James was only 18-years old when he captured the attention of guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, who marveled at this prodigious guitar talent, and immediately decided to take him on the road through the Canadian prairies, and later the United States. It wasn't long after that the young musician began opening for the likes of John Lee Hooker, ZZ Top, Steve Winwood and Keith Richards, Colin's 1988 self-titled debut Colin James was the fastest-selling album in Canadian music history featuring the smash hits "Why'd You Lie?”, “Voodoo Thing” and “Five Long Years". It featured a team of three top producers, including Tom Dowd (Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers), Danny Kortchmar (Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Stevie Nicks, Neil Young) and Bob Rock (Jann Arden, Michael Bublé, Bush, The Cult, Loverboy, Sarah McLachlan, Metallica).
James followed up his record-breaking debut with a strong 1990 release, Sudden Stop, which was produced by Joe Hardy (.38 Special, Steve Earle, The Jeff Healey Band, ZZ Top ). This release has two top forty radio hits: "Just Came Back" and, "Keep On Loving Me Baby", and features Bonnie Raitt singing backing vocals on "Give It Up". This sophomore album further helped established Colin's integrity as an artist to lookout for.
James formed The Little Big Band in early 1990's and would eventually release a trilogy of CDs fronting this 1930's-50's style punchy horn section band, playing classics and originals featuring his stellar guitar fills and confident vocals. The first Colin James and The Little Big Band was released in 1993, and it was produced by Chris Kinsley (The Cult, Duran Duran, Psychedelic Furs, The Rolling Stones). The second Colin James and The Little Big Band II was released in 1998 on Warner Music, while the third, Colin James & The Little Big Band 3 was distributed on Maple Music in Canada and Universal Music Group globally in 2006, and he would eventually do a fourth with the band, a holiday album Colin James & The Little Big Band Christmas.
In 2008 he took home three Maple Blues Awards (Toronto Blues Society), which included Entertainer of the Year, while his release Limelight also went gold in Canada.
James released his twelfth album Rooftops and Satellites on October 6th, 2009, and it was a return to his guitar Blues-Rock roots. The album was primarily co-written by Tom Wilson (Junkhouse, Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, Lee Harvey Osmond) and Thomas "Tawgs" Salter, co-writer and producer of Lights' debut and Josh Groban's Awake, and it has generated four Canadian radio singles, “Man’s Gotta Be A Stone”, “Lost Again”, “Wavelength” and “Johnny Coolman.”
2011's 'Take It From The Top: The Best Of’ pays tribute to James's career's first 23 years and serves as a celebration of Colin’s return back where he started his recordings, Virgin/EMI. This Greatest Hits collection also features two newly recorded tracks, “It’s Gonna Be Alright“ as well as an innovative cover of the Buddy Miles' classic “Them Changes”, that were recorded in Vancouver with veteran producer Bob Rock (Michael Bublé, Metallica), reuniting the two after almost twenty years.
On June 12th, 2012, James released his fifteenth album, appropriately entitled Fifteen, which was produced by Joe Hardy (ZZ Top, Brooks & Dunn, Jeff Healey, Steve Earle), who had handled three of Colin's previous album productions including his successful sophomore release. Colin co-writes with Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Grady) on the opener “Sweets Gone Sour” and the rocker “I Need You Bad.” Colin also re-teamed with Tom Wilson and Thomas “Tawgs” Salter on four high-octane tracks, including the bluesy “No Time to Get There” and the driving “Stone Faith,” the album’s first single.
Fifteen also features two beautiful co-writes with Ron Sexsmith that reveal Colin’s seductive side: “Finally Wrote a Song for You”, a soulful love ballad; and “Shoulder to Cry On,” a moving acoustic number that highlights his vocal range, while closing the album. The disc also features some inspiring covers, including John Lennon's "Jealous Guy", Peter Green's (Fleetwood Mac) "Oh Well", [artis]Foy Vance’s gospel-tinged “Shed A Little Light,” and Allen Toussaint's funky "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley", which has perhaps become best known by Robert Palmer's cover.
On February 3, 2015, James released Hearts On Fire which was produced by Colin Linden at House of Blues Studios in Nashville, and this twelve track collection is distributed by Universal Music. The title track and all but two of the songs were written or co-written by Colin.
In 2016, James was named an inductee into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame presented by FACTOR (The Canadian Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings). In addition to this honour, Colin headlined the Western Canadian Music Awards Show at Casino Regina on October 13th, 2016, kicking off BreakOut West’s 14th year of celebrating Western Canada’s talent.
James's studio album Blue Highways features thirteen Classic Blues covers from guitar-hero greats like Blind Willie McTell, Freddie King, Peter Green, and Robert Johnson. The CD was released on October 16th, 2016. Recording and Production was primarily handled in Vancouver by Colin James and Dave Meszaros, with recording and mixing assistance from Eric Mosher, Chris Stringer and Jason Jaknunas. Blue Highways is being distributed by True North Records, and iTunes.
Over his illustrious career, James has earned 16 Maple Blues Awards, and he has worked and toured with the 'who’s who' in the international music scene (in alphabetical order): Luther Allison, Jann Arden, The Chieftains, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Tom Dowd, Buddy Guy, Johnny Hallyday, John Hammond Jr., Gordie Johnson, Albert King, Bobby King and Terry Evans, Danny Kortchmar, Lenny Kravitz, Little Feat, The Memphis Horns, Craig Northey, Bill Payne, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Bob Rock, The Rolling Stones, Roomful Of Blues, Carlos Santana, Mavis Staples, Roebuck "Pops" Staples, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tom Wilson, Betty Wright and ZZ Top. In addition to writing most of his own material, his music has been covered by artists like Maria Muldaur, Johnny Halliday and Lucinda Williams.
Cadillac Baby
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How that woman loves to ride
Yeah, Cadillac Baby
How that woman loves to ride
She's crazy 'bout that hydromatic
Cause its such an easy ride
She loves her rollin', how she loves to ball the jack
She's crazy about that easy ridin', crazy bout that Cadillac
Turn on the radio and cruise on down
The avenue
Yeah, turn on the radio and cruise on
Down the avenue
She's crazy about my caddy
And I 'm crazy for my baby too
Well, long about midnight she came
Knockin' on my door
Yeah, long about midnight she came
Knockin' on my door
Gotta take out that caddy
Baby wants to ride some more
Yeah at night we went riding
Riding in the rain
She was my baby
And I was her man
She said honey ride a long long time
You rock so easy, so mellow and fine
If you get tired of ridin', give yourself a rest
Park it in the spot that your baby loves the best
Cadillac baby
How that woman loves to ride
Yeah Cadillac baby
How that woman loves to ride
Crazy bout that easy ridin'
How she loves that Cadillac
Go
Trumpet
Let it roll
I gotta Roll
All night long
Gotta Roll
All night long
Yes we gotta roll pretty darlin'
Roll all night long
"Cadillac Baby" is a song by Colin James that describes a woman who loves to ride around in a luxurious Cadillac car. The lyrics suggest that she is enamoured with the car, particularly the hydromatic feature that makes it a smooth ride. The song's upbeat tempo and use of a trumpet in the instrumental section add to the joyful and carefree tone of the song. The lyrics also reveal that the woman is a fan of the easy-riding that comes with the Cadillac and enjoys cruising down the avenue with the radio playing. The song also tells the story of how the woman comes knocking on the singer's door in the middle of the night, wanting to go for another ride.
There is a sense of freedom and joy conveyed in the song, with the Cadillac representing an escape from daily life and a way to enjoy the simple pleasures of the world. It captures the essence of driving on a warm summer night, enjoying the intoxicating scent of fresh air and feeling the breeze in your hair. Overall, "Cadillac Baby" is a celebration of the beauty of life that can be found in simple moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Cadillac Baby
She loves her car, a luxurious Cadillac.
How that woman loves to ride
She enjoys being in the car and going for long rides.
Crazy bout her rollin', how she loves to ball the jack
She loves the smooth ride of her Cadillac and having fun while driving.
She's crazy about that easy ridin', crazy bout that Cadillac
She really enjoys driving her Cadillac which provides a comfortable and smooth ride.
Turn on the radio and cruise on down the avenue
She enjoys listening to music while driving her Cadillac.
She's crazy about my caddy, And I 'm crazy for my baby too
She loves his car, and he loves her.
Gotta take out that caddy, Baby wants to ride some more
She wants to go for another drive in his car.
She was my baby, And I was her man
They are in a romantic relationship where he is her partner and she is his girlfriend.
She said honey ride a long long time, You rock so easy, so mellow and fine
She enjoys the experience of a long, easy ride in his Cadillac and being with him.
If you get tired of ridin', give yourself a rest
She cares about his well-being and wants him to take a break if he needs it.
Park it in the spot that your baby loves the best
She has a favorite spot for his car to be parked.
Go Trumpet, Let it roll
This is a musical interlude featuring a trumpet solo.
I gotta Roll, All night long
He's going to keep on driving all through the night.
Yes we gotta roll pretty darlin', Roll all night long
They both want to keep driving, enjoying the ride together.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Roy Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind