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.
I'm Losing You
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Late in the afternoon
What am I doing here at all?
Ain't no doubt about it
I'm losing you
Somehow the wires have crossed
Communication's lost
Just got to shout about it
I'm losing you
Here in the valley of indecision
I don't know what to do
I feel you slipping away
I feel you slipping away
I'm losing you
I'm losing you
You say you're not getting enough
But I remind you of all that bad stuff
So what the hell am I supposed to do?
Just put a band-aid on it?
And stop the bleeding now
Stop the bleeding now
I know I hurt you then
But that was way back when
And well, do you still have to carry that cross?
Don't want to hear about it
I'm losing you
I'm losing you
The lyrics in Colin James's song "I'm Losing You" describe a sense of confusion and frustration that arises when there is a breakdown in communication between two people who were once close. The singer finds themselves in a stranger's room in the afternoon, an unfamiliar and uncomfortable place. They question their own actions and motivations, wondering why they are even there. They can't seem to reach the person they are thinking about on the telephone, and when they do, they feel like the wires have crossed and everything they say is going unheard.
The central theme of the song is the sense of loss that the singer is experiencing. They are aware that something important is slipping away, but they can't quite put their finger on what it is or how to stop it. The chorus emphasizes this feeling, with the repeated line, "I'm losing you." The singer acknowledges that they have hurt the other person in the past, but they feel like they are being punished for something that they can't take back. They are frustrated and even angry that the other person seems unwilling to move past these hurts and try to reconnect.
In the bridge, the singer describes feeling like they are stuck in a "valley of indecision." They don't know what to do to save the relationship, but they can sense that it is slipping away. They remind the other person of all the good things in their relationship, but it seems like it is too little, too late. They end the song by repeating, "I'm losing you," putting a final emphasis on the sense of despair and loss that pervades the entire song.
Line by Line Meaning
Here in some stranger's room
I am lost and confused in a foreign place.
Late in the afternoon
The day is ending, and I am confronted with my problems.
What am I doing here at all?
I question my choices and feel regretful.
Ain't no doubt about it
There is no denying the situation.
I'm losing you
I am losing the person I love.
Somehow the wires have crossed
Our communication has failed, and we are not understanding each other.
Communication's lost
We are no longer able to communicate with each other.
Can't even get you on the telephone
I cannot even reach out to you through a call.
Just got to shout about it
I have resorted to shouting my thoughts and feelings.
I'm losing you
I am losing the person I love.
Here in the valley of indecision
I feel lost and uncertain about what to do.
I don't know what to do
I am completely clueless on what actions to take.
I feel you slipping away
I sense that you are slowly distancing yourself from me.
I'm losing you
I am losing the person I love.
You say you're not getting enough
You claim that you are unsatisfied with me.
But I remind you of all that bad stuff
I try to justify my shortcomings by bringing up your past mistakes.
So what the hell am I supposed to do?
I feel helpless and unsure of how to fix things.
Just put a band-aid on it?
Should I just apply a temporary solution to our problems?
And stop the bleeding now
Should I stop the pain and suffering we are going through immediately?
I know I hurt you then
I acknowledge that I caused you pain in the past.
But that was way back when
I try to minimize the significance of my past mistakes.
And well, do you still have to carry that cross?
I ask if you still hold a grudge against me for my past actions.
Don't want to hear about it
I do not want to face the consequences of my actions.
I'm losing you
I am losing the person I love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tom Stc
Most underrated guitar player. One of the best hands down
im annonymous
THE best cover ive heard. I almost like it more than johns at least the guitar , it just screams
MsRocker961
The vocals are so amazing! Such feeling
John Roseman
What a GREAT version of a John Lennon song from his last album, 'Double Fantasy'!
Stan Esposito
Cool version of this great song.
Charlotte Colesberry
Lennon wrote it but the arrangement, singing and guitar playing are infinitely better.
Annie Chen
I love this song. grooves to it
Les Caldwell
his cove songs are the best by far
Dragon Ladee
BAD HABITS.. best of the best... awesome album. Love the songs on that album.. each is really great.. totally worth 20$ to buy the cd... :) and he is so hot.. I could actually love this guy... if he lives by his words,,,,
Jenn
Cool song:).