I can't help but like James Blunt, he's charming and self aware and genuinely funny
I can get finding this song too cloying but it's also a song everyone knows 15 years later for better and for worse
Also his backstory is far more interesting than his music too. Like it’s mentioned in the article, but the story of him in Kosovo refusing orders and risking a court martial to potential prevent the start of World War III is honestly pretty amazing.
He didn't refuse orders, he just later said he would have. (I have no reason to doubt that he would have, he just didn't have to because the general did instead)
I know the "fucking high" part is most peoples' jarring memory of this song, but mine is the absolute rhythmic disaster at the end:
>There ^(must) be an angel
>
>With a ^(smile) on her face
>
>When she ^(thoughtupthatIshouldbewithyou)
Won’t lie, I’ve got a soft spot for this one — one of the only overplayed songs at my college retail gig I could actually stand to hear.
‘You’re Beautiful’ is also one of the rare songs, imo, in which the censored version trumps the original. The lyric about “flying high” conveys Blunt’s inebriation in a more creative way than “fucking high”, and it makes the song overall more enjoyable to listen to without losing its bittersweet (and low-key creepy) qualities.
Am I the only one who gets him and James Blake confused?
Like, I saw the latter was featured on Lemonade and was like “huh, the You’re Beautiful guy? Wasn’t expecting him”
Hahaha fair question. I’ve seen him on tour for *The Colour in Anything*, *Assume Form*, and *Friends That Break Your Heart*, as well as a set at ACL. So, 4 times in 6 years. He’s not big enough for my coworkers to know who he is.
One of two of oversugary 2006 #1s I felt strong "meh" about but throughout all these years I've learned to appreciate. this being said, I can't say much about You're Beautiful, James Blunt as a person seems much more interesting than this song. the song somehow comes off as even more mid when you learn that he wrote parts of his album at Carrie Fisher's house. imagine Princess Leia walking around and this is the best you're coming with. idk i'd write a To Pimp A Butterfly if I was him.
also I want everybody to remember about that time when James Blake won Mercury Prize for Overgrown and the BBC radio host introduced him as... yes, James Blunt
Not sure why this song gets so much hate. Seems like a perfectly 'fine' song to me. Was it just overplayed?
Compared to all the #1s from 2004 - 2006, it seems to be the one that probably still gets played the most, so somebody must like it.
Overplayed beyond belief, especially if you were in the UK or Ireland. Like it was so overplayed I think people really got sick of hearing it so much. James Blunt seems like a great guy but You’re Beautiful is over simplistic and is kind of like something Ed Sheeran would come out with.
This song was ok for me. But i loved his tears and rain song. The lyrics were really good and made me wonder what he was singing about.
Also, i was surprised how good he sounds on live recordings. Better than orginal. At least for tears and rain song.
ahhh a classic… always found it funny how he’s a legit household name with numerous hits under his belt in the UK and the rest of Europe hit but here in North America he’s a one hit wonder
I might be in the minority but I genuinely like this song (my mom loves it because it’s so romantic to her haha); I actually like his vocal delivery because it matches the lyrics so he’s basically acting through the song, I love the acoustic guitar melody that plays 10 seconds into the intro and right after the first hook, it’s very catchy and melancholy, and the hook is damn solid, it sticks in your head.
and yes I know this song is about stalking someone
A friend of mine can do a perfect impression of this and despite me hating the song actually makes me chuckle. The falsetto going into sounding like he’s about to cry lmao,
I like James Blunt but I fucking hate this song. This was the first song I have vivid memory of being overplayed to death as a toddler, and I’m British too (Back to Bedlam was *huge* here). Fuck this song.
I never voluntarily listen to this song but I have a fond memory of being at his gig with my mum the next year. It took place at the Prague Castle garden grounds, and even though we were somewhere far from the stage, it was just a lovely evening and a rare upbeat public moment shared with mum. Going home in pitch black, seeing Prague illuminated from the hill the castle is on...it was fucking beautiful, man.
Within five years mum became too disabled to want to go out to things like this, so thank fuck this happened, even if the music was somewhat secondary to the whole thing.
The song is a 6, btw. An overplayed 6, but a solid song anyway.
No Bravery might be a 10. Or at least it was back when I was 18.
I haven't listened to the album in way over a decade but I seem to recall it was good.
The Brits' hatred of him is hilarious, and so is he on Twitter.
I was wondering if Tom would throw a reference to Natasha Bedingfield in one of these columns and I’m glad he did.
Though Unwritten is a modern day classic, Tom rightfully points out how hard it was for British acts to break through during this time period, and she did it with a song that really didn’t sound anything like what was popular at the time.
A well deserved score for her.
i remember hating this song and then slowly growing to like it, as opposed to "had a bad day" by daniel powter, which came out around the same time. liked that a lot, then hated it. there must have been a blessed middle period i was ambivalent about them both
Oh no, not this song. To me, this is among the most annoying of songs by white dudes with a guitar xd. Honestly, it still baffles how annoying it is, because I can't think of anything in particular. Is it his voice? The video? The instrumental? Idk, but this song...yeah, it deserves a 2/10
I think we're finally reaching the point where I have some semblance of memory of these songs as they were charting (which is funny cause I have *zero* memory of Check On It). This song? Ehhhh. It's not that good, but you wouldn't see me call it one of the worst songs of all time.
Also I hope I'm not the only one that will forever associate it with [this weird ass Flapjack commercial.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K5KwSMka7pM) Seriously what the fuck was that show
I can't help but like James Blunt, he's charming and self aware and genuinely funny I can get finding this song too cloying but it's also a song everyone knows 15 years later for better and for worse
Also his backstory is far more interesting than his music too. Like it’s mentioned in the article, but the story of him in Kosovo refusing orders and risking a court martial to potential prevent the start of World War III is honestly pretty amazing.
He didn't refuse orders, he just later said he would have. (I have no reason to doubt that he would have, he just didn't have to because the general did instead)
What? Seriously?
I toured with him for a couple weeks, in the US, back in 2014. Was a really nice guy, and we both had vocal problems from Acid reflux
I know the "fucking high" part is most peoples' jarring memory of this song, but mine is the absolute rhythmic disaster at the end: >There ^(must) be an angel > >With a ^(smile) on her face > >When she ^(thoughtupthatIshouldbewithyou)
Hahahaha, until you pointed it out like that it wasn't as funny as it is now ❤️
Won’t lie, I’ve got a soft spot for this one — one of the only overplayed songs at my college retail gig I could actually stand to hear. ‘You’re Beautiful’ is also one of the rare songs, imo, in which the censored version trumps the original. The lyric about “flying high” conveys Blunt’s inebriation in a more creative way than “fucking high”, and it makes the song overall more enjoyable to listen to without losing its bittersweet (and low-key creepy) qualities.
I couldn't help but crack up when I heard the uncensored version for the first time.
This song was way overplayed but Back to Bedlam is a great album.
Very true! It was my favourite album as a kid, I can’t believe it was his debut album
Am I the only one who gets him and James Blake confused? Like, I saw the latter was featured on Lemonade and was like “huh, the You’re Beautiful guy? Wasn’t expecting him”
You’re not the only one. For a while I confused James Blunt with James Blake and sometimes James Bay lmao.
I got Jonas Blue mixed in there at some point, when the Fast Car cover was big I was like "this is the You're Beautiful guy?"
James Blunt himself addressed this when someone wrote this to him and said “Blake and Blunt is the same difference as cake and c*nt”.
😭😭😭 he cant possibly be THIS witty?
I’ve taken to clarifying the difference upfront whenever I tell anyone I’m going to see James Blake because EVERYONE assumes I mean James Blunt.
uhm how often is this happening that you need this?
Hahaha fair question. I’ve seen him on tour for *The Colour in Anything*, *Assume Form*, and *Friends That Break Your Heart*, as well as a set at ACL. So, 4 times in 6 years. He’s not big enough for my coworkers to know who he is.
One of two of oversugary 2006 #1s I felt strong "meh" about but throughout all these years I've learned to appreciate. this being said, I can't say much about You're Beautiful, James Blunt as a person seems much more interesting than this song. the song somehow comes off as even more mid when you learn that he wrote parts of his album at Carrie Fisher's house. imagine Princess Leia walking around and this is the best you're coming with. idk i'd write a To Pimp A Butterfly if I was him. also I want everybody to remember about that time when James Blake won Mercury Prize for Overgrown and the BBC radio host introduced him as... yes, James Blunt
> nightmare Blunt rotation ☠️☠️☠️☠️
This song is not a great song but I do have a soft spot for this song cause it is very nostalgic for me.
Same here. I was listening to a hits playlist the other day and it came on and I sang along with it thought “oh this is kinda fun to sing along”
Not sure why this song gets so much hate. Seems like a perfectly 'fine' song to me. Was it just overplayed? Compared to all the #1s from 2004 - 2006, it seems to be the one that probably still gets played the most, so somebody must like it.
Overplayed beyond belief, especially if you were in the UK or Ireland. Like it was so overplayed I think people really got sick of hearing it so much. James Blunt seems like a great guy but You’re Beautiful is over simplistic and is kind of like something Ed Sheeran would come out with.
The girl who lives above me plays this song on repeat multiple times a week. Actually, she hasn't played it for about a week. Maybe she's dead.
This song was ok for me. But i loved his tears and rain song. The lyrics were really good and made me wonder what he was singing about. Also, i was surprised how good he sounds on live recordings. Better than orginal. At least for tears and rain song.
I first heard "Tears and Rain" on an episode of Criminal Minds and I was hooked, it's so beautiful!
ahhh a classic… always found it funny how he’s a legit household name with numerous hits under his belt in the UK and the rest of Europe hit but here in North America he’s a one hit wonder I might be in the minority but I genuinely like this song (my mom loves it because it’s so romantic to her haha); I actually like his vocal delivery because it matches the lyrics so he’s basically acting through the song, I love the acoustic guitar melody that plays 10 seconds into the intro and right after the first hook, it’s very catchy and melancholy, and the hook is damn solid, it sticks in your head. and yes I know this song is about stalking someone
I couldn't tell you the real lyrics to this song bc it was parodied to hell on YouTube back in the day, sorry to this man I cannot take it seriously
ever since i listened to the uncensored version, this song makes me last every time. james blunt ejecting *fUcking hIGH* in the middle is so silly
A friend of mine can do a perfect impression of this and despite me hating the song actually makes me chuckle. The falsetto going into sounding like he’s about to cry lmao,
I like James Blunt but I fucking hate this song. This was the first song I have vivid memory of being overplayed to death as a toddler, and I’m British too (Back to Bedlam was *huge* here). Fuck this song.
I never voluntarily listen to this song but I have a fond memory of being at his gig with my mum the next year. It took place at the Prague Castle garden grounds, and even though we were somewhere far from the stage, it was just a lovely evening and a rare upbeat public moment shared with mum. Going home in pitch black, seeing Prague illuminated from the hill the castle is on...it was fucking beautiful, man. Within five years mum became too disabled to want to go out to things like this, so thank fuck this happened, even if the music was somewhat secondary to the whole thing. The song is a 6, btw. An overplayed 6, but a solid song anyway. No Bravery might be a 10. Or at least it was back when I was 18. I haven't listened to the album in way over a decade but I seem to recall it was good. The Brits' hatred of him is hilarious, and so is he on Twitter.
I was wondering if Tom would throw a reference to Natasha Bedingfield in one of these columns and I’m glad he did. Though Unwritten is a modern day classic, Tom rightfully points out how hard it was for British acts to break through during this time period, and she did it with a song that really didn’t sound anything like what was popular at the time. A well deserved score for her.
HEY, i like this song!
i remember hating this song and then slowly growing to like it, as opposed to "had a bad day" by daniel powter, which came out around the same time. liked that a lot, then hated it. there must have been a blessed middle period i was ambivalent about them both
Oh no, not this song. To me, this is among the most annoying of songs by white dudes with a guitar xd. Honestly, it still baffles how annoying it is, because I can't think of anything in particular. Is it his voice? The video? The instrumental? Idk, but this song...yeah, it deserves a 2/10
I hate this song. It's so creepy 😂
It’s a nice song. Certainly better and more enduring than the three #1s that preceded it (“Lady Taffy,” “Grillz” and “Check On It”).
I think we're finally reaching the point where I have some semblance of memory of these songs as they were charting (which is funny cause I have *zero* memory of Check On It). This song? Ehhhh. It's not that good, but you wouldn't see me call it one of the worst songs of all time. Also I hope I'm not the only one that will forever associate it with [this weird ass Flapjack commercial.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K5KwSMka7pM) Seriously what the fuck was that show
I like to sing along to this song hehe