They have released three studio albums to date - Problems (2007), Head of the Hawk (2009) and Company (2011). The band formed in 2002 and began their career playing improvised hip-hop sets in small bars.
Bluejuice released their debut album Problems in 2007 after two EPs and constant touring. Problems was well received by Rolling Stone magazine in Australia, which awarded the album a four out of five rating.The band's first single, "Vitriol", enjoyed airplay on the Australian national radio network Triple J, being the second most popular track in 2007 and ultimately reaching No. 11 in the annual Triple J Hottest 100 countdown in 2007. "Vitriol" ranked number 67 in the Australian Rolling Stone Magazine's 100 Best songs of 2007. The video clip for "Vitriol" won best clip at Sunscreen Video Awards in 2007.
The video clip for "The Reductionist", the second single from Problems, was Rage "Indie Clip of the Week" in January 2008. The third single, "Phantom Boogie," received substantial airplay on Triple J. All three singles were produced by Genevieve Maynard.
In 2009, Bluejuice signed to the Australian record label Dew Process and recorded their second studio album at Big Jesus Burger in Sydney with producer/mixer Chris Shaw (Bob Dylan, Public Enemy, Super Furry Animals, Weezer). Lead single "Broken Leg" debuted on the Australian Singles Chart at number 47 on 23 August 2009. They released the album Head of the Hawk on 18 September 2009, and it debuted at No. 37 on the Australian Albums Chart. "Broken Leg" eventually peaked at No. 27 on the Australian Singles Chart, supported by a music video directed by Samuel Bennetts, as well as reaching No. 5 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2009. The band performed the song on Channel Seven's Sunrise and Channel Nine's Wide World of Sports.
The second single from Head of the Hawk is "(Ain't) Telling the Truth", which was added to Triple J airplay. The band have also been nominated for two ARIA Awards in 2009 for Best Breakthrough Artist (Single) for "Broken Leg" and Best Video for "Broken Leg". The "Broken Leg" video was directed by Sammuel Bennet and was shot at the Metro in Sydney with the local skipping team called (in video) "Shimmer Extreme" led by the coach TK. "Broken Leg" was also voted No. 1 on Rage's inaugural "Rage FIFTY" in 2009.
On the Grand Final (part 1) episode of the AFL Footy Show, Hawthorn Football Club players Ben Stratton, Jarryd Morton, Matt Suckling and Liam Shiels re-enacted the popular video clip to "Broken Leg" live as part of the 2010 Player Review.
On November 11, 2011, Bluejuice released their third album, Company. The first single 'Act Yr Age' was co-written by Sparkadia's Alex Burnett. The closing track, 'On My Own' was co-written by The Presets' Julian Hamilton.
In January 2012, Bluejuice once again completed their annual Sizzling Summer tour with dance act The Aston Shuffle. They also played both Big Day Out and Groovin' the Moo festival tours.
Little Emperor
Bluejuice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This wrangler's ambition
There's so much static in the signal to here
You clear me
Hey! So what, you keep on staring straight at the sun?
This wrangler's ambition
You're gonna burn up over everyone, you, nobody believes you
We are the spark that sets the fire
We are the jealous things you do
We are the people you aspire to
Take me back to the
Hey! So what, you got yourself a big idea?
This wrangler's ambition
There's so much static in the signal to here
You clear me
Hey! So what, you keep on staring straight at the sun?
This wrangler's ambition
This wrangler's ambition
You're gonna burn up over everyone, you, nobody believes you
No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o, woah
We are the spark that sets the fire
We are the jealous things you do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
We are the people you aspire to, woo
Take me back to the
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
We are the jealous things you do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
We are the people you aspire to, woo
The lyrics to Bluejuice’s song “Little Emperor” seem to be an admonition to an individual who has big ambitions that are not backed up by reality. The song opens with a question, “Hey! So what, you got yourself a big idea?” This is followed by the repetition of “This wrangler's ambition,” a line that suggests that this ambitious individual may be trying to wrangle too much too soon. The next few lines about static in the signal and staring straight at the sun may be interpreted as a metaphor for the challenges faced by the individual who might be trying to reach their goal without a clear understanding of how to get there.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “We are the spark that sets the fire” twice, before adding “We are the jealous things you do, We are the people you aspire to.” These lines may indicate that the song is, in part, a response to real or imagined competition against this individual’s ambitious goals. The final lines repeat the chorus, adding “Take me back to the,” as if to say that despite the challenges and competition, the individual is still being pulled towards their big idea.
Overall, the song is a nuanced warning about the pitfalls of ambition and the importance of grounding one’s aspirations in reality. It acknowledges the importance of drive and ambition, but also emphasizes the need to approach those things with a clear-eyed view of oneself and the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey! So what, you got yourself a big idea?
The singer is questioning the listener's big idea.
This wrangler's ambition
The singer is referring to an ambitious person.
There's so much static in the signal to here
There are a lot of distractions that are causing interference.
You clear me
The artist is suggesting that the listener is clearing their thoughts.
Hey! So what, you keep on staring straight at the sun?
The artist is questioning the listener's reckless behavior.
You're gonna burn up over everyone, you, nobody believes you
The listener's actions will only result in failure and no one believes in them.
We are the spark that sets the fire
The singer is suggesting that they are the cause of the spark that ignites a fire or idea.
We are the jealous things you do
The artist is suggesting that they are the source of the listener's jealousy.
We are the people you aspire to
The artist is referring to themselves as the people the listener looks up to.
Take me back to the
The artist is starting a new stanza or verse.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Lyrics indicating a musical transition or interlude.
We are the jealous things you do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The artist repeats this line as a reminder that they are the source of the listener's jealousy.
We are the people you aspire to, woo
The singer repeats this line as a declaration that they are the people the listener looks up to.
Writer(s): JAMES HAUPTMANN, JEREMY CRAIB, JACOB STONE, STAVROS YIANNOUKAS, JAMES CIBEJ
Contributed by Ethan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.