Raised in Cornwall, James began DJing at free parties and clubs in the area in the late 1980s. His debut EP Analogue Bubblebath, released in 1991 on Mighty Force Records, brought James an early following; he began to perform across the UK and continental Europe. James co-founded the independent label Rephlex Records the same year. His 1992 debut album Selected Ambient Works 85-92, released by Belgian label Apollo, garnered wider critical and popular acclaim. James signed to Warp in 1993 and subsequently released charting albums such as ...I Care Because You Do (1995) and Richard D. James Album (1996), as well as Top 40 singles such as "Come to Daddy" (1997) and "Windowlicker" (1999); the latter two were accompanied by music videos directed by Chris Cunningham and brought James significantly wider international attention.
After releasing Drukqs in 2001 and completing his contract with Warp, James spent several years releasing music on his own Rephlex label, including the 2005 Analord EP series under his AFX alias and a pair of 2007 releases as the Tuss. In 2014, he made available a previously unreleased 1994 LP as Caustic Window. He returned later that year with the Aphex Twin album Syro on Warp, winning the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. He has since released charting EPs including Cheetah (2016) and Collapse (2018).
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphex_Twin
Studio albums
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (1992)
Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994)
...I Care Because You Do (1995)
Richard D. James Album (1996)
Drukqs (2001)
Syro (2014)
Words
Aphex Twin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i dunno,
i get a bit scared some times
cause
i just get too many ideas
and thats where my only problem comes in really
yeah its a bit like when someone asks you for your sort of top ten records of
all time
you cant actually think of them that easily
yeah you get this sort of, sort of mental block
The lyrics to Aphex Twin's song Words convey the artist's feelings of being overwhelmed with ideas or concepts. The opening lines "i just, i dunno, i get a bit scared some times" suggest a sense of anxiety, uncertainty or apprehension about his own creative potential. The following lines explain the cause of this unease: "cause i just get too many ideas and that's where my only problem comes in really". This could be interpreted as an insight into the nature of creativity and how difficult it can be to channel inspiration into a concrete form, whether that be music, art or any other medium.
The analogy of struggling to pick out your favourite records from a vast collection is a clever way of explaining this conceptual challenge. "yeah its a bit like when someone asks you for your sort of top ten records of all time, you know, you know so many records you cant actually think of them that easily, yeah you get this sort of, sort of mental block". This captures the struggle of trying to distil your creative ideas into a specific form or output. The feeling of being overwhelmed or stuck can be frustrating and even terrifying. In many ways, this song captures the psychological challenges of creative work and the internal pressures and obstacles that can arise.
Line by Line Meaning
i just,
I am uncertain and hesitant
i dunno,
I lack clarity and understanding
i get a bit scared some times
Occasionally, I am filled with fear
cause
Because
i just get too many ideas
I have an overwhelming amount of thoughts and concepts
and thats where my only problem comes in really
This is my primary dilemma
yeah its a bit like when someone asks you for your sort of top ten records of all time
It is comparable to being asked to list your favorite albums
you know, you know so many records
You are acquainted with so many albums
you cant actually think of them that easily
It is difficult to recall them quickly
yeah you get this sort of, sort of mental block
It creates a barrier in your mind
Contributed by Riley G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
herbie72
Love it
christhesmith
Thanks Holly- You are subscibeworthy- with bells on. Thanks for all your hard work.
shoop
23:23 anyone know what vocoder is used to make that? So cool
J S
sounds like the quadraverb ring mod with slow spectrum shift mod
Shared my HIV because sharing is caring
Sounds like he's using some ringmod pedel
The Radioactive Fox
That last track is pure nightmare fuel
A. Anguisola
anyone to write the words?, Alguien para traducir al español? gracias
Joseph Grimes
i bought this in reseda record trader, reseda blvd, reseda, san fernando valley, (the valley), L.A. in may 1994 for $5.99 promotion only, not for sale stamped on it. spent hours on end in there digging in the bargain bin the yanks werent interested in. still got it. found some gems, rare stuff, all promo only, not for sale embossed on them at giveaway price. $1.99 up to $7.99 when cds sold at $20 new. all the mugs were down at tower records on sunset blvd. shout out to record trader in RESEDA baby. punk was big in L.A. early 90s. try explaining 'electronic trip music' to that lot. the looks i got. came back to london in 1996 with suitcases full. had to pay excess baggage on the plane. couldnt part with them. still got 'em. warp rereleased artificial intelligence 30 year anniversay today so i looked this one up on youtube. im 53 and still into it.
Joseph Grimes
@ndnen bennebfjfb thanks. its nice to be thought well of. not sure i deserve such a compliment. thanks again. good luck to ye
ndnen bennebfjfb
you inspire me