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.
Freedom
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you learned in school
Was that you shouldn't try to fool
The people you're close to
And now you're almost full grown
I really should've known
If I left you on your own
Why'd you lie?
Don't want to hear no alibis
Don't want to know the reasons why
You left me here to cry
While you were out there loving him
And now you're acting real nice
You're all sugar and spice
You've already thrown the dice
Your chances are real slim
Why'd you lie?
Why'd you lie?
You'd better make a correction
To all this deception
And start treating me right
'Cause we had discussed it
'Til I was disgusted
There's one thing that I have to say
All about sleeping in another man's bed
Why'd you lie?
Why'd you lie?
The very first rule
That you learned in school
Was that you shouldn't try to fool
The people you're close to
Why'd you lie
Why'd you lie
Why'd you lie
Why'd you lie
Why'd you lie
In "Freedom" by Colin James, the singer is questioning why his partner has been dishonest with him. The lyrics describe how the very first lesson taught in school is to be truthful and honest with the people close to you. The singer expresses his disappointment and hurt at being lied to, particularly because of the discussion they had about how sleeping with someone else would not be acceptable. The partner's actions have betrayed their relationship, and the singer is questioning why they have acted this way.
As the song progresses, the singer begins to feel disillusioned with the partner's attempt to make amends, describing it as too little too late. The partner's chances of repairing the relationship seem slim, and the singer is left wondering why the partner would lie in the first place. Overall, the lyrics of "Freedom" explore the theme of deception in relationships and the distress it can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
The very first rule
The fundamental principle that guides behavior is
That you learned in school
That is usually taught in an educational setting
Was that you shouldn't try to fool
Was the fact that deception is immoral
The people you're close to
Especially those whom you have built relationships with.
And now you're almost full grown
As you approach maturity and are expected to know better,
I really should've known
I, as your caregiver, should have anticipated that you wouldn't stick to this rule.
If I left you on your own
If I left you to your own devices.
You wouldn't do like you're supposed to
You would circumvent the rule.
Why'd you lie?
Why did you lie to me?
Don't want to hear no alibis
I don't want to hear your excuses
Don't want to know the reasons why
Because there could be no good reasons/ there is no justification for lying
You left me here to cry
You caused me emotional pain
While you were out there loving him
While you were investing emotions in someone outside of our relationship
And now you're acting real nice
You are being congenial and seemingly remorseful
You're all sugar and spice
You are sweet with your words and appealing in demeanor.
You've already thrown the dice
You have made a decision and taken an action
Your chances are real slim
The probability of a favorable future outcome is low
You'd better make a correction
You should make some effort to make things right
To all this deception
And end all the lies and deceit
And start treating me right
Begin to treat me with respect and consideration
'Cause we had discussed it
Because we have talked about this extensively
'Til I was disgusted
Until it made me unhappy and disillusioned
There's one thing that I have to say
I have something to say, above all else
All about sleeping in another man's bed
There's a transgression involved with having sex with another man
Why'd you lie?
Why did you deceive me?
Why'd you lie?
Why did you deceive me?
The very first rule
The fundamental principle that guides behavior is
That you learned in school
That is usually taught in an educational setting
Was that you shouldn't try to fool
Was the fact that deception is immoral
The people you're close to
Especially those whom you have built relationships with.
Why'd you lie
Why did you deceive me?
Why'd you lie
Why did you deceive me?
Why'd you lie
Why did you deceive me?
Why'd you lie
Why did you deceive me?
Why'd you lie
Why did you deceive me?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MORGAN DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
toddvandell85
Suzanne Kavanagh Still is.
He just typically avoids touring America because American radio basically ignored him.
He has loads of fans in Canada, where he's from, so why tour down here in a country where basically no one's ever heard of him?
Those of us Americans who know him and love him are sadly too few and far between.
So, he still puts out great albums but tends not to tour down here.
Considering how our American radio stations just ignored the heck out of him, I kinda can't blame him for not touring here.
If ya can't get any love, stay and tour where your fans adore you. Simple as that.
chetthehoss
This whole album was the best thing Colin James ever did, in my opinion. Just totally killer grooves!
Sam McCue
A great singer and one of tastiest guitarists around.
destroistheduke
When you understand how important freedom is this song becomes an anthem. Whenever I feel put down by the MAN i listen to this and think about how I will overcome anything in my way.
Randy Segovia
I first saw Colin games at the doheny blue festival in the early 2000 and still loving his awesome music style
Suzanne Higgins
One of my favourites! He was always just so very good!
toddvandell85
Suzanne Kavanagh Still is.
He just typically avoids touring America because American radio basically ignored him.
He has loads of fans in Canada, where he's from, so why tour down here in a country where basically no one's ever heard of him?
Those of us Americans who know him and love him are sadly too few and far between.
So, he still puts out great albums but tends not to tour down here.
Considering how our American radio stations just ignored the heck out of him, I kinda can't blame him for not touring here.
If ya can't get any love, stay and tour where your fans adore you. Simple as that.
Niancy Rémillard
It's the song that was played for him at my father's funeral in 2002...took me 10 years to actually remember it and find it. I'm happy, thanks for putting this up. (sorry this is so random...but yeah)
Sheryl Farmer
There's a certain Spiritual Ahh... to the Good Ole' Blues
James
Wonderful man ! Met and talked with Colin in lloydminster, got pics taken with this great blues man! My only wish is to be able to play 1 set with him ! Drums of course! One of the best!
Joseph Rodrigues
GREAT song! The Live version at the Commodore is even better!