The band's moniker comes from a discarded coat James saw while walking through the remains of his favorite bar the morning after it burned down. The coat had the letters "MMJ" embroided on it. The band has released seven albums so far: "The Tennessee Fire" (1999), "At Dawn" (2001), "It Still Moves" (2003), "Z" (2005), "Evil Urges" (2008), "Circuital" (2011) & "The Waterfall" (2015). The band's breakthrough came when their 2003 single "One Big Holiday" became one of the most played songs on college radio that year. 2008's "I'm Amazed" was also a sizable hit, peaking at #6 on Billboard's Triple A (adult album alternative) Singles chart.
The Circuital songfacts reports that "Circuital" was recorded inside a church’s converted gymnasium in the band's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Said frontman Jim James: “I hate the phrase ‘going back to our roots’, but for this record we came home and made it in Kentucky. And it just felt a lot like it did when we were first starting out.”
James co-produced the record with Tucker Martine. The pair first worked together when James appeared on Laura Veirs ' album "July Flame" in 2010, which Martine, Veirs’ husband, also produced.
My Morning Jacket guest stared in the American Dad Episode "My Morning Straitjacket" where Stan Smith becomes obsessed with them and decides to become a groupie. The edisode was first aired November 22 2009.
Wordless Chorus
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
Forget about instinct, it's not what pays
Pleasure, up and down my smile
A carton of eggs think, it's all worthwhile
Tell me spirit, what has not been done?
I'll rush out and do it, or are we doing it now?
Ah, ooh, ah, ah, aha
Aha, ooh, ah, ah
Fissure is the thrill of the day
Forget about feeling, that's not what pays
But you know, all of this can change
Remember the promise as a kid you made
Ah, ooh, ah, ah, aha
Aha, ooh, ah, ah
We are the innovators, they are the imitators
C'mon, hey, don't you know how we started
We forgot about love, but weren't brokenhearted
Ah, ooh, ah, ah, aha
Aha, ooh, ah, ah
Ah, ooh, ah, ah, aha
Aha, ooh, ah, ah
Ah, ooh, ah, ah, aha
Aha, ooh, ah, ah
Ooh, ooh
Ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ahaha, yeah, yeah, yeah
The lyrics to My Morning Jacket's "Wordless Chorus" speak to the frenetic pace of modern life and how we often forget to rely on our instincts and feelings. The opening lines suggest that there is so much happening in the world that we don't have time to just go with our gut, and that we only value things that have a tangible payoff. The singer is comforted by the ups and downs of his own life, finding pleasure in the smallest things, like a carton of eggs. He then poses a larger question to the universe: what hasn't been done yet? Is there anything left to do that hasn't already been done before? The singer is eager to rush out and accomplish whatever it is, but he seems to realize that maybe we're already doing it.
The middle section of the song brings in the idea of "fissure," which can be interpreted as both a crack or split, and as a thrilling experience. The singer urges the listener to forget about their emotions and focus on the thrill of the moment instead, but then reminds us that everything can change. He invokes a childhood promise to tie the ideas of innocence and possibility back to the modern world.
The song's final section addresses the idea of innovation and imitation. The singer positions himself and his peers as innovators, while others are simply following their lead. He suggests that they forgot about love along the way, but that they are not brokenhearted by this fact.
Overall, "Wordless Chorus" is a commentary on the pace and pressure of modern life, and how societal values and expectations can conflict with our personal desires and instincts. It touches on the idea of possibility and the power of the individual to effect change, but also suggests that we may not always know what needs to be done.
Line by Line Meaning
So much going on these days
There is a lot happening in the world right now.
Forget about instinct, it's not what pays
Trusting your intuition isn't as valuable as some other qualities when it comes to earning money and success.
Pleasure, up and down my smile
My happiness and enjoyment come and go in waves.
A carton of eggs think, it's all worthwhile
Even the simplest things in life, like a carton of eggs, can bring me joy and make it all worth it.
Tell me spirit, what has not been done?
I want to know what possibilities still exist that haven't been explored or accomplished yet.
I'll rush out and do it, or are we doing it now?
I'm ready to take action to pursue those possibilities, unless they are already being done right now.
Ah, ooh, ah, ah, aha
Vocalization of feelings without exact meaning.
Fissure is the thrill of the day
The excitement of taking a risk or pushing the boundaries is what makes each day exhilarating.
Forget about feeling, that's not what pays
Making decisions based on emotions can be risky and isn't always the most profitable option.
But you know, all of this can change
Everything is subject to change and nothing is set in stone.
Remember the promise as a kid you made
Think back to the convictions and pledges I made as a child and take them to heart as an adult.
We are the innovators, they are the imitators
We are the ones who come up with original ideas while others simply copy us.
C'mon, hey, don't you know how we started
Remember how we got to where we are now.
We forgot about love, but weren't brokenhearted
Even though love may have been pushed aside or neglected, it hasn't left us feeling defeated or heartbroken.
Ooh, ooh
Vocalization of feelings without exact meaning.
Ooh
Vocalization of feelings without exact meaning.
Ooh, ooh
Vocalization of feelings without exact meaning.
Ahaha, yeah, yeah, yeah
Vocalization of feelings without exact meaning.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: James Olliges Jr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Casey Blake
So much going on these days
Forget about instinct
It's not what pays.
Pleasure - up and down my smile:
A carton of eggs think
It's all worthwhile
Tell me spirit - what has not been done?
I'll rush out and do it
Or are we doing it now?
Fissure is the thrill of the day
Forget about feeling
That's not what pays
But you know - all of this can change
Remember the promise as a kid you made
We are the innovators
They are the imitators
Come on - hey, don't you know how we started
We forget about love
But weren't brokenhearted
MenosDos
This singer, Jim James, has THE most angelic voice. I cried Francine I actually cried. Like you wanted me to at the birth of our kids instead of just punching that locker.
HazelEyedGoddess
STAHP I WAS JUST THINKING THIS 😭😭🤣🤣🤣🤣
John Johnson
Stan is my spirit animal
Jarid Gaming
This song is in the beginning of Mac Millers: Nikes on my feet
and American Dad :)
Garrett Gates
It's actually Mac miller's high life intro
William Saguaro
Lol I was listening to this album on Spotify without knowing what it was and I was like “where have I heard this before”?
Skylar Fitzgerald
Rest in peace Mac
Miguelito
That's why I'm here!
Leo notdicaprio
Rip Mac
Brebabi Snooki
I could sit in my car and listen to this band for 3 hours just like Stan Smith