In 1998, Paul Durham and his rock band, Black Lab, released their Geffen Records debut Your Body Above Me to critical acclaim. The album yielded the top 10 rock and alternative single "Wash it Away," and the top 40 ac and pop track "Time Ago."
Paul Durham grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho before moving to San Francisco to pursue his passion for musical invention. He recorded and toured with a group of friends under the moniker “Durham,” and made an acoustic-based singer/songwriter record with celebrated jazz producer Lee Townsend. (now available at blacklabworld.com under the title Ten Million Years: songs from the nineteen nineties).
“Durham” split, but a deal with Geffen Records followed, a new band was built, and Black Lab's debut was tagged as "one of this year's breakout records" (Billboard). Hollywood called, and the band contributed songs to the soundtracks for Can't Hardly Wait, Varsity Blues, Permanent Midnight, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. After a year of touring, Black Lab was poised to fulfill their destiny as "the American U2" (San Francisco Chronicle) when their record label was quickly shuttered. Over the next two years, Durham left his band, fired his manager and moved to LA. "In the end, all I had were my guitars and the songs I was writing." Durham wanted to control the sound around his voice, so he bought a computer and learned to use it. "I had to get back to how it was in high school -- just me and my four-track."
The resulting demos got Durham a new deal with Epic Records. "The first thing I did was buy a giant ProTools system." The only problem was, he didn't know how to install the software. On advice from a friend, Durham hired Andy Ellis to set up his studio. "So, we're sitting around waiting for the computer to reboot," remembers Durham, "And this guy picks up my guitar, without asking. I was cringing inside, afraid of what he would play. But he was great. I wanted to sing over the top of everything he played. Pretty soon, we were writing together."
At 23, Ellis was already an accomplished guitarist, keyboard player and programmer. He had been working as an assistant to some of the best engineers in the business and knew how to twiddle some serious knobs. Durham had found the missing link between what he heard in his head and what came out of the speakers. "Working with Andy is the first time collaboration has ever been easy," says Durham. "Instead of the whole hell-is-other-people thing, we have a blast just making sounds.
See the Sun has a depth and emotional range that broadens with each listen. Much of the album was mixed by Tom Lord-Alge (Live, Blink 182, Avril Lavigne). What shines brightest is the band's pop sensibility – the liquid swirl of "Remember," the epic sweep of "See the Sun," the raging loss of "Without You," and the open-armed surrender of "Lonely Boy."
“Learn to Crawl” was tapped as the fourth track on the platinum Spider-Man soundtrack. Produced by Durham and veteran mixer/producer Tom Lord-Alge, the song wraps an aggressive guitar riff around what Rolling Stone calls "Black Lab's tightly spun, highly melodic rock."
The title of "Ecstasy," a pulsing shadow that wakes to full rock glory, was inspired by Durham's experience recording: "The freedom to do what I wanted – in the studio across the hall from my bedroom – was amazing. I would get up late, go to the beach, then work until four or five in the morning. I got to record this album the same way I wrote it."
While See the Sun represents a zenith in Black Lab’s songwriting and production, the band continues to push and expand its sound into uncharted territory, contributing a vicious techno track called “This Blood” to the worldwide hit movie Blade : Trinity. Black Lab also continues to produce music for television (MTV’s Real World, “What I Like About You,” “The Days”) as well as the upcoming film Lovewrecked.
The third Black Lab album, entitled "Passion Leaves A Trace" was released on January 16th, 2007. Highlights include the majestic "Mine Again", the jet-black remorse of "This Night" (featured in the trailer for The Shield Season 6, and on the episode "Out of the Chute" of House), the hook-laden driving force that is "The Real You", and the achingly beautiful "Ghost In Your Mind".
All things Black Lab, including streaming and free downloads from the new and past albums, can be found at blacklabworld.com.
Can't Keep The Rain
Black Lab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got some bridges to burn
I'd like to fly away tonight
For whatever it's worth
Keep the salt out of my eyes can you
Keep the heat in the air?
Maybe I'm making the whole thing up
Maybe you're not even there
I called your machine just to hear your voice
I know you were listening when all I could hear was noise
And all of the demons around my bed
Call your name like they want you dead
But I can't keep the rain from getting in
Can't keep the rain from getting in
One more, yeah it's pouring down again
I can't keep the rain from getting in
One more night
I set fire to the car tonight
To keep from running away
I needed something loud and bright
To keep the memory at bay
Sometimes I shout a lot
There's things I know how to say
Sometimes I get scared
I just get carried away
I called your machine just to hear your voice
I know you were listening when all I could hear was noise
And all of the demons around my bed
Call your name like they want you dead
But I can't keep the rain from getting in
Can't keep the rain from getting in
One more night
Yeah it's pouring down
Yeah it's pouring down again
I can't keep the rain from getting in
One more night, night, night
Well I call your name just to hear the sound
Hang in the air as I walk around
But I can't keep the rain from getting in
Can't keep the rain from getting in
One more
I can't keep the rain
Can't keep the rain [Repeat x 6]
Can't keep the rain from getting in
One more night
The lyrics to Black Lab's song "Can't Keep The Rain" seem to be about the struggles of a relationship and the feeling of being unable to control the way you feel about someone. The singer of the song seems to be longing for a connection with someone, expressing desires to escape and experience something different. The line "I got some bridges to burn" suggests a willingness to let go of things in the past and move on. The repeated refrain "But I can't keep the rain from getting in" implies a sense of helplessness when it comes to protecting oneself from vulnerability or emotions.
The chorus also seems to touch on the idea of mental health struggles, with the "demons around my bed" calling the name of the person the singer is longing for. The use of fire as a coping mechanism further emphasizes this feeling of overwhelming emotion and the desire to escape it.
In the end, despite the desire to escape or numb oneself from emotions, the singer cannot help but continue to call out the name of the person they long for, unable to keep the rain - a metaphor for emotions and vulnerability - from getting in.
Line by Line Meaning
Is there something you'd like to do tonight?
Is there something you want to do tonight?
I got some bridges to burn
I have some connections to destroy
I'd like to fly away tonight
I want to leave tonight
For whatever it's worth
Despite whatever value it may have
Keep the salt out of my eyes can you
Prevent me from crying, can you?
Keep the heat in the air?
Is there still passion between us?
Maybe I'm making the whole thing up
Perhaps I'm imagining everything
Maybe you're not even there
Maybe you're not even real
I called your machine just to hear your voice
I called your voicemail just to hear you
I know you were listening when all I could hear was noise
I know you heard my message, even though it was unclear
And all of the demons around my bed
The negative thoughts that haunt me
Call your name like they want you dead
Repeating your name as if they wish for your demise
But I can't keep the rain from getting in
I can't keep my emotions from overwhelming me
One more, yeah it's pouring down again
One more time, the rain is coming down heavily
I set fire to the car tonight
I burned a vehicle to cope with my emotions
To keep from running away
To prevent myself from fleeing
I needed something loud and bright
I required something striking to distract from my thoughts
To keep the memory at bay
To suppress the recollection of something unpleasant
Sometimes I shout a lot
I get angry and raise my voice
There's things I know how to say
I have words that I can express
Sometimes I get scared
At times, I become afraid
I just get carried away
I become overwhelmed by my emotions
Well I call your name just to hear the sound
I say your name to hear its melody
Hang in the air as I walk around
As I move, the sound lingers
Can't keep the rain from getting in
Unable to prevent my emotions from consuming me
One more night
Once again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL DURHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alexandra
PERO QUE HERMOSA MUSICA
Ashley Foo
This is a great band, too bad the world doesn't know it. Their songs are quite hard to find =/
Paul Wilson
Just saw it on ebay.
tokiokoetai
@braithmorgan I absolutely love Thin White Lie...YBAM was a fantastic album
Kyle Burford
Black lab
Tecno Tips Tutoriales
Pensé que la foto era del Barón Ashler
freeswearingwords
I'm sure it's "cool" or "edgy", but I really can't stand the screeching in the beginning. Otherwise it's a really nice song.
Kyle Burford
British rule