Junior Rasmussen
Wasn't Expecting That is a song by British singer-songwriter Jamie Lawson. The song was released in 2015 and is a heart-wrenching ballad about the growth of a relationship, from the moment a couple first meets to their eventual parting. The lyrics are written retrospectively, detailing the unexpected moments that took the narrator by surprise throughout the relationship. The song has received widespread acclaim, with Ed Sheeran, whom Lawson was signed to the label of, calling it emotional and comparing it to The Notebook. The song has achieved commercial success, reaching the top of the charts in Ireland and achieving double-platinum sales in Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Jamie Lawson |
| Genre | Ballad |
| Lyrics | Retrospective, telling the story of a couple's relationship from start to finish |
| Awards | Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards |
| Chart performance | Top of the Irish charts, double-platinum sales in Australia |
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What You'll Learn
The song describes the growth of a relationship from start to finish
The song "Wasn't Expecting That" by Jamie Lawson describes the growth of a relationship from the moment a couple meets to the moment they part. The song is written in a retrospective manner, with Lawson telling a story about the unexpected moments in a relationship, from a delicate kiss to the smile that starts it all.
In the song, Lawson reflects on how a life can be changed in an instant, such as "in the flicker of the sweetest smile." The lyrics also touch on the surprise and joy of love, as well as the sadness of a relationship ending. The song won Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards and has been described as a "heart-wrenching ballad."
Lawson himself has described the song as a journey of a couple from the moment they meet to the moment they part, with all the unexpected moments in between. He considers it a happy song, despite its sad ending. The song came about from a conversation Lawson had, where the phrase "wasn't expecting that" stuck with him, and he began to think about the different moments in a relationship that could evoke such a feeling.
The song has clearly resonated with many people, including Ed Sheeran, who signed Lawson to his record label after hearing the track. Sheeran described the song as "emotional," saying that Lawson manages to put across raw emotion in his work. The song has achieved commercial success as well, reaching the top of the Irish charts and achieving double-platinum sales in Australia.
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It was inspired by a conversation about a chance encounter
The song "Wasn't Expecting That" by Jamie Lawson is an emotional ballad that chronicles the journey of a couple from the moment they meet to the moment they part. The inspiration for the song came from a conversation Lawson had with someone on an evening out, where the phrase "Wasn't expecting that" was uttered, and it stuck with him. This sparked the creation of the song, as Lawson began to explore what else one might not expect in the context of a relationship.
Lawson explained that the song is about the unexpected moments in a couple's relationship, from the initial smile and kiss to the deeper connection that develops over time. The song is written in a retrospective manner, with Lawson telling the story of the couple's relationship and how it unfolds. It captures the surprise and joy of their love, as well as the sadness of their eventual parting.
The song has resonated with many listeners, including Ed Sheeran, who signed Lawson to his record label, Gingerbread Records. Sheeran described his reaction to the song, saying, "I very rarely get emotional over a track, but that song stopped me dead. He manages to put across such raw emotion within his work, and I knew immediately that I wanted to work with this guy in some way."
"Wasn't Expecting That" has achieved commercial and critical success, reaching the top of the Irish charts and winning the award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards. The song's official video was released in 2015, and it continues to touch the hearts of listeners worldwide.
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The lyrics were written retrospectively
The lyrics to "Wasn't Expecting That" by Jamie Lawson were written retrospectively, as the singer tells the story of a couple's relationship from the moment they meet to their eventual parting. The song begins with a delicate kiss, which anyone could have missed, and goes on to describe the unexpected nature of falling in love.
Lawson has explained that the song came out of a conversation where the phrase "wasn't expecting that" was used, and this stuck with him. He then instinctively and retrospectively built the song around this phrase, mapping out the journey of a couple and the unexpected nature of their love and life together.
The song progresses through the couple's relationship, with lyrics such as "a month turned into a year, I wasn't expecting that", and "we were married in spring, you know I wouldn't change a thing". It ends with the couple's parting, with the line "then you closed your eyes, you took my heart by surprise, I wasn't expecting that".
The song is a retrospective narrative of the couple's life together, and the unexpected nature of their love and its ending. The lyrics were written to reflect this, with Lawson mapping out the couple's journey and the surprises along the way. This is evident in the song's structure, with its surprising chord progressions and emotional, heart-wrenching narrative.
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It won Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards
The song "Wasn't Expecting That" by Jamie Lawson won Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards. The award is one of the most prestigious recognitions for songwriting and composing talents from the United Kingdom and Ireland, presented annually by the Ivors Academy.
The song details the growth of a relationship, from the moment a couple meets to the moment they part, and how each stage of their love for each other comes as a surprise. In the song, Lawson reminisces about how a delicate smile and kiss took him by surprise, and how a month turned into a year in what felt like the blink of an eye.
The award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically was first presented in 1968, with John Lennon and Paul McCartney being the first recipients for "She's Leaving Home," performed by The Beatles. The award primarily recognizes the writers of the song rather than the performers, unless they also have songwriting credits.
The Ivors Academy, formerly known as the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors, has been presenting the Ivor Novello Awards annually in London since 1956. The awards are judged and presented by the writing community, making them the only awards in the musical calendar independent of publishers and record companies.
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It's described as an emotional, heart-wrenching ballad
"Wasn't Expecting That" by Jamie Lawson is an emotional, heart-wrenching ballad that takes listeners through the journey of a couple's relationship, from the moment they meet to the moment they part. The song is written in a retrospective narrative style, with Lawson recounting the growth of his relationship with a woman and reflecting on the unexpected nature of their love story.
The lyrics of "Wasn't Expecting That" are deeply personal and poignant, capturing the raw emotion of falling in love. The song begins with the singer describing how a simple smile from his beloved made his "heart go wild," and how a delicate kiss took him by surprise. He expresses wonder at the way a single moment can change the course of a life and the unexpected twists and turns that come with love.
As the song progresses, Lawson continues to highlight the unexpected nature of his relationship. He sings about how a month turned into a year, and before he knew it, they were married in the spring. The chorus reflects on the enduring nature of love and the surprise of finding someone special: "I thought love wasn't meant to last / I thought you were just passing through / If I ever get the nerve to ask / What did I get right to deserve somebody like you?".
The bridge of the song takes an even more emotional turn as Lawson sings about the challenges they face together, including health scares and the passing of time. He poignantly captures the feeling of being caught off guard by life's difficulties: "Time doesn't take long / Three kids up and gone / I wasn't expecting that / When the nurses they came / Said 'it's come back again' / I wasn't expecting that".
The song's ending is particularly devastating and serves as a reminder that love can be both beautiful and bittersweet. "Wasn't Expecting That" won Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the 2016 Ivor Novello Awards, and its impact is evident in the way it has resonated with listeners, evoking strong emotions and even inspiring wall art stickers with its lyrics.
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Frequently asked questions
The song is about a couple's journey, from the moment they meet to the moment they part, and the whole life that goes in between.
The song was inspired by a conversation where someone said "Wasn't expecting that" on an evening out, and it stuck with Jamie Lawson. The first line that came to him was: "Just a delicate kiss, anyone could've missed, and I wasn't expecting that.".
The song is an emotional, heart-wrenching ballad with a sad ending. It has been described as "devastating" and "the musical version of The Notebook".
The song was written and sung by Jamie Lawson. It was released in 2015 and achieved double-platinum sales in Australia.
