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.
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And its one kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor I ask of you
Good Lord see that my grave is kept clean
It's a lonely lane that has no end
Lonely lane that has no end
Lonely lane that has no end
That'll never change
Have you ever heard that coffin Sound?
Have you ever heard that coffin Sound?
Ever heard that coffin Sound?
Good Lord, there burring that poor boy under ground
And there's two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Oh lord, taking me down to that burring ground
And its one kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor I ask of you
Good Lord see that my grave is kept clean
The lyrics of Colin James's song "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" are tinged with somberness and reflect on the inevitability of death. The repeated line "One kind favor I ask of you, Good Lord see that my grave is kept clean" is a plea to someone who may outlive the singer to ensure they have a proper burial, free of neglect or abandonment. The song mentions a "lonely lane that has no end" which could represent the journey of life and how it can often feel isolated and never-ending. The line "It's a bad old end that'll never change" further solidifies these feelings of despair.
The second part of the song refers to the funeral of a young man, likely someone the singer knew, and the sounds and sights associated with it. The line "Have you ever heard that coffin sound?" is a powerful image, evoking the harsh reality of death. The two white horses pulling the hearse are a traditional image in funerals, a symbol of purity and an angelic send-off. The final repetition of "One kind favor I ask of you, Good Lord see that my grave is kept clean" brings the song to an end, leaving the listener with a sense of finality and the inevitability of death.
Overall, "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" is a poignant and introspective song that explores themes of mortality and the afterlife. It's a reminder to ask for help and to seek comfort from others, especially when faced with the challenges and uncertainties of life.
Line by Line Meaning
And its one kind favor I ask of you
I have a request to make of you
One kind favor I ask of you
My request is simple and kind
Good Lord see that my grave is kept clean
Please keep my final resting place maintained and free of dirt
It's a lonely lane that has no end
The journey through life can be a solitary one with no clear destination
Lonely lane that has no end
The path is without company and indefinite
It's a bad old end
Death is an unfortunate conclusion
That'll never change
It's an inevitable ending that cannot be altered
Have you ever heard that coffin Sound?
Have you ever listened to the sound of a being lowered into their resting place?
Ever heard that coffin Sound?
It's a haunting and final noise that resonates
Good Lord, there burring that poor boy under ground
Someone has passed away and they are being laid to rest
And there's two white horses in a line
The mode of transport for the body is a carriage pulled by two white horses
Oh lord, taking me down to that burring ground
When it's my turn to leave this world, I will be taken to be buried
Lyrics © Mute Song Limited
Written by: Blind Lemon Jefferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind