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.
Dying Just to Hold You
Black Lab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics to Black Lab's song "Dying Just to Hold You" express a deep longing for love and the desire to have a deeper connection with someone. The singer is not content with just dreaming about this person and wants to have their love, scent, and touch. He feels that it is not enough to just watch this person from above and desires to show them what he is made of.
The chorus of the song repeatedly emphasizes the intensity of the singer’s desire to be with this person, as he sings that he is “dying just to hold you.” The metaphorical “wall” represents the barriers that are preventing the singer from being with this person, and the “dawn” represents the possibility of a new beginning if those barriers were to come down.
The song also touches upon the pain of separation, as the singer’s heart falls apart when this person is gone. He even suggests that having any material possession, like a rag or a doll, installed as the "king of all" is not enough. He needs this person's love to feel complete and whole.
Overall, the lyrics to "Dying Just to Hold You" convey a haunting sense of longing, expressing the necessity of a deep emotional connection and the painful desperation that comes with its absence.
Line by Line Meaning
I want your love your scent, your touch it's not enough to dream this baby I want your love you smile, you go but I could show you what I'm made of
The singer desires more than just the memory of their lover's love; they want it presently. The lover's presence gives them the opportunity to prove themselves to their lover and show their true self.
you're watching me from above but baby I want your love
Although the lover may be far away or distant, the singer's want for their love remains strong.
the wall comes down the dawn shines out I'm dying just to hold you dying just to hold you the wall comes down your light shines out I'm trying not to show you I'm dying just to hold you
The singer's wall, or defenses, have come down and they are vulnerable. They want so badly to hold their lover that they feel themselves dying inside. The singer is trying to hide this feeling but their lover's light continues to shine through.
this stone, this heart it falls apart when you are gone you know baby I want your love
The artist's heart becomes heavy and broken when their lover leaves. Despite this pain, they still yearn for their lover's love.
a rag, a doll would you install as king of all maybe it's not enough cause baby I want your love
Even if the artist were to be given everything in the world, it would not be sufficient because they only desire their lover's love.
Contributed by Isabella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dana Taschen
Black lab is one of those perfect treasures that you simultaneously want to greedily keep for yourself and also want to boastfully introduce to your coolest friends. And Paul...bring your tall self to Dallas...soon.
Wipe Hoegg
I'm from Guatemala, and I discovered this band some time ago. They really are great. I hope they keep on making such great music.
Jackie Cassada
Durham's voice and the band's sound are so compelling, I almost don't need the video -- but visuals add so much more. Great job! Great song, great sound.
Alex Lundgren
Paul - LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE that you are doing what you love and doing it so amazingly. Knew you had it in you in speech class, glad to see others see it too! I was so excited when Your Body Above Me was released and have just kept watching and listening. Better and better all the time.
Lillie K
Love it!!
joleene2
This song has been in my head for two days straight - love it! :)
Béa Mia
Magnifique voix, comme d'habitude...
Black Lab
hey subscribers, welcome to the new vid! directed by some friends at the local university. hope you like -- please facebook & tweet about it. thanks!!
rocnaymo
i hate how this black lab so underrated :((
C T
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!