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.
More Than You Needed
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before I close my eyes
Before I dream
Before I dream this day away
The diamond shines
Leads me through the night
Delivers me to say softly
Lovers and slaves
Who live by the kiss
Let me give you more
More than you ever thought you needed
Let me take off your ring
Let em set you free
And make it simple now for you and for me
Only the brave get lonely like this
Lovers and slaves
Who live by the kiss
Let me give you more
More than you ever thought you needed
The opening lines of "Before I lay down, Before I close my eyes, Before I dream, Before I dream this day away," in Colin James's song 'More Than You Needed,' portray a sense of urgency and unrest. The following line, "The diamond shines, Leads me through the night, Delivers me to say softly," may seem contradictory to the previous lines as it suggests the presence of a guide or protector. The next verse, "Only the brave get lonely like this, Lovers and slaves, Who live by the kiss," reinforces the idea that the singer is struggling with a complex situation. They are willing to take a bold step to alleviate their loneliness, which is perhaps recognizing that their love is a form of own bondage.
The main message of the song 'More Than You Needed' is revealed in the chorus, "Let me give you more, More than you ever thought you needed," where the singer expresses their willingness to help the person they’re addressing feel satisfied and fulfilled. They suggest taking off their ring to set that person free and to make things simpler. The final line, "More than you ever thought you needed," indicates that the singer can provide something far beyond that which the person had hoped for. Throughout the song, the lyrics portray a person who is torn between their feelings of love and the need for freedom. The singer is offering to supply the love and support required from the person addressed.
Line by Line Meaning
Before I lay down
Before I go to sleep for the night
Before I close my eyes
Before I shut my eyes to rest
Before I dream
Before I start to have dreams
Before I dream this day away
Before my thoughts drift into my day's events
The diamond shines
Something precious and valuable stands out
Leads me through the night
Guides me through the darkness
Delivers me to say softly
Gives me the words to speak gently
Only the brave get lonely like this
It takes courage to be alone
Lovers and slaves
People who are dedicated to love or servitude
Who live by the kiss
Whose lives revolve around physical affection
Let me give you more
Allow me to provide you with greater things
More than you ever thought you needed
Beyond what you expected or considered necessary
Let me take off your ring
Allow me to remove your symbolic bond
Let em set you free
Allow yourself to be unencumbered
And make it simple now for you and for me
Reduce the complexity of our situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CCS RIGHTS MANAGEMENT CORP
Written by: COLIN JAMES, ROBERT WELLS, TOM WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
daniel brillant
You nailed it Colin!!
Alicia McDonald
What a soothing ballad, beautiful.
D K
Tone for ages!