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
Ground Running
Will Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're saving face to save a life
And I sink until I realize you're holding me up
We crawled across the broken floor
I'm ready now, so pull me out
I'm tossing and I'm turning, tell me, where are you now?
When I let go, my heart is open
When I got lost in a moment
I should have known that
It's just a moment tryna drag me down
Trouble gonna come my way
So keep going, we can hit the ground running
Now that we've started, only one way out
Looking at the finish line
So keep going, we can hit the ground running
Struggling to make it last
I made a change, no looking back
We were pulled out of the ocean but still swimming in doubt
Think about the better times
The summer days and rainy nights
You're the best I've ever had so tell me, where are we now?
When I let go, my heart is open
I hear you call, hear you calling
When I got lost in a moment
I should have known that
It's just a moment tryna drag me down
Trouble gonna come my way
So keep going, we can hit the ground running
Now that we've started, only one way out
Looking at the finish line
So keep going, we can hit the ground running
Tryna drag me down, trouble gonna come my way
We can hit the ground running
Only one way out, looking at the finish line
We can hit the ground running
But it's just a moment tryna drag me down
Trouble gonna come my way
So keep going, we can hit the ground running
Now that we've started, only one way out
Looking at the finish line
So keep going, we can hit the ground running
The lyrics in Will Young's song "Ground Running" convey a sense of determination, resilience, and the desire to keep moving forward despite challenges. The opening lines suggest familiarity with a difficult situation, where the singer has been in this place before and is now trying to save face in order to save a life, possibly their own.
The line "And I sink until I realize you're holding me up" indicates that someone is providing support and keeping the singer afloat. It could be interpreted as a metaphor for a relationship or friendship that helps them through tough times. They have crawled across a broken floor, symbolizing the obstacles they have encountered, and now they are ready to be pulled out and rescued.
The chorus reflects a turning point in the song. The singer realizes that when they let go, their heart is open, suggesting vulnerability and the ability to trust. They hear someone calling to them, possibly the supportive person mentioned earlier, reminding them to keep going. This momentary realization prompts them to understand that trouble will come their way, but they need to continue striving and not let it drag them down. The phrase "hit the ground running" signifies the act of taking action and pushing forward despite difficulties.
The second verse acknowledges the struggles and doubts the singer has faced. They highlight the better moments in life, such as summer days and rainy nights, which likely represent both joyous and challenging times. They acknowledge that the person they are with is the best they have ever had, and they ask where they are now, possibly questioning the current state of their relationship.
The repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea of persevering despite obstacles. The overall message is to keep going, acknowledging that trouble will come but that it should not define or hinder progress. The reference to the finish line suggests that there is a goal to be reached, and the only way to achieve it is to continue taking action.
In conclusion, "Ground Running" invites listeners to embrace resilience, stay determined, and keep pushing forward despite the challenges they face. It emphasizes the importance of having supportive relationships and finding the strength within oneself to overcome obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen this place so many times
I am familiar with this situation and have experienced it numerous times before
We're saving face to save a life
We are pretending and putting on a façade to protect ourselves or someone else
And I sink until I realize you're holding me up
I feel overwhelmed and helpless until I recognize that you are supporting and uplifting me
We crawled across the broken floor
We endured difficulties and challenges, moving forward despite the obstacles
I'm ready now, so pull me out
I am prepared for a change and need you to help me escape from this situation
I'm tossing and I'm turning, tell me, where are you now?
I am restless and anxious, wondering where you are and if you are still with me
When I let go, my heart is open
When I release my fears and barriers, I am vulnerable and receptive
I hear you call, hear you calling
I can hear your voice, your guidance, and support
When I got lost in a moment
When I became caught up and overwhelmed in a specific experience
I should have known that
I should have been aware and understood the consequences or implications
It's just a moment tryna drag me down
It's just a temporary situation or emotion that is trying to bring me down
Trouble gonna come my way
Challenges and difficulties will come my way
So keep going, we can hit the ground running
So continue moving forward, we can start strong and make progress
Now that we've started, only one way out
Now that we have initiated this journey, there is only one path forward
Looking at the finish line
Focusing on the ultimate goal or endpoint
Struggling to make it last
Finding it difficult to maintain or sustain something
I made a change, no looking back
I have made a decision to move forward and not dwell on the past
We were pulled out of the ocean but still swimming in doubt
We were rescued from a difficult situation but still have uncertainties and insecurities
Think about the better times
Reflecting on and focusing on the happier moments
The summer days and rainy nights
The joyful and challenging times we have shared together
You're the best I've ever had so tell me, where are we now?
You are the most significant person in my life, so I wonder about the current status of our relationship
Tryna drag me down, trouble gonna come my way
Attempting to bring me down, more challenges will arise
But it's just a moment tryna drag me down
However, it is only a brief period that is attempting to demoralize me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Aidan Martin, Daniel Imran Shah, Felicity Jade Birt, Sky Adams, Felicity Adams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@peterkoch7143
One of my all time favorite songs from Will's repertoire. ❤️
@aniraiyan5395
This song is one of the most underrated songs!
@ollye4513
Love this song can't stop listening to this master piece
@debbiet5049
Delighted that this is the next single ... it has been my favourite from the first listen and I’m obsessed with it 🥰🥰🥰
@willyoung8389
Thanks for your love and support I'll love to talk to you more better. kindly send a direct message on hangout (willyoung527@gmail.com)
@stillofthnight2929
What a beautiful song 🥰
@englandportugal91
GREAT POP SONG! SOUNDS AMAZING! CONGRATS!
@antoniomacedojr8797
Can’t stop listening to this song! ❤️🇧🇷
@joannehealey8696
Fabulous song
@bonnie43uk
Goosebumps on my arm ... love it when that happens, thank you Will. Great track.