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.
Please Baby Don't Do That
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I took to you like a bee to a honeycomb
I spent the first three days just hangin' on the telephone
You got me hooked but I know I'm not the only catch
I love everything about you but please baby don't do that
You looked at him the way you used to look at me
I can't take this thought like a-tumbling along a mat
I love everything about you but please baby don't do that
Yeah, don't do that 'cause I don't wanna go cool on you
Don't do that 'cause I still want those sweet things that you do
Runnin' your mouth like a natural born diplomat
I love everything about you but please baby don't do that
Yeah I'm playing the field when you say that you're staying at home
It's 'cause half of you is as good as being alone
You got swinging doors but you know I'm not a swinging cat
I love everything about you but baby please don't do that
Don't do that 'cause I don't wanna go cool on you
Don't do that 'cause I just love those sweet things that you do
Runnin' your mouth like a natural born diplomat
I love everything about you but please baby don't do that
Yeah, I love everything about you but please baby don't do that
The song “Please Baby,” by Colin James, is a heartfelt plea to a lover. The singer describes how he was originally drawn to her like a bee to honey, but he now finds himself in a precarious situation. The woman he loves looks at another man with the same adoration that she once gave him. He finds this unbearable and pleads with her not to do it. The chorus repeats the plea, “please baby don't do that,” emphasizing the singer’s desperation.
The second verse continues to showcase the singer's mixed feelings. He simultaneously loves everything about her and yet is afraid of losing her. He mentions that he is playing the field, possibly because he believes that his lover is no longer fully committed to him. However, he also admits that half of her is like being alone. This vulnerability is what makes the song so touching, as the listener can feel the singer's pain while he tries to moderate his emotions.
Throughout the song, the music shifts between an upbeat rock-infused melody and a more downtempo bluesy sound. This musical variation creates a sense of urgency within the song, which makes it even more poignant. Overall, “Please Baby” is a heartfelt plea from a desperate lover, showcasing Colin James's ability to convey deep emotions through music.
Line by Line Meaning
I took to you like a bee to a honeycomb
I was immediately drawn to you like a bee is to honey
I spent the first three days just hangin' on the telephone
In the beginning, all I wanted to do was talk to you on the phone
You got me hooked but I know I'm not the only catch
I'm infatuated with you, but I know I'm not the only person you're interested in
I love everything about you but please baby don't do that
I care deeply for you, but there are certain things you do that make me uncomfortable
You looked at him the way you used to look at me
Seeing you look at someone else the way you used to look at me hurts
That was one of those things that I wish I didn't have to see
It's painful for me to witness you showing affection to someone else
I can't take this thought like a-tumbling along a mat
The thought of you being with someone else is overwhelming and hard for me to handle
Don't do that 'cause I don't wanna go cool on you
Please don't continue behavior that will make me lose interest in you
Don't do that 'cause I still want those sweet things that you do
I still want to be with you and enjoy the good times we have together
Runnin' your mouth like a natural born diplomat
You have a way with words and can talk your way out of anything
Yeah I'm playing the field when you say that you're staying at home
I'm exploring my options and seeing other people when you think I'm at home
It's 'cause half of you is as good as being alone
Even when you're with me, you're not fully present or invested
You got swinging doors but you know I'm not a swinging cat
You're free to come and go as you please, but I'm not interested in an open relationship
Yeah, I love everything about you but please baby don't do that
Despite my concerns, I still love everything about you and want to work through our issues
Lyrics © Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: Colin Munn, Craig Northey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind