James Blunt is a Big Wet Blanket
I recently mentioned on this blog that I was experimenting with a novel method for listening to my iTunes library. Yep, that revelation was that I was gonna listen to every damns album I have, one-by-one, and in alphabetical order. It turns out I missed one in the early days (still on B), that album being Back to Bedlam by James Blunt. It was not one I bought (ooh, naughty), but one that I ‘borrowed’ off my brother as I wasn’t sure whether it was my cup of tea. Turns out it’s not tea at all, but some other insipid kind of concoction. Whatever it is, it’s definitely on the wet side.
Honestly, I cannot see how it is that crap like this manages to break in America – the man has a really weak voice (and to think he was in the army once, something that surprises me no end), whatever way you look at it. But the funniest thing for me was when listening to ‘Beautiful’ on the album I noticed that the version there is the ‘rude’ version. Yep, he swears on it and it sounds so out of place, in fact I almost laughed out loud as I pushed the shopping trolly aroud Asda Walmart, listening to it as I was on the iPod. Luckily I managed to stifle the laughs. Compare and contrast:
Chart version:
Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
flying high
Album version:
Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was … [pause for effect]
fucking high
Sorry, it just doesn’t work for me. Combined with the dramatic pause it just seemed like an attention-grabbing ploy and made it seem like he was trying too hard. Is this really the best the UK has to offer the US? Or does the US prefer a wet blanket to some proper music?
Posted: April 19th, 2006 under Music.
Comments
Comment from Tim Huegdon
Time April 19, 2006 at 2:24 am
Honestly, I cannot see how it is that crap like this manages to break in America – the man has a really weak voice
Hallelujah. Testify, brother! </Gospel Minister>
I thought I was the only person on Earth that thought James Blunt was perfectly suited to playing the didgeridoo (ie. he both sucks AND blows at the same time)
I suppose there’s no accounting for taste amongst the pubic majority!
Comment from Nick Harris
Time April 19, 2006 at 3:16 am
ok, we’ll allow you to say “James Blunt” and “best the UK has to offer” in the same sentence only once… next time, you’ll be walking funny for a week!
For some decent UK tunes, try Elbow, The Bees, or The Veils.
Comment from Lloydi
Time April 19, 2006 at 3:40 am
Actually, Nick, I’ll just say that the comment ‘is this the best the UK has to offer’ was kind of rhetorical. There are a lot of good bands out there, but I can’t see why this – *this* goddammit – is the one that gets through the across-the-atlantic crap-o-filter. It’s wrong diddly wrong.
Comment from Zach Inglis
Time April 19, 2006 at 1:11 pm
I’m gonna have to admit I like James Blunt. lol.
Don’t forget the older bands James, Suede.
Remeber where Brian Moloko is from too.
Comment from Kitta
Time April 22, 2006 at 11:11 am
I’m not sure if you know of it, but there was a song called “LoveSong” by Amiel released in Australia, the lyrics go…
Thanks you’ve been fuel for thought
Now I’m more lonely than before
But thats okay i’ve just ready-made another fucking love song
And I really love how the word is used in that song, the censored radio version of course replaces it with ’stupid’.
Comment from ab
Time April 23, 2006 at 11:53 am
U fuckin guys, he is the best! Whu you talking like that!
Comment from Lloydi
Time April 23, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Why? Because we can? … And because he sings like a girl :-D
Comment from anthony
Time April 30, 2006 at 6:53 am
james blunt has one song, ‘beautiful’, as far as i can tell. and the lyrics/message are pretty dumb.
he sees a beautiful woman on a subway. he’s got a plan…and it’s to never see her again.
brilliant.
the only reason he’s getting any press is his “military past”, the press loves to play up that angle.
Comment from Andy
Time June 10, 2006 at 6:25 am
but he is making more money in his 15 minutes then you every will in your whole life, let him be and stop trying to impose your opinion on other people if it is just negative.
Comment from Arnold
Time October 17, 2006 at 1:39 am
Ya, ya … I’m going to make a superfantasic actionmovie wiz ziz guy, he’s a great actor, ya. It gonna make so much more money at the box-office, ya ya eeeh !!
Comment from Lloydi
Time October 17, 2006 at 2:24 am
Sure thing Arnold. I sink I know vot you mean :-)
Comment from Kyle
Time April 29, 2007 at 8:37 am
Words like fuck only keep their potency if used very sparingly. That’s why Eminem’s “Still don’t give a fuck” does not carry the same meaning that James Blunt’s “fucking high” lyrics carry. It is meaningful *because* it is so out of place.
Comment from Richard Rutter
Time April 19, 2006 at 2:18 am
Let’s not forget he is pretty popular in this country too. There’s a large market of wet blanket loving housewives out there. Just look at the album charts – the top ten currently contains Jack Johnson, Corinne Bailey Rae and Beverley Knight.
Although in fairness the top three are the Streets, Massive Attack and the Kooks, so not all hope is lost.