THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

355-George Ezra-Paradise.

2018-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 0.49. Paradise, and not a dashboard light in sight.

George Ezra Barnett was born on June 7th, 1993, in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England., he cites his youthful obsession with the music of Bob Dylan (see also best songs 792-621-358-103-36 and 7) as a major influence. Dylan himself, of course was influenced by the American ‘Folk,’ and ‘Blues’ artists of the early to mid 20th Century, such as Lead Belly, (1888-1949) (see also best songs 431) Woody Guthrie, (1912-1967) and Howlin’ Wolf, (1910-1976) and this led to Ezra checking out their music. Ezra bought a Lead Belly compilation, and on the sleeve it said that Lead Belly’s voice was so big, you have to turn your record player down. Ezra has said, ‘I liked the idea of singing with a big voice, so I tried, and I could.’ In 2014 the internet blog ‘When the Gramophone Rings’ described George Ezra as having ‘a voice beyond his years,’ with ‘a soulful tone that somehow would feel more at home coming from an Alabama bartender than a 21-year-old Bristolian.’

The discography of George Ezra includes three studio Albums released between 2014-2022, and 15 singles released between 2013-2023, there are also three extended plays (EP’s) available. In the UK, all three of his studio Albums ‘Wanted on Voyage,’ (2014) ‘Staying at Tamara’s,’ (2018) and ‘Gold Rush Kid,’ (2022) have all reached Number 1, while nine of his singles have made the UK top, with ‘Shotgun,’ from 2018, peaking the highest at Number 1. In America on Billboard, his only top 40 charting Album is his debut ‘Wanted on Voyage,’ which made Number 19 in 2014, and his only charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 to date is his second single release ‘Budapest,’ which reached Number 32 in 2013.

‘Paradise’ was the second of five singles released from ‘Staying at Tamara’s,’ the second studio Album from George Ezra, from March 2018, the song was co-written by George Ezra, and Shane Marriott, with the production being by Cameron Blackwood, who was born in Alloway, Scotland. Blackwood’s other production work includes ‘Wanted on Voyage,’ the debut studio Album by George Ezra, ‘Sleep No More,’ for the English-Italian acoustic singer Jack Savoretti, (2016) ‘Love Life Flesh Blood,’ for the Irish singer Imelda May, (2017) and ‘Dark Rainbow,’ for ‘Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes’ (2024.) Cameron Blackwood is also credited with playing the guitar, synthesizer, and providing percussion, as well as the programming, on ‘Paradise.’

After George Ezra had finished touring his debut Album ‘Wanted On Voyage’ in 2014, he set about writing for the follow up. He went to Barcelona for a month, but instead of booking into a hotel, he looked on the internet, and found a stranger called Tamara who was renting her spare room, and this was where the Album’s title came from. George Ezra has said, ‘I thought if she’s a bit crazy, if she’s a bit unhinged, I can just leave. Her friends were all musicians, artists and designers, and her apartment really felt like HQ. It helped slow me down. There was a point about halfway through the trip where I was like, this trip has proved to be really important, and the Album’s name came to me like that, I love it.’ ‘Staying at Tamara’s’ which included George Ezra’s only UK Number 1 single ‘Shotgun,’ went on to become the UK’s best selling artist Album of the year in 2018, and was nominated for ‘British Album of the Year,’ at the 2019 ‘Brit Awards.’ In support of the album, Ezra embarked on a 2018 world tour entitled, ‘Staying at Tamara’s Tour,’ mostly visiting cities across North America and Europe.

George Ezra has recalled how ‘Paradise’ came about after he rediscovered ‘Paradise’ on his Dictaphone eight months after he first recorded it. ‘That song started life before the end of the first record. We were on tour in California and someone got a cold on the bus. If one of you gets a cold, we all do. I remember being in my bed feeling sorry for myself, and I just started singing and had that melody. Then I forgot about it for a while.’

‘Paradise’ is a love song, George Ezra wrote the song while dating the English musician Florrie Arnold, who was the drummer on this song, as well as providing background vocals, the song was written with her in mind. George Ezra has said that the song was aiming to capture ‘A feeling that takes over when you’ve fallen in love.’ He has said that the lyrics were ‘Not looking at a particular love story, but more the effect that love has on your psyche. You become a mess, but it’s good. It doesn’t matter what’s going on around you, you’re in your own little world.’ Ezra described ‘Paradise’ as the ‘Perfect love song version’ of ‘Staying at Tamara’s’ themes of ‘Escaping and dreaming, and taking yourself away a little bit.’

‘I know you heard it from those other boys, but this time it’s real. It’s something that I feel and I know you heard it from those other boys, but this time it’s real, it’s something that I feel.’