Anything Is Possible", a new song written for the winner of the show by Cathy Dennis. This became the fastest-selling debut in UK chart history selling 403,027 copies on its day of release. It went on to sell over 1.4 million copies and in the official list of the all-time best-selling singles in the UK issued later that year, it appeared 12th. Will subsequently made headlines by revealing he was gay. He went on to win the Brits Best Breakthrough Act Award and a plethora of other awards, including most recently Best Artist in the Digital Music Awards October 2004. Early singles of note include "Light My Fire" (done José Feliciano style), "Leave Right Now", and "Friday's Child". The latter is the title of his second album, which was largely self-penned, went five-times platinum, also receiving awards and critical acclaim.
Young received his second Brit Award in February 2005 for his co-written single "Your Game". Following sell out theatre and arena tours in 2004, he toured again at outside festival venues in Summer 2005. On July 6, 2005, he performed at Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push, the final concert of Live 8, where he did a duet with James Brown on "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag". His third album, Keep On was released in November 2005, together with the first single from same, "Switch It On".
On 29 September 2008, Young's fourth album, Let It Go, was released, and peaked at #2 in the UK albums chart. It was preceded by the single "Changes" on 15 September, which peaked at #10. His next single "Grace" was released on 1 December 2008, and peaked at #33 on the UK Singles Chart. Will's third single taken from the album will be "Let It Go", was released on 2 March 2009 in the UK, and peaked at #58 on the UK Singles Chart. The fourth and final single was "Tell Me the Worst", and was released on July 5, 2009 only in the UK. It served as a club promo, and featured some Fred Falke remixes.
A greatest hits collection, The Hits, was released on the 16th of November 2009. contains twelve songs from Young's first four studio albums, and two new tracks. The first is new single "Hopes & Fears", and the second is a ballad called "If It Hadn't Been for Love". The album will be released as a standard edition and a deluxe edition, which will include a DVD of all the music videos.
Songfacts reports that Jealousy, the first single from Young’s fifth studio album Echoes is a dance pop track produced by Richard X (Sugababes, Annie). The song will be released on August 21, 2011.
Young has been nominated for Ten BRIT Awards [4 x Best British Male - 4 X Best British single - Best pop Act- Best Breakthrough] . In May 2006, he was voted the UK's favourite artist ever in a poll conducted by commercial radio. In May 2007, he was voted the UK's favourite artist of all time for the second consecutive year.
Young has also broadened his repertoire by launching an acting career, taking a role in the BBC film, Mrs. Henderson Presents, starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins, with Will playing the character of 'Bertie'. The film went on release in the UK on 25 November 2005, and received excellent reviews, not least for Young's performance as actor and singer in the movie. It includes a scene in which he appears naked.
Will Young supports the charity Women's Aid, about which he wrote: "I am proud to put my name beside this cause and hope that I may be able to help more people affected by the terrors of domestic violence as well as help to create a wider awareness within our society."
Will also supports Mencap and Positive Action Southwest (PASW) for which he performed at his first solo concert in July 2003 at Killerton Hall, Exeter.
Official Website: http://www.willyoung.co.uk/global/home
Ain't Such a Bad Place to Be
Will Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been here before, before
Succumbed again, I'm jinxed again
But I still
Soldier on, be strong
The simple reason is I'm skin and bone
Best not be scared
It ain't such a bad place to be
Because we're opposites
I know you, so don't come creeping back
I'm on my feet again
I'll show you
Put you out like a cigarette
A metaphor not to forget
To forgive, it's positive
Oh come on, come on
Did you think that you could pull
The wool over my eyes
Much to your surprise, alone
It ain't such a bad place to be
Because we're opposites
I know you, so don't come creeping back
I'm on my feet again
I'll show you
Put you out like a cigarette
A metaphor not to forget
To forgive, it's positive
Not negative, live and let live
I ain't holding onto you
It ain't such a bad place to be
It ain't such a bad place to be
It ain't such a bad place to be
Because we're opposites
I know you, so don't come creeping back
I'm on my feet again, I'll show you
It ain't such a bad place to be
Because we're opposites
I know you, so don't come creeping back
I'm on my feet again
I'll show you
Put you out like a cigarette
A metaphor not to forget
To forgive, it's positive
The lyrics of Ain't Such a Bad Place to Be by Will Young reflect the resilience and strength of the singer who has gone through a challenging experience before and is experiencing it again. Although the singer acknowledges that they have been jinxed again and have succumbed to the same situation before, they are resolved to soldier on and be strong. The lyrics suggest that the simple reason that the singer can withstand this experience is that they are “skin and bone,” implying that the singer has a solid foundation that enables them to tolerate the negativity of the situation. The singer suggests that it is best not to be scared, but to be aware - this implies that the singer has learned from their past experiences and is using that awareness to stay strong in the present.
The chorus of the song suggests that the place the singer finds themselves in is not such a bad place to be, since they are opposites with the person or situation that is challenging them. The singer knows the other person or situation well, so does not want them to come creeping back. The singer is back on their feet again, ready to show the other person that they are strong and capable. The lyrics suggest that the singer is using this experience to put the other person out like a cigarette - a metaphor that is not to be forgotten, as it symbolizes the singer's ability to overcome and move on from challenging experiences.
Overall, Ain't Such a Bad Place to Be by Will Young is a song about resilience and strength. It suggests that everyone goes through difficult times, but it is possible to move forward from them and even learn from them. The lyrics encourage the listener to stay strong and not be afraid, as it is possible to overcome even challenging situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my God, I know, I know
I am familiar with this situation and have been in it before.
I've been here before, before
I am experiencing this situation again, just like I have in the past.
Succumbed again, I'm jinxed again
I feel like I am under a spell that makes me give in to this situation once more.
But I still
Despite everything, I am still standing and fighting.
Soldier on, be strong
I must keep going and stay resilient.
The simple reason is I'm skin and bone
The only explanation for my persistence is that I am just flesh and blood like anyone else.
Best not be scared
I should not let fear control me.
Just to be aware that alone
I must realize that being alone is not necessarily a negative thing.
It ain't such a bad place to be
Being alone is not terrible.
Because we're opposites
I am different from you and that is okay.
I know you, so don't come creeping back
I am aware of your true motives and do not want you to try to come back into my life.
I'm on my feet again
I have regained my strength and independence.
I'll show you
I am going to prove myself and my worth to you.
Put you out like a cigarette
I will extinguish any power you had over me.
A metaphor not to forget
This is a figurative comparison that holds a lot of significance.
To forgive, it's positive
I am choosing to let go of negative feelings and move forward in a positive manner.
Oh come on, come on
I am urging you to face reality and accept the situation.
Did you think that you could pull
You believed that you could manipulate or deceive me.
The wool over my eyes
You assumed that I was not smart enough to see through your intentions.
Much to your surprise, alone
To your surprise, I am capable of standing up for myself and being alone.
Not negative, live and let live
I am choosing to be positive and let people live their lives the way they want to.
I ain't holding onto you
I am not hanging on to any negativity or grudges towards you.
It ain't such a bad place to be
Being alone can have its benefits.
I'll show you
I am determined to prove myself to you.
Put you out like a cigarette
I will extinguish any power you had over me.
A metaphor not to forget
This is a figurative comparison that is important to keep in mind.
To forgive, it's positive
I am choosing to let go of any negative feelings and move forward in a positive way.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BLAIR NICHOLAS SOMERLED MACKICHAN, KAREN ANN POOLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind