Silly Me

Album: Jess (2023)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Released on April 28, 2023, "Silly Me" is Jess Glynne's first original song since her 2019 collaborative single "One Touch" with British DJ Jax Jones. She also covered Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" in 2020.

    After taking a break, the singer made some major changes in her career. Following a disagreement with her former label, Atlantic Records, Glynne signed with EMI. "Silly Me" is her debut single under the new label. She also switched up her management team and joined the powerhouse company Roc Nation.
  • "Silly Me" in an introspective track that showcases Glynne's signature earthy and soulful vocals. Set to a bluesy guitar line, the song sees the British singer reflecting on past mistakes with poignant honesty.

    As Glynne puts it, "Silly Me" is all about learning from one's missteps and growing from them. "Life isn't perfect," she says. "We all mess up along the way and have moments where we feel silly."

    But what matters most, according to Glynne, is picking yourself up and not being too hard on yourself.
  • Glynne gently chastises herself in a British way as she sings, "Oooh silly silly me, ooh how stupid could I be."

    "I think the story is that I'm human and I've lived," she told Rolling Stone of the reflective lyrics. "I've done good things; I've done stupid things. And I can literally look back and go, 'I have learned from everything that I've done, you know?' But I can also laugh at myself. I think that's super-important."

    "Silly Me" is also about self-acceptance.

    "It's like, 'I've been through life and I've learned, you know?," Glynne added, "It's like, 'I've been through life and I've learned, you know? I've selected the wrong people and I've done the wrong jobs. And I've been here, and I've done that. But I had to do that in order to get to here. And I think everyone needs to be less hard on themselves."

    Glynne's reference to her 2015 hit "Don't Be So Hard On Yourself" may not have been intentional, but it certainly fits with the overall message of the song. As Glynne put it, "I do find myself saying that a lot."
  • "Silly Me" is the result of a collaboration between Jess Glynne and her trusted longtime studio partner, Knox Brown, along with Frand Ferdinand producer, Mike Horner, and Beyoncé collaborator P2J.

    Brown, who has previously worked with RAYE and Stormzy, not only co-wrote the song but also co-produced the blues-pop ballad with Glynne and P2J. In addition, Brown showcased his musical versatility by playing all the instruments on the track: bass, synthesizer, keyboards, and drums.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Punk Photography of Chris Stein

The Punk Photography of Chris SteinSong Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.