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.
Time Ago
Black Lab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moon has set down without us
All by ourselves riding in the front seat
Watch the sun come up
All by ourselves we would run
Remember?
It was so long ago
Feel your hand close beside me
Hear the highway behind me
All by ourselves we made love
Under the sleeping moonless night
All by ourselves we would run
Remember?
It was so long ago
It was a long time ago
I couldn't stop you crying
Or stop myself from fighting back
I tried but never hard enough
Don't you remember, love?
All by myself
I can see it like it's right before my eyes
By myself time goes by
Remember?
It was so long ago
It was a long time ago
The lyrics to Black Lab's "Time Ago" explore themes of nostalgia, love, and loss. The song begins with the singer watching the window of someone they miss for hours, wishing they could be together. The moon has set, and they are alone in the front seat of a car, waiting for the sun to come up. They reminisce about a time when they used to run by themselves, a time long ago. However, despite the distance between them, the singer can still feel the presence of their love beside them and the sounds of the highway behind them.
As the song continues, the singer reflects on a missed opportunity to stop their loved one from crying and prevent a fight. They tried their best to make things right, but it was not enough. The song concludes with the singer being alone once again, remembering the relationship they once had. Time seems to have passed since they were together, yet the memories remain vivid, making it seem as if it were only yesterday.
Overall, "Time Ago" is a melancholy yet introspective song that explores the complexities of love and longing. It highlights the way memories can be both a source of comfort and pain and how people can hold on to the past even as time moves on.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch your window for hours
I spend hours looking at your window hoping to see you
Moon has set down without us
The night is over and morning has come without us realizing it
All by ourselves riding in the front seat
We sit alone next to each other, with no one else riding with us
Watch the sun come up
We sit and watch the sunrise together
All by ourselves we would run
We used to run when it was just us
Remember?
Do you remember those times?
It was so long ago
It feels like forever ago
Feel your hand close beside me
I feel your hand next to mine
Hear the highway behind me
We hear the sound of the highway behind us
All by ourselves we made love
We made love when we were alone
Under the sleeping moonless night
In the dark of the night while the moon was asleep
I couldn't stop you crying
I couldn't make you stop crying
Or stop myself from fighting back
I couldn't stop myself from fighting with you
I tried but never hard enough
I tried to fix things between us, but not enough
Don't you remember, love?
Do you not remember the love we had?
I can see it like it's right before my eyes
I can see those memories as if they are happening right now
By myself time goes by
When I'm alone, time seems to pass slowly
Remember?
Do you remember those times?
It was so long ago
It feels like forever ago
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL DURHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Justin Charles Stauffer
I watch your window for hours
Moon has set down without us
All by ourselves riding in the front seat
Watch the sun come up
All by ourselves we would run
Remember?
It was so long ago
It was a long time ago
Feel your hand close beside me
Hear the highway behind me
All by ourselves we made love
Under the sleeping moonless night
All by ourselves we would run
Remember?
It was so long ago
It was a long time ago
I couldn't stop you crying
Or stop myself from fighting back
I tried but never hard enough
Don't you remember, love?
All by myself
I can see it like it's right before my eyes
By myself time goes by
Remember?
It was so long ago
It was a long time ago
Songwriters: PAUL DURHAM
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
For non-commercial use only.
Data From: LyricFind
JAA Little
How can the universe let Coldplay become stadium gods yet let amazing artists like Black Lab slowly drift into the night..? Life isn’t fair.
MamacitasBikini
OMG yes! I mean Coldplay? I even had forgotten about Black Lab but I heard this song while recently watching The Real World Seattle and hunted it down. Such a crime. This song is amazing.
skinsfan 22554
@MamacitasBikini I saw Black Lab play at a chili cook-off in Washington DC and went out the next day to buy the CD.
WendiWhat?
Theyre still here! Making music, new album in the works as we speak! During this crazy pandemic Paul has been having podcasts and lives for fans! Great music but kind and genuinely love their fans! ❤🤘🙏
steven king
@WendiWhat? Do you have a link to their music?
Alan Ashby
No life isn’t fair but 3 years later I’m sure you’ve figured out you are 1 in a million literally
rafael jordan
20 years later, still one of my absolutely favorite songs of the 90's. timeless
DC
20 years dam didn't realise it was that long ago I'm getting old lol feels like only yesterday I was listening to this in my room
kisscatastrophe
this song is timeless and despite lack of a major label or radio play they are STILL making amazing music. all of their albums are brilliant and their brand new album "A New World" is the best surprise of the year. sooooo good
TheDealMaster
One of the most underrated bands ever, for sure. My buddy Chris and I got the pleasure to sit with the lead singer for maybe 15 minutes. He was so nice. He walked with a cane, so I am not sure what his ailment was. But he hung out, signed CDs, and just chatted. Real nice guy.