Gary Jules attended The Bishop's School in La Jolla, California. Some of his early projects/bands were The Ivory Knights, Our Town Pansies, Woodenfish and The Origin.
Jules started off his solo recording career with the debut Greetings from the Side. Originally released by A & M, this album slipped through the cracks due to neglect on the label's part, and Jules was dropped. In 2001, together with friend Michael Andrews, Gary Jules recorded Trading Snakeoil For Wolftickets. It was from this album that the remake of Tears for Fears' Mad World was subsequently used by Michael Andrews for Donnie Darko.
In December 2003, two years after Donnie Darko was released, Mad World finally reached the charts and became the Christmas Number One in the UK. In early 2004, the song surfaced in the US and Canada.
His most recent album, simply titled Gary Jules was released in 2006. The song Falling Awake from this album was recently used in the season 3 episode Six Days: Part Two of Grey's Anatomy.
Jules' Andrews' arrangement of "Mad World", was recently used in a trailer for the Gears of War for the XBOX 360, it was also used in a few episodes of CSI, Without a Trace, in some episodes of Dead Like Me, in an episode of Jericho, and an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Official Site: http://www.garyjules.com/
Heroes & Heroin
Gary Jules Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Expectation make me old
Hide your pennies in the sand
Some how I am supposed to know
The hardest thing to do
Let it go
And I know we've been affected
Perfected
Did we serve to entertain
Did we find someone to blame
what I said, what I did
We're not the same
(chorus)
Oh I am breathing (I am breathing)
Oh I am leaving in the morning
Maybe you can think about it when I'm gone
could we lie behind the fables
Heroes and heroin
The wait here is far too much
To be worth so little
But will she come and stay with me
(chorus)
did we serve to entertain
Did we find someone to blame
Was it something in your head
Was it something in your name?
Give me something I can hold
I can try my best to help you
If you never let me down, oh
never try to understand her
Heroes and heroin
Are very unforgiving
Do the things that you think you should
To let you know you're alive
You are young you are beautiful
(chorus)
oh I am breathing (I am beathing)
Oh I am leaving in morning
Maybe you can think about it when I go
In the song "Heroes & Heroin" by Gary Jules, the lyrics are a reflection on life's challenges and how people cope with them. The opening line, "Never try to understand me," suggests that the singer is complex and perhaps not easily understandable. It could also indicate a hesitancy to be seen for who they truly are. The line "Expectation make me old" implies that the weight of expectations, either from themselves or others, is taking a toll on their mental well-being. The following line is a metaphorical reference to burying one's problems instead of dealing with them head-on.
The chorus, "Oh I am breathing, oh I am leaving in the morning," has a feeling of resignation and acceptance. It could suggest that the singer is leaving a situation or relationship, but it is unclear whether this departure is permanent or temporary. The repeated refrain "maybe you can think about it when I'm gone" hints at a desire for reflection or regret from the other party.
The second verse has several lines questioning the motivations behind people's actions. The lines "did we serve to entertain, did we find someone to blame" suggest that people may act in certain ways to either be liked or to deflect responsibility. The mention of heroes and heroin could be a metaphor for society's obsession with both grandiose ideals and self-destructive tendencies. The final lines of the song express a longing for connection and the willingness to support others if they never let the singer down.
Line by Line Meaning
Never try to understand me
Don't bother trying to understand me
Expectation make me old
I feel burdened by expectations and it's aging me
Hide your pennies in the sand
Keep your money hidden and protected
Some how I am supposed to know
I'm expected to know things without being told
The hardest thing to do
The most difficult thing to accomplish
Let it go
Move on and forget about it
And I know we've been affected
I realize that we've been impacted
Perfected
Refined to an ideal state
The power to charm
The ability to attract and captivate
Did we serve to entertain
Did we exist only to amuse others
Did we find someone to blame
Did we try to place the blame on someone else
what I said, what I did
The things I've said and done
We're not the same
We're very different people
Oh I am breathing (I am breathing)
I'm still alive and breathing
Oh I am leaving in the morning
I'm leaving tomorrow morning
Maybe you can think about it when I'm gone
Perhaps you can reflect on things after I've left
could we lie behind the fables
Can we hide behind our own made-up stories
Heroes and heroin
The contrast between idolized heroes and destructive heroin
The wait here is far too much
This waiting period is unbearable
To be worth so little
The outcome may not be worth the effort
But will she come and stay with me
I hope she will come and spend time with me
Was it something in your head
Was it something you were thinking or feeling internally
Was it something in your name?
Did something about your identity or reputation contribute to the issue
Give me something I can hold
Provide me with tangible evidence or proof
I can try my best to help you
I'll do what I can to assist you
If you never let me down, oh
If you never disappoint me
never try to understand her
Don't bother trying to understand her
Heroes and heroin
The contrasting themes of heroism and drug addiction
Are very unforgiving
They don't allow for mistakes or errors
Do the things that you think you should
Act on your instincts and do what you feel is right
To let you know you're alive
To confirm that you're still alive
You are young you are beautiful
Youthful and attractive
Oh I am breathing (I am beathing)
I'm still living and breathing
Oh I am leaving in the morning
I'm leaving tomorrow morning
Maybe you can think about it when I go
Perhaps you can consider these things after I've departed
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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