"So there we were", was Cutting Jade’s first independently released album and can best be described as an emotional rock album with relevant and accessible lyrics. Their intention has never been to baffle audiences with erudite lyrics or impress them with technical complexity any more than it has been to be part of any musical fashion or trend.
Cutting Jade then signed to the David Gresham Record Company late in 2001 and brought out their second contribution entitled "Between two Lives". Ten Seconds, the first single off the album, skyrocketed the band nationally, becoming Cutting Jade's first top 40 no.1 hit, receiving excellent air play on 5fm and breaking many campus radio station records. The song marked a slight departure from the "So there we were" sound but is a fine example of how this band has gone from strength to strength. Look at me now, the second single off the album proved to be a similar success, further highlighting the band's bold new sound and yet still capturing a tenderness which somehow does not seem out of place, a paradoxical sound which the band are becoming masters of. "Between two lives" is an album packed with raw emotion, driving guitars and passionate vocal deliveries.
Cutting Jade have not only been a national success but have embarked on an International career by being invited to play at a yacht sailing festival in France in April 2002. There the band played in front of over 3000 people where their music went down extremely well, once again She Says did its magic and was played on a local campus radio station at least three times a day. The band were treated like International rock stars enjoying French national television and newspaper coverage, many impromptu unplugged performances and of course many late night parties.
2002 continued to be an excellent year for Cutting Jade in the international arena as they completed a joint UK tour along with label brothers Wonderboom in July. The bands played four shows, three in London and one in Wales. The highlight of the tour was a double billing at Shepherds Bush Empire one of London’s most prestigious and famous live venues.
The latest addition to Cutting Jade is their new vocalist Logan. After leaving David Gresham Records and losing their vocalist early in 2004 the future for the band seemed uncertain. However it was going to take more than just a touch of controversy and a line up change to get this band down. In walks Logan, a twenty year old marketing student at the University of Pretoria. With his powerful voice and “what you see is what you get” attitude, this youngster has breathed new life into the band and not even three months after the line up change Cutting Jade is on the verge of releasing their third studio album entitled “Come Back to Life” which by all accounts promises to be their best effort yet. Goodness knows they have been through a lot since the release of “Between two Lives” and have not only grown as musicians but, more importantly, as people.
Cutting Jade is a Rock band for a new era of South African music, purveyors of great songs and subjects without pretence, gimmick or industry shallowness. Just great rock music. They continue to impress at their live shows through out the country and internationally.
This Life
Cutting Jade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the way you hate yourself
He couldn't say goodbye to you so he left that night
With somebody else
And the world has a funny way of pushing you right to the edge
And the world lies to you, whispers in you ear that you're better off dead
And I wish that I could be
Take you back to happier times
And this life been unkind to you
I can see it in the way that you smile
And this time you're gonna see it through
And there's nothing that I can do
To save your life one more time
From the day that you were born you were pushed around,
Pushed down, pushed into the ground
You've been waiting for that moment when what goes around
Comes right back around
But the world has a funny way of choosing your fate
Long before you're back on your feet
And this world can be hard as stone, when you're alone
It won't offer any relief
In Cutting Jade's song "This Life," the lyrics present a person struggling with life and its challenges. The song is about someone who is feeling overwhelmed and sees no way out. The verse "He didn't want to tell you that he couldn't put up with the way you hate yourself" refers to someone who is struggling with low self-esteem and self-hatred, and in turn, pushing others away. The chorus expresses a wish to help, to take them to happier times, but the realization that there might not be much one person alone can do.
The song's title, "This Life," reminds the listener that life can be harsh and unforgiving, and those struggles can be enough to push anyone to the edge. The verse "From the day that you were born you were pushed around, pushed down, pushed into the ground" speaks to those who have endured hardship and mistreatment from childhood. The line "But the world lies to you, whispers in your ear that you're better off dead" suggests that this person has been fighting a battle within their own mind and that the world's negativity has only fueled that conflict.
Overall, the song highlights the challenges that people go through in their lives and how sometimes one may feel too overwhelmed to ask for help. The song ends on a note of acceptance, a realization that sometimes there might not be anything one can do to save someone's life.
Line by Line Meaning
He didn't want to tell you that he couldn't put up
He didn't want to confess to you that he couldn't tolerate
With the way you hate yourself
Your self-hatred is something he could not stand
He couldn't say goodbye to you so he left that night
He couldn't muster the courage to bid farewell to you, so he departed with someone else
With somebody else
He left with a different person
And the world has a funny way of pushing you right to the edge
The world can cleverly lead you to the brink
And the world lies to you, whispers in you ear that you're better off dead
The world deceives you and insinuates that you would be better off dead
And I wish that I could be
I desire to become someone who can
Someone who could change your mind
Adjust your opinions
Take you back to happier times
Bring you back to a more joyous period
And this life been unkind to you
This existence has not treated you well
I can see it in the way that you smile
The way you smile reveals it
And this time you're gonna see it through
You will make it through this occasion
And there's nothing that I can do
I have no power
To save your life one more time
To rescue you again
From the day that you were born you were pushed around
Since your birth, you were subjected to mistreatment
Pushed down, pushed into the ground
Physically and metaphorically forced to the ground
You've been waiting for that moment when what goes around
You have anticipated the instant when karma
Comes right back around
Returns the favor
But the world has a funny way of choosing your fate
The world has a peculiar way of determining your destiny
Long before you're back on your feet
Before you finally recover
And this world can be hard as stone, when you're alone
This world can be brutal when you're by yourself
It won't offer any relief
It won't provide any comfort
Contributed by Maria D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Richard Bouwer
cool song, with good memories
Alegna V Black
Post more so that you can win all your international fans back again ☝️