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.
Man's Gotta Be A Stone
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Man's gotta be a stone
A man's gotta carry that weight and get back home
I got one life to live
Baby, one life to live
I gotta fill it up, so I can get back what I give
I'm gonna have to find a way
To work till I get it right and make it pay
Man's gotta be a stone
Man's gotta be a stone
A man's gotta carry his weight and get back home
Man's gotta see the sun
A man's gotta see the sun
He's gotta know another new day, has begun
Man's gotta be a stone
Man's gotta be a stone
A man's gotta carry his weight and get back home
Yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah
The song “Man’s Gotta Be A Stone” by Colin James is a reflection on the responsibilities and hard work that come with being a man. The repeated phrase “Man’s gotta be a stone” emphasizes the idea that men have to be strong and dependable, always carrying their “weight” or their responsibilities, and getting back “home” or to their loved ones at the end of the day. The song speaks to the pressure to succeed and provide for oneself and one’s family, using the metaphor of a stone to signify a man’s unshakable foundation and stability.
The lyrics also suggest that life is short and that one must make the most of it by working hard and being wise. The phrase “I gotta fill it up, so I can get back what I give” emphasizes the idea that one must put in effort to receive rewards or happiness. The lines “Gotta get wise today, I’m gonna have to find a way, to work till I get it right and make it pay” speak to the idea that one must constantly learn and improve in order to succeed and make a living.
Line by Line Meaning
Man's gotta be a stone
It takes strength and resilience to make it through life and return home.
Man's gotta carry that weight and get back home
A man must bear his burdens and responsibilities while also staying focused on his ultimate destination.
I got one life to live
Our time on Earth is finite, and we must make the most of it.
Baby, one life to live
The artist feels a sense of urgency about the need to make his life count.
I gotta fill it up, so I can get back what I give
In order to receive fulfillment from life, the artist must first put in the effort and give generously of himself.
Gotta get wise today
The singer realizes the importance of learning and growing in order to succeed.
I'm gonna have to find a way
The singer is determined to overcome any obstacle that stands in the way of his goals.
To work till I get it right and make it pay
Success requires hard work, dedication, and the ability to learn from mistakes and failures.
Man's gotta see the sun
To appreciate life fully, we must take time to appreciate the natural world around us.
He's gotta know another new day, has begun
Every day brings new opportunities to learn, grow, and make progress toward our goals.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O CAPASSO, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: Tom Wilson, Thomas Salter, Colin Munn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Simpson
man this guy is a killer shredder; love it.
AngryHatter
This guy is the king of understated playing.
Danny MacNevin
I had the chance to meet Colin James when he played in PEI. He was really sick, but still found the time to sit with me and chat about SRV for an hour after the show. He signed my old Fender Strat for me... he's the real deal this guy! His blues roots go way, way back... so perhaps if you looked hard enough, you will probably find that this riff goes way back before all our time! Great tune, great guitar player, and great vocalist / songwriter! I say Keep up the great work Colin!
Octane Art LLC
Just saw you yesterday night at the blackfalds cp rail holiday train and you ripped into this song... Colin much respect, (I was the guy ya nodded too up close to the train car).. great job man you laid this track down and it spoke right to me... Ive been through a lot... the holiday train is a pretty cool gig... but to play this song was like getting hit by a bolt of lightning... It spoke right to me...
Thanks Colin, I needed that push brother
jedimiah1234
awesome song, 'nuff said.
Ian S
remember hearing this song come out new on Q104 in the morning while driving to school in my uncle's old '92 Volvo back in my senior year of high school. Would have been Autumn 2009. Leather seats, no power steering, and the right power window trying to go down would get stuck, and sound like an M60 being fired. Man's gotta be a stone.
Albert Nada Retro
I've got ever album but "FUSE", this is really good, but nothing tops "Sudden Stop". His Little Big Band Albums are amazing too.
Albert Nada Retro
Colin is good friends with the boys from ZZ-Top, and has toured with them when they come to Canada. For me he is the MAN!
lyanna1100
EXCELENT!!!
green323turbo
That Drum beat is f-ing awesome !