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?â, âVoodoo Thingâ and âFive 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 BublĂŠ, 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, âManâs Gotta Be A Stoneâ, âLost Againâ, âWavelengthâ and âJohnny Coolman.â
2011's 'Take It From The Top: The Best Ofâ pays tribute to James's career's first 23 years and serves as a celebration of Colinâs return back where he started his recordings, Virgin/EMI. This Greatest Hits collection also features two newly recorded tracks, âItâs Gonna Be Alrightâ as well as an innovative cover of the Buddy Miles' classic âThem Changesâ, that were recorded in Vancouver with veteran producer Bob Rock (Michael BublĂŠ, 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 âSweets Gone Sourâ and the rocker âI Need You Bad.â Colin also re-teamed with Tom Wilson and Thomas âTawgsâ Salter on four high-octane tracks, including the bluesy âNo Time to Get Thereâ and the driving âStone Faith,â the albumâs first single.
Fifteen also features two beautiful co-writes with Ron Sexsmith that reveal Colinâs seductive side: âFinally Wrote a Song for Youâ, a soulful love ballad; and âShoulder to Cry On,â 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 Vanceâs gospel-tinged âShed A Little Light,â 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 Westâs 14th year of celebrating Western Canadaâs 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 'whoâs 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.
It Ain't Over
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause thats the time that you walked out and I lost you
I've decided I would stay and wait it out
Hoping I could still be all you cared about
It ain't over yet
It ain't over
You never gave me half a chance to prove my self
But I can tell you I am made of stronger stuff
And i'll convince you if I hold on long enough
It ain't over yet
It ain't over yet
I know you packed your bags and left
And it's as bad as it can get
You know that It ain't over yet
It ain't over yet
It ain't over yet
I'm gonna be right here where you left me
Just come on over and get me???
It ain't over yet
I know you packed your bags and left
And it's as bad as it can get
It ain't over yet
Some say that when i lost you i lost my mind
I am seeing clearer all the time
It ain't over yet
It ain't over yet
I know you packed your bags and left
And it's as bad as it can get
And no it ain't over yet
You packed your bags and left
It ain't over yet
Na no no it ain't over yet
The song It Ain't Over Yet by Colin James talks about a person who has lost someone they deeply loved, and the song expresses the feelings that the person has towards the relationship. The opening lines suggest that the person is fixated on the time when their loved one walked out of their life, and since that moment, time seems to have stood still. However, the person chooses not to give up and decides to wait until their loved one realizes that they cannot live without them. The chorus "It Ain't Over Yet, It Ain't Over," signifies the person's hope that things can still turn around, and that there is still a chance to get back their lost love.
The second verse shows that the person never got a fair chance to show what they were capable of in the relationship. The loved one moved on with someone else without giving the person a chance to impress them. However, despite the rejection, the person displays unwavering strength of character and refuses to move on. The repetition of the phrase "it ain't over yet" in the chorus reiterates the person's refusal to let their loved one go without a fight. The bridge of the song further supports the person's state of mind as they vow to wait right where their loved one left them, inviting their loved one to come back home.
Overall, the song It Ain't Over Yet showcases a person committed to fighting for their baggage in a relationship, expressing the hope that the relationship can still work if they try hard enough.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems the clock is always stuck at ten to two
I feel like time has stopped since you left me
Cause thats the time that you walked out and I lost you
That's the moment when you left me and I lost you
I've decided I would stay and wait it out
I'm determined to stick around and wait for you
Hoping I could still be all you cared about
Praying that I can be the one you still love the most
It ain't over yet
Our relationship is not over yet
You never gave me half a chance to prove my self
You didn't give me a fair opportunity to show you what I can do
It did me in when you took up with someone else
It broke me when you started seeing someone else
But I can tell you I am made of stronger stuff
I want you to know that I am resilient and won't give up easily
And i'll convince you if I hold on long enough
If I'm persistent enough, I'll be able to win you back
I know you packed your bags and left
I'm aware that you left me and moved out
And it's as bad as it can get
I'm in a terrible state because of your departure
I'm gonna be right here where you left me
I'll be waiting for you where you left me
Just come on over and get me???
Please come and take me back
Some say that when i lost you i lost my mind
Some people believe that I went crazy after you left me
I am seeing clearer all the time
But I'm actually gaining a better perspective on things as time passes
Na no no it ain't over yet
No, our relationship still has a chance
Contributed by Mila M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stellas Wanderings
Such a fantastic Canadian! He just rocks the Commodore!
im annonymous
Ya that was where srv played when i was there, lifetime memory.... the commadore is magic...saw a vid of colin there....wish i could go.....lucky u
Debbie Cowan
Love this Music Man and his Band! Such a great tune and sound! Love the Sax! Oh lĂ lĂ !
Jen Perrin
Can't say I recall hearing this..yet I never left the dance floor!
Ginette Vardon
May I make a suggestion? Maybe it's time to put the tune on and let yourself go dancing in the living with the who holds the key to your heart! Let go and have fun, life is what we make it. Give in your wild inner child. Love and Light. xox
Silvio Pratto
That sax it's on fire.
James Buddy Rogers
Al Webster is such a great drummer!!
mike wright
Oh...and I was THERE!!! Excellent venue!!!
james wakeland
can't stop listening to this...gotta buy the cd..does the dvd come with it?
ImaMonaKnight
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