They have released three studio albums, A Book Like This (2007), which peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart; Down the Way (2010), reached No. 1; and their self-titled album (2014). At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 they won five awards from nine nominations: winning Album of the Year, Best Adult Alternative Album, Best Cover Art and Producer of the Year for Down the Way and Single of the Year for "Big Jet Plane".
Released in March 2010, their album “Down The Way” debuted at #1 on Australia’s ARIA Charts enjoying a remarkable 12 months inside the ARIA Top 20 albums chart. It went on to pick up Album Of The Year at the 2010 ARIA Awards and includes the platinum selling Single Of The Year ‘Big Jet Plane’; which was most notably voted No.1 on the 2011 annual Triple j Hottest 100. The album has hit triple platinum (210,000+) sales in the Stones’ home country, the only Australian artist album to reach this milestone on the current ARIA Top 50 albums chart.
European audiences have also fallen head over heels in love with “Down The Way”. Reaching platinum (100,000+) album status in France, supported by a hugely successful film sync with ‘Big Jet Plane’ for the movie, Les Émotifs Anonymes. Extended sold out tours are not limited to native Australia with the 2011 French tour including 5 ‘Le Trianon’ Paris shows selling out 2 months before the tour commenced. The UK, Germany, Austria, Spain & Portugal are all just a taste of the frequent European tour destinations with sell out shows. In the US, their dramatic and lush soundscapes have found homes on prime time dramas; Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice and key slots at iconic US festivals Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo and Coachella.
Travelling has been an integral part of the Stone’s musical story, so it’s not surprising they opted to record “Down The Way” in a number of diverse locations around the globe; an old sawmill on the river banks of Fowey in Cornwall, a studio in Brooklyn, a water tank in Coolangatta, London - and Queens in New York.
“Down The Way” marked their debut as producers, taking full control of their sound without losing the spirit of what made the first record ‘A Book Like This’ so special. There has been a subtle shift of gear, represented by a growing confidence in their abilities as artists and the music follows suit as it flows easily through sparse and rich textured arrangements without losing any of its etherealness and charm.
With an incredible response to “Down The Way” from all corners of the globe, Angus and Julia Stone will take some well-deserved time off and prepare for their next step along a remarkable musical journey.
“Simple yet inspired tunes, a heart-felt soundtrack to their folk adventures and lessons learnt along the way”
Rolling Stone Australia ***
“Aussie siblings continue to enchant’. ‘Sweet and savoury blend to warm the soul.. innocently Joyous”
MOJO UK ****
”The pair melt in to one another to create a spectral and lush backdrop”
Clash Magazine UK
“If A Book Like This compounded their future, consider Down The Way the fulfilling realization of all”
FILTER USA
Website: www.angusandjuliastone.com
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Jewels and Gold
Angus & Julia Stone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To my friend's house to get myself high
It takes me to a different place
Where nothing leaves my mind
But the men in blue knocked on my door
He said I've come to kill off your kind
It?s the killing of the mind
The circus came then packed up their things
When there's no one around
We?ll be high as kings, without the things
Like jewels and gold
I'm rolling down, I'm rolling down to my hotel
Between the lines
The paperboy still looks the same
As the old get old and the young are feeling fine
A soldier came, knocked on my wall
He said I've come to kill off your kind
It?s the killing of the mind
The circus came then packed up their things
When there's no one around
We?ll be high as kings, without the things
Like jewels and gold
The circus came then packed up their things
When there's no one around
We?ll be high as kings, without the things
Like jewels and gold
The lyrics in Angus & Julia Stone’s song, “Jewels and Gold” weave a narrative about getting high and escaping the world’s troubles. The song opens with the singer going to his friend’s house to get high where he can forget his worries and be in a different state of mind. But the euphoria is suddenly interrupted by the men in blue who come to kill off their kind, a reference to the government or authority trying to suppress their means of escape. The killing of the mind referred to here is the restriction of the individual’s freedom to explore different states of consciousness.
The circus in these lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for the world itself. The characters in the song describe feeling like kings with no need for the material things like jewels and gold because they've found a sense of freedom from the oppressive realities of the world. The second verse sees the singer rolling down to his hotel between the lines, where the paperboy still looks the same. The old have aged, and the young are still feeling fine, but the soldier who comes to his door means trouble. The themes of escaping into an altered state are further explored in the lyrics "when there's no one around, we’ll be high as kings, without the things like jewels and gold".
Overall, “Jewels and Gold” by Angus & Julia Stone is a lyrical escapade where the listener is carried away to another world. The theme of individual freedom is a central one, where the characters break away from the mundane world to be high and experience a sense of royalty. However, the lyrics remind us that the price of such escape can invite trouble, and the importance of individual expression should be safeguarded from any authority that might try to restrict it.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going round, I'm going down
I am moving aimlessly and sinking into a state of despair
To my friend's house to get myself high
I am seeking refuge in my friend's house where I can indulge in drugs to escape from reality
It takes me to a different place
The drugs transport me mentally to a different realm
Where nothing leaves my mind
In this altered state of mind, my thoughts are clouded and I am unable to think clearly
But the men in blue knocked on my door
The police showed up at my doorstep
He said I've come to kill off your kind
The police officer threatened to arrest me and punish me along with others like me
It?s the killing of the mind
This act is stifling our thoughts and creativity
The circus came then packed up their things
The temporary excitement of the circus came and went
When there's no one around
When there is no entertainment to fill the void
We?ll be high as kings, without the things
We can be content without material possessions
Like jewels and gold
Our happiness does not depend on external riches
I'm rolling down, I'm rolling down to my hotel
I am moving quickly and aimlessly towards my lodging
Between the lines
Amidst the hidden messages and unspoken words
The paperboy still looks the same
The mundane aspects of life remain constant despite our personal struggles
As the old get old and the young are feeling fine
The passing of time affects everyone differently but youth often prevails over age
A soldier came, knocked on my wall
The presence of authority figures reminds me of my vulnerability
He said I've come to kill off your kind
The soldier warns me of the consequences of my actions
It?s the killing of the mind
Suppressing free thought is detrimental to our progression as a society
The circus came then packed up their things
The fleeting thrill of entertainment left as quickly as it arrived
When there's no one around
When we are left alone with our thoughts
We?ll be high as kings, without the things
We can still find happiness without material possessions
Like jewels and gold
Our true worth cannot be measured by riches
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANGUS STONE, JULIA STONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind