‘Those Were The Days’ – Jared Lee Performs Stripped Back Acoustic Version Of Midnight Kids Song

Jared Lee is a singer, songwriter, producer, and independent artist, orignally from Boston, but now based in Los Angeles, California. Having amassed over 30 million streams across a variety of platforms, Jared is clearly one to watch, and his latest single, ‘Those Were The Days’, is a piano acoustic version of a song that he sent to Midnight Kids earlier this year, which they released on RCA Records.

Although he collaborated with Midnight Kids on the studio version of the track, it’s when Jared Lee is performing alone at the piano, that we truly feel the song at its most pure. The music video for ‘Those Were The Days’ is as stripped back as his rendition: Jared sits at his piano, pulling raw, heartfelt emotions out of nowhere, tugging at our feelings. ‘Those Were The Days’ is certainly a song that demands attention, and more than one listen. Jared’s soft piano underpins his gentle, at times falsetto vocals, while he reminisces about those early days with his lover. His first kiss, oh it was so much easier back then, when everyone thought he was king – he was floating on cloud 9, he was flying high. Things seem a lot harder now, stuff has changed, it seems different – but he’s trying hard to make sure that the lessons he learned in the early days – his mother telling him not to walk away, that in those moments you know how much you can take – still see him through these times. And listening, you get the feeling that it’s going to work, they’re going to make it work, they’re going to see it through.

A man of many talents, Jared has lent his considerable songwriting skills to craft songs for the likes of Jason Derulo, Jordin Sparks, TIESTO, New Hope Club, and New Kids On The Block, among others. He’s also had Markus Schultz, Fedde Le Grand, Laidback Luke, Disco Fries, Jenaux and CLMD ask him to write songs for them, or feature as a lead vocalist on their original music.

Jared’s debut EP, ‘Falling Through Holes’, was released back in 2011, and the resulting single, ‘It’s Over (Goodbye)’, was met with critical acclaim, propelling him onto stages all around the US, supporting huge names.

Last year he released a single, ‘Professional Lovers’, which spawned a number of remixes, including one by MOKITA, another by After Hours, and yet another by Jared himself, like ‘Those Were The Days’, a stripped back piano led rendition. Jared Lee reminds us of Tom Odell, whose piano led songs are similarly deep insights into how he thinks and feels.

You can listen to Jared Lee’s live acoustic version of ‘Those Were The Days’ here:

Jared Lee - Those Were The Days - (Live acoustic version - Midnight Kids feat. Jared Lee)

‘Those Were The Days’, by Midnight Kids, featuring a vocal by Jared Lee, can be streamed and downloaded here. You can find Jared Lee online on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and his official website.

Find Midnight Kids online on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About the author

Lisa has been writing for over 20 years, starting as the entertainment editor on her university newspaper. Since then she's written for Popwrapped, Maximum Pop, Celebmix, and ListenOnRepeat.

Lisa loves all good music, with particular fondness for Jedward and David Bowie. She's interviewed Edward Grimes (Jedward), Kevin Godley, Trevor Horn, Paul Young, Peter Cox (Go West), Brendan B Brown (Wheatus), Bruce Foxton (The Jam), among many many more. Lisa is also available for freelance writing - please email lisa@essentiallypop.com