Early 1990s
In the early 1990s, the band established a cult following through relentless touring with weekly stops at Virginia clubs known as Trax and Floodzone, an active taping community, and an independent LP, Remember Two Things. (Keyboardist Griesar left the band in 1993, shortly before the release of "Remember Two Things".) After signing to RCA Records, Dave Matthews Band, under the direction of producer Steve Lillywhite, released Under the Table and Dreaming in 1994, a critical and popular smash that firmly established the band's style of pop-rock with improvisational leanings. Under the Table and Dreaming would be the first of three albums released under Lillywhite's direction. This was followed by Crash (1996). For most of America, Crash was the record that put the Dave Matthews Band on the map. Featuring the hit single "Crash Into Me", as well as fan-favorites such as "Two Step", "Tripping Billies", and the Grammy-winning "So Much to Say", Crash would go on to be the band's best selling album.
The Mercy Songfacts reports that Lillywhite lent his skills to their 2012 album Away From The World. Lillywhite hadn't worked with the band since a series of unreleased recordings in 2000, which led to the leaked Lillywhite Sessions.
History
David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967. Two years later, his family moved to Westchester County, NY. His father was a physicist and worked for IBM at the time. He has two sisters (Anne and Jane) and a brother (Peter). After living in New York, his family moved to Cambridge, England in the early '70s. The family returned to New York where his father died in 1977. In 1980, the family moved to South Africa where the young Matthews went to several schools and "got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general." He first played at a club in Charlottesville (Miller's) where he worked as a bartender. He admitted to Playboy magazine that he was really never that good at bartending, but loved getting customers...well..."drunk as hell!" He was first discovered in a demo tape that he recorded with a couple of current band members. This all came about when he decided to put together a demo tape and decided that he needed some musical accompaniment; which ended up as the Dave Matthews Band. In 1994, his sister Anne died in a domestic tragedy at her home in South Africa. The Grammy nominated album "Under The Table and Dreaming" is dedicated to her.
Community
Dave Matthews Band is highly involved in giving a helping hand. In 2003, the Band held a concert entitled, "The Central Park Concert" which was held in New York City's Central Park. The concert helped New York City Public Schools, the band is a big supporter of education.
The band also held a concert that helped victims of Katrina.
Sadly, Leroi Moore passed away in 2008. After being seriously injured in an ATV accident in Virginia, Moore succumbed to his injuries on August 19, 2008. He was replaced by Jeff Coffin, famous for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.
Excerpt taken from Wikipedia.org -- the rest of this article can be found at:
Wikipedia
Official site: www.dmband.com
Jimi Thing -->
Dave Matthews Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then I crushed 15 million with a wave of my hand.
I grew drunk on water turned into wine,
'Till I was slave and master at the same damn time.
It's why I am.
It's why I am.
Why I am, still here dancing with the GrooGrux King.
Out of my head and into the room hello.
A king of men, it makes no sense.
Oh and I bow to the Priest, while I worship the Witch.
But it's why I am,
Always the only one to make you smile.
Why I am, I'm still a snake in the wood pile.
It's why I am, still here dancing with the GrooGrux King
Out of my head and into the room.
So when my ghost takes me from you.
You can remember the fool that I am.
Don't cry baby,
Don't cry.
It's the lose and the win of the world.
Wrong and right,
Us and them of the world.
It's the you and the me of the world.
But, Only one way out of the world.
It's the lose and the win of the world.
Wrong and right,
Us and them of the world.
It's the you and the me of the world.
Only one way out of the world.
It's why I am, unlikely to agree.
It's why I am, climbin' out of my monkey tree.
Why I am, still here dancing with the GrooGrux King.
We'll be drinking Big Whiskey while we dance and sing.
And when my story ends it's gonna end with him.
Heaven or hell I'm going there with the GrooGrux King.
Why I am, the apple of your pretty eye.
Why I am, a snake in the wood pile.
Why I am, still here dancing with the GrooGrux King.
Out of my head and into the room.
So when my ghost takes me from you.
You can remember the fool that I am.
Don't cry baby,
Don't cry.
The lyrics of Dave Matthews Band's song "Jimi Thing" do not have a single, straightforward interpretation; instead, they're open to different and complex interpretations. One way to approach it is by focusing on the ideas of duality and ambiguity the lyrics provide. The song seems to be a reflection on the tension between opposing forces, such as good and evil, right and wrong, and the self and the other. The lyricist says he is both a slave and a master, a snake in the woodpile, the apple of someone's eye, yet unlikely to agree. The role of the GrooGrux King is also hard to define. Sometimes he seems to be a symbol of death, but also of life and redemption.
Another way to analyze the lyrics of the song is by looking at the mythic and religious references it includes. The lyricist talks about growing from a monkey into a man and crushing millions of people, alluding to the power of creation and destruction. He also mentions water into wine, a reference to the miracle performed by Jesus in the Bible. The Priest and the Witch are also important symbols that evoke the theme of religiosity, spirituality, and the supernatural.
Overall, "Jimi Thing" entails complex themes, paradoxical ideas, and symbolic language that might trigger different interpretations, making it a deep and intriguing song.
Line by Line Meaning
I grew from monkey into man
I went through evolution to become who I am today.
Then I crushed 15 million with a wave of my hand
I have great power and influence, and have made major impacts in the world.
I grew drunk on water turned into wine
I have experienced many pleasures and riches in life.
'Till I was slave and master at the same damn time
I have been both controlled and controlling in different aspects of my life.
It's why I am.
All of these experiences and qualities make up my identity and who I am today.
Why I am, still here dancing with the GrooGrux King.
I am still here, living my life and experiencing all it has to offer alongside all the good and bad that comes with it.
Out of my head and into the room hello.
I am engaging with the world around me, present and aware in the current moment.
A king of men, it makes no sense.
I may have power in this world, but it doesn't necessarily make sense or give me fulfillment.
Oh and I bow to the Priest, while I worship the Witch.
I have a fascination and respect for both good and evil, the light and the dark.
Always the only one to make you smile.
I am able to bring happiness and joy to the people around me, even in difficult times.
I'm still a snake in the wood pile.
I may have some hidden or deceitful aspects to my personality.
So when my ghost takes me from you. You can remember the fool that I am. Don't cry baby, Don't cry.
When I am gone, I hope my memory brings a smile to your face rather than sorrow.
It's the lose and the win of the world. Wrong and right, Us and them of the world. It's the you and the me of the world. But, Only one way out of the world.
There are many opposites and differences in the world, but we all share a common fate and eventual end.
It's why I am, unlikely to agree.
Because of my unique experiences and perspectives, I may not always agree with others.
It's why I am, climbin' out of my monkey tree.
I am always striving for growth and evolution in my life.
We'll be drinking Big Whiskey while we dance and sing.
We will enjoy the good times and celebrate life with good food and drink.
And when my story ends it's gonna end with him. Heaven or hell I'm going there with the GrooGrux King.
No matter what happens in my final moments, I will be accompanied by my true friend and companion, the GrooGrux King.
Why I am, the apple of your pretty eye.
I am special and cherished in the eyes of someone I care about.
Why I am, a snake in the wood pile.
I may have some hidden or deceitful aspects to my personality.
Why I am, still here dancing with the GrooGrux King.
I am still living my life and enjoying all that it has to offer, alongside my true friend and companion, the GrooGrux King.
Out of my head and into the room. So when my ghost takes me from you. You can remember the fool that I am. Don't cry baby, Don't cry.
I am engaged with the world around me, and when I am gone, I hope I am remembered with fondness rather than sorrow.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOYD C. TINSLEY, CARTER A. BEAUFORD, DAVID JOHN MATTHEWS, LEROI H. MOORE, STEFAN K. LESSARD, TIM REYNOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@markadkins673
America needs this energy again. Bless all.
@SoberIrishman
Music is dead in this country, on purpose. When the music goes, soon does the country. Its art that displays the health of a nation.
@InAtlasAtLast
@@SoberIrishman eh, the circle goes round, man
@SnookOnTheFly
America needs an exorcism.
@taylormichaelholt
It’s in me. Check out the jam sessions I just pushed through. Yeah boy.
@donnaidontwanna
Blessed be DMB
@andrewdewar5543
Little does this crowd realize that they’re about to witness the greatest scat in DMB history.
@justinallen9637
And guitar solo!
@johncooper7239
0 i think I 0 in $$$\\$°$
@johncooper7239
Ppppppp]p