James Blunts 2005 Pop Chart Breakthrough with Back to Bedlam Album

English singer and song writer James Blunt made it to the pop charts in 2005 following the release of his album Back to Bedlam, which included the song “You’re Beautiful”. Multi talented Blunt, writes, sings and plays both piano and guitar. With only two released albums, he is relatively new to the music scene yet has been nominated for multiple Grammy, as well as British awards. He has become known for his emotional lyrics and music and his sad, meaningful video.

Blunt was born and raised in England.

He has followed in the footsteps of his father and served in the British Army following college. He is an active advocate for the group Doctors without Borders, who he became involved with during his time in the Army. Blunt is not from a musical family but began taking music lessons as a child at the insistence of his mother. He began playing violin, piano and guitar at a young age and attended Bristol University majoring in music.

James Blunt is a serious and well trained musician. This shows in the crafting of his lyrics and songs.

He is not someone who made it to the top of the music charts by accident. Blunt’s song “ You’re Beautiful” received much air play on radio station and drove his first album “Back to Bedlam” to the top of the charts in both the US and England. To understand the magnitude of Blunts popular success, consider the fact that Blunt was the first English performer to hit the number one spot of the US Billboard Hot 100 songs since Elton John reached that spot with Candle in the wind in 1997.

Coincidentally, he has worked and traveled with Elton John during the course of his musical career.

In addition to his radio and video success Blunt has had many songs featured on television shows in the US such as Grey’s Anatomy and the O. C in addition to advertising roles with Hilton Hotels and Sprint. Blunt has toured extensively and has become popular worldwide. Blunt’s video releases are recognized for their use symbolism and dark imagery. The image in the video for “You’re Beautiful” is of Blunt slowly and painfully taking off his clothes and empting his pockets meticulously. He sings hauntingly as he bemoans the fact that he has seen her, but will never be with her.

The lyrics tell the story of her being with another man, and of the singer being high. The songs hints at he fact that he is unhappy with the situation and sees no hope. He talks about having a plan in response to this situation. He ends the video by jumping off a cliff into the water in what appears to be suicide. The second album Blunt completed was titled “All the Lost Souls” and was released in 2007. The album quickly hit old with great success in the US and the UK. Blunt had by this time built a reputation as a talented singer and songwriter.

He had developed a following of fans who loved the emotional feelings to his music. Another example of the hopeless and emotional feel to Blunt’s work can be seen and heard in “Goodbye My Lover”. “Goodbye My Lover is an emotional display both visually and musically. The image of two lovers parting and the memory of their time together are shown throughout the video. The song is a sad tribute to what was and an acknowledgement to the end of the relationship. The pain he obviously feels as he lays on the bed alone is powerful.

The word he uses in the lyrics are so emotionally delicate as he describes sensation and experiences such as holding hands and kissing so beautifully. Again, this song and video show no hope for the situation. There is simply and acknowledgment and cathartic expression of everything inside of the writer and singer. It seems like acceptance. One wonders if Blunt simply has the ability to get the emotion out, turn it into something creative and then move on. It may be the listeners who have trouble letting go to similar emotions and so get stuck in the hopelessness of the lyrics and visuals.

However, Blunt’s success indicates that the public get him. The public feels and understand and enjoys the experience of Blunts’s music. Blunts work has been used in a variety of commercial venues, including television shows, commercials and movies. Hi song “You’re Beautiful”, was used in he Disney movie “The little Mermaid. Perhaps the meaning is different when jumping off a cliff into the water does not mean suicide. In the case of a mermaid it simply means going home. The song has also been used in the television shows ER and Smallville, demonstrating its wide appeal and interpretation.

Goodbye My Lover has also been used commercially. Blunt reportedly wrote the song for ex girlfriend Camilla Boller after he cheated on her and they split up. That pain and remorse comes through in the video. Other works of Blunt have been used in the television shows; CSI, Criminal Minds and Without a Trace. Blunt obviously has no issue with using his music for commercial purposes as he has sold to television, movies and advertising. Wile the commercial use of music has become much more popular, there are still many artists that do not allow their music to be used for this purpose.

Blount is criticized by some for being overly depressing as there is such an emotional longing and hopelessness in his work. His lyrics talk about lost love, war, addiction and sorrow. The songs are sad and emotional. Yet he tackles these subject with sensitivity and honestly. He is a poet first. The music he pairs with the lyrics is similarly gently and delicate and moving, and haunting. Blunt has been quoted as saying that he writes for himself, to express feeling. He indicates that he has no choice but to write and create and express. Blunt appears to be a true artist and creative soul who creates because he can’t help but express.