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.
Mine Again
Black Lab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a world I used to know
There was a light and it was you
Every word I say is true
I say -
every day I will wait - till you?re mine again
I will die every day - till you?re mine again
I will dream, I will pray - you?ll be mine again
I can see you dressed in red
All the secret things you said
Lying barefoot in the grass
Now my heart is in your hands
Your hands -
every day I will wait - till you?re mine again
I will die every day - till you?re mine again
There?s no words to explain - no beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray - you?ll be mine again
it's just time that runs between us
It's the ocean underneath us
It's the picture that won't fade away
every day I will wait - you?ll be mine again
Brings me close to the day - you?ll be mine again
There?s no words to explain - no beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray - you?ll be mine again
The lyrics to Black Lab's song "Mine Again" speaks of a lost love, a relationship that has ended but the singer still holds on to the hope of rekindling what was once between them. The first few lines recall memories of a place and a world where everything was bright and meaningful - a time when the person they are singing to was still with them. The singer declares that everything they say is true, which may suggest that whatever reason caused the relationship to fall apart was not based on falsehood or deceit.
The chorus is a repeated declaration of the singer's unwavering love and devotion - a love that remains constant even as time passes. The first two lines speak of waiting and "dying" every day until that love comes back to them. The third line suggests that the depth of their love cannot be put into words or measured by time, and the last line highlights the singer's refusal to give up on their hope and faith of being with this person again.
The bridge section acknowledges the distance between them, both physical and emotional, and the obstacles they must overcome to be together once more. The ocean metaphor may suggest a vast, seemingly insurmountable divide, while the picture that won't fade away could be a symbol of the memories and the love they shared that continues to haunt and inspire the singer.
Overall, "Mine Again" expresses a yearning for love to be rekindled despite the challenges of distance, time, and circumstance, and the hope and faith that sustain the singer's belief in a future together.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a place I used to go
I remember a location from my past
There's a world I used to know
I remember a past version of the world
There was a light and it was you
Your presence used to brighten my days
Every word I say is true
I am being sincere in my expression
every day I will wait - till you?re mine again
I will wait persistently for our reunion
I will die every day - till you?re mine again
My heart aches every day that we're apart
There?s no words to explain - no beginning and no end
Our connection transcends explanation or definition
I will dream, I will pray - you?ll be mine again
I will hold onto hope for us to be reunited
I can see you dressed in red
I have a vivid memory of you in a certain outfit
All the secret things you said
Memories of our intimate conversations play in my mind
Lying barefoot in the grass
A specific, carefree moment with you is etched in my memory
Now my heart is in your hands
I am vulnerable and entrusting my heart to you
it's just time that runs between us
The ultimate barrier between us is the passage of time
It's the ocean underneath us
The vastness of the distance between us is akin to an ocean
It's the picture that won't fade away
Memories of our past won't fade, no matter how much time passes
every day I will wait - you?ll be mine again
I will wait patiently and optimistically for our reunion
Brings me close to the day - you?ll be mine again
Thinking of our future reunion provides me comfort in the present
There?s no words to explain - no beginning and no end
Our connection surpasses explanation or definition or measure of time
I will dream, I will pray - you?ll be mine again
I continue to hold onto hope for us to be reunited
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Poyser, Mariah Carey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
iio
There's a place I used to go
There's a world I used to know
There was a light and it was you
Every word I say is true
I say -
Every day I will wait
Till you're mine again
I will die every day
Till you're mine again
There's no words to explain
No beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray
You'll be mine again
I can see you dressed in red
All the secret things you said
Lying barefoot in the grass
Now my heart is in your hands
Your hands -
Every day I will wait
Till you're mine again
I will die every day
Till you're mine again
There's no words to explain
No beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray
You'll be mine again
It's just time that runs between us
It's the ocean underneath us
It's the picture that won't fade away
Every day I will wait
Till you're mine again
Brings me close to the day
When you're mine again
There's no words to explain
No beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray
You'll be mine again
Romulo Almeida
why is this band so underrated? honestly one of the best i've ever heard.
Charles Jackson
Most people just want to listen to a beat instead of listening to the whole package music and lyrics that actually make you think and remember bad and good times. It’s sad really, music should move you and make you think about life
Taylor H
well, they haven’t had a record deal in 24 years so🤷🏼♂️ Radio isn’t going to play an independent band who releases their albums on their website. As brilliant as they are.
Gabriel Ungacta
Sometimes the feeling of what could have been is stronger than what actually happened because the memory of perfection lasts longer. And even though we didnt end up together, it will never change the fact that you changed my life forever.
tom smith
You said that so so so beautifully.
Rusty Russell
This guy has one of the greatest voices of all time and Black Lab are the greatest band of all time
JourneyofEmily
This’ll always remind me of my first serious relationships. One of the best things I brought with me from it tbh
Atowne Atowne
This song needs more exposure. Amazing
iio
There's a place I used to go
There's a world I used to know
There was a light and it was you
Every word I say is true
I say -
Every day I will wait
Till you're mine again
I will die every day
Till you're mine again
There's no words to explain
No beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray
You'll be mine again
I can see you dressed in red
All the secret things you said
Lying barefoot in the grass
Now my heart is in your hands
Your hands -
Every day I will wait
Till you're mine again
I will die every day
Till you're mine again
There's no words to explain
No beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray
You'll be mine again
It's just time that runs between us
It's the ocean underneath us
It's the picture that won't fade away
Every day I will wait
Till you're mine again
Brings me close to the day
When you're mine again
There's no words to explain
No beginning and no end
I will dream, I will pray
You'll be mine again
Mayann Baguio
this song still gives me the chills. so much emotion ♥