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.
Without You
Black Lab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep the records and the books
But tell me what it was that went wrong
I think about California
I think about getting out of here
I think I'll change my name
I know I'll never be the same without you
No matter where I go
Or what I do
I'll always be in love with you
Without you
I know you're sick of me now
I know you're sick of my advice
I never learned to keep it to myself
I think about California
I think about burning down this town
I think I'll change my name
Maybe you should do the same
Without you
Without you
No matter where I go
Or what I do
I'll always be in love with you
Without you
Tell me what did I do?
What did I say?
How could I end up this way?
Without you
And just this once pretend
Forget that I was drunk that night when I said
That I would jump a mile to my death if you should ever leave
You promised that you'd always be with me
Are your black eyes turning blue?
'Cause I just can't live without you
The lyrics of Black Lab's song "Without You" express the pain of heartbreak and the desperation to hold on to memories of a love lost. The singer is still in love with his former partner despite the breakup and cannot let go of the memories they shared. He wants to keep the pictures, records, and books - anything that will remind him of their life together.
The singer struggles with the idea of moving on and possibly starting anew by changing his name or moving to another state, but he knows that he will never be the same without his lover. He recognizes that his partner may be tired of his advice and wants to move on, too, but he cannot help but hold onto hope that they might reconcile.
The lyrics "No matter where I go or what I do, I'll always be in love with you without you" captures the paradoxical essence of heartbreak - the feeling that one cannot live without the other person, yet they are no longer together. The final lines of the song express the singer's regret and longing for his lost love as he reflects on the past and wonders if he could have done anything differently.
Overall, "Without You" is a poignant and relatable song for anyone who has experienced heartbreak and the deep pain that it can cause.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep the pictures we took
Retain the memories we created together
Keep the records and the books
Retain the physical mementos we shared
But tell me what it was that went wrong
Help me understand what led to our relationship's failure
I think about California
I imagine a different place to be free from this heartache
I think about getting out of here
I want to escape from this place and our memories
I think I'll change my name
I want a new identity to symbolize a new beginning
I know I'll never be the same without you
I acknowledge that our togetherness molded me and moving on changes me completely
Without you
Lacking you in my life
No matter where I go
I realize that geography won't change my love for you
Or what I do
I understand that regardless of my actions, I can't control my love for you
I'll always be in love with you
I understand that my love for you can never fade away
I know you're sick of me now
I understand that our relationship has gone sour
I know you're sick of my advice
I realize I need to change my approach around you
I never learned to keep it to myself
I need to learn to keep my opinions and suggestions to myself
I think about burning down this town
I entertain destructive ideas to end the memories of us
Maybe you should do the same
I suggest that you adopt my approach to this situation
Tell me what did I do?
I seek to understand what part I played in our relationship's failure
What did I say?
I seek to understand how my words hurt us
How could I end up this way?
I contemplate where I went wrong in this relationship
And just this once pretend
I suggest we try to forget the negative and focus on the positive
Forget that I was drunk that night when I said
Ignore the foolish words I spoke while under the influence
That I would jump a mile to my death if you should ever leave
I spoke of my love for you and my inability to live without you
You promised that you'd always be with me
I remember your promise to spend a lifetime with me
Are your black eyes turning blue?
Are you also sad and hurt like I am?
'Cause I just can't live without you
I need you in my life and can't bear the thought of living without you
Contributed by Chase C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
AEpixie7
WHY DOES NO ONE KNOW ABOUT THIS BAND!? I just heard of them the other day and I can't stop listening! MORE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!!!!
Michael Barrett
The layered guitars, melodic moody voice, lyrics, fading outro...great, overlooked song and very talented band. One of my favorites from Black Lab along with Wash It Away, Time Ago, Mine Again, Weightless.
Yvonne S
Love this band!!!!! Thank you for posting this!!!!!
Aldos Medina
This Band is UNIQUELY EPIC!!! that's why only few people with UNIQUE taste of MUSIC recognize this band!!! this band is FreaK'n AWESOME!!!
Roady
Just discovered this band also. Wow Wow Wow!! So Amazing
Usman Aqeel
woahH!! Not a single hater... Truly amazing band :)
Bobby Clarke
Great Tune!!!!
Christina Roberts-Chan
If it wasn't for the T.V show Flashpoint... I would of never discovered this band! It's a shame not enough people come across this music.
NecroFusion
My... My god... Someone actually posted this song... Thank you!
Megs A. Barton
Thank you pandora for showing me this song!