James Blues
J. Tillman Lyrics
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Of a jealous woman
Not long after that
Spending all his weekends
Trying to relearn
How a young man yearns after a nurse
Poor, poor James
Most nights he has dreams
All his teeth are missing
Wakes up in a sweat
His impotent heart racing
He throws back the sheets
Begins to weep without much feeling
Poor, poor James
Desire is what makes
Upright mammals human
Put me out to graze
Give this beast a burden
Because the universe
Makes much more sense without a purpose
Poor, poor James
The first verse of J. Tillman's song 'James Blues' tells the story of a man named James who found himself in trouble with a woman who became jealous. This woman's wrath and the resulting fallout caused James to spend all of his weekends trying to rediscover what it means to yearn for a nurse, indicating James is someone who is somewhat lost and trying to recover whatever he has lost. The second verse of this song showcases James' inner turmoil as he suffers constant nightmares, wakes up in a sweat and throws back the sheets, weeping without much feeling. This is important because it highlights the fact that James' struggle is deeply internalized and his trauma is affecting him in ways that are difficult to express. The final line of the verse- 'Poor, poor James'- is repeated throughout the song, creating a sense of finality and bleakness for the character.
The last verse of the song speaks to Tillman's view on the purpose of human desire. He sings about how upright mammals become human because of their desires and their ability to yearn for something just out of reach. Tillman seems to be suggesting that this is what makes humans truly human, and that without desires and purpose, the universe makes little sense. Despite the seemingly uplifting message of this verse, it concludes with repeating the line 'Poor, poor James', serving as a reminder that James is struggling and left behind in this existential conversation.
Overall, J. Tillman's 'James Blues' is a melancholic and introspective song that tells the story of a man who is lost, struggling, and not sure of his purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
James incurred the wrath
James faced the anger and displeasure of someone, causing trouble for himself
Of a jealous woman
This wrath came from a woman who was envious of something James had or did
Not long after that
The negative consequences for James happened shortly after the woman's wrath
Spending all his weekends
James uses up his weekends doing something in particular
Trying to relearn
James is attempting to regain the skill or knowledge that he has lost
How a young man yearns after a nurse
James is relearning how to long for the attention of a certain type of woman
Poor, poor James
A show of sympathy towards James and his situation
Most nights he has dreams
James often dreams when he is asleep
All his teeth are missing
In the dream, James has no teeth
Wakes up in a sweat
The dream causes James to wake up sweating
His impotent heart racing
James' heart beats rapidly, but without meaning or purpose
He throws back the sheets
James pulls the bed covers off himself
Begins to weep without much feeling
James sheds tears, but without any strong emotion behind them
Desire is what makes
The act of yearning for something is what drives
Upright mammals human
This desire is what separates humans from other similar animals
Put me out to graze
The artist wants to be let out to roam freely, like an animal
Give this beast a burden
The artist wishes for something to occupy them, like a task or responsibility
Because the universe
This reasoning is based on the nature of the cosmos
Makes much more sense without a purpose
The universe seems more coherent and logical if it doesn't have an underlying reason or goal
Poor, poor James
A repeated statement of sympathy for James' hardships
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Joshua Michael Tillman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Veronica
he sounds great even when he's nervous!
Ru
The Fleet Foxes have two of the most amazing singers, I wish I could be in a band like that.
Rabbit
The simplicity of this is absolutely emotionally brilliant…
MoonBlossom
That last verse put me in tears.
TheEnigmaticHermit
music is simple but complex. that's what makes this guy special.
Schpinki
It was mega helpful to actually watch him play it. Thanks for the upload, next time, gotta keep the guitar in the frame the whole time! :) Also, he's got my capo.
Abdulatif Al Zubaidi
Great song to be in tears..
goldilox131
I love this song! Josh is great!
Indie online
amoo muitoo! I love you. ❤
dreamtiger2
spectacular! new album coming september 14th!