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/
Something Else
Gary Jules Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Truth is subjective
They only tell you not to lie
They never tell you
There's strength in
Vulnerability
They only tell you not to cry
Sleeping on the way
And finding something else to say
Is like walking on the freeway
They never tell you
You don't need to be afraid
They only tell you to deny
So is it true that only good girls
Go to heaven?
They only sell you what you buy
And I've been living underground
Sleeping on the way
And finding something else to say
Is like walking on the freeway
I've been living underground
Trying not to burn
Gary Jules's "Something Else" is a melancholic and introspective song about the concepts of truth, vulnerability, fear, and societal expectations. The opening lines, "They never tell you truth is subjective; they only tell you not to lie," suggest that society dictates that honesty is important, but only insofar as it aligns with a predetermined definition of truth. The lyrics go on to question the messages society sends about vulnerability and emotions, suggesting that one must hide their true feelings to conform to societal expectations. The line "finding something else to say is like walking on the freeway" implies that navigating these conflicting societal expectations is like walking a dangerous path.
The chorus of the song, "And I've been living underground, sleeping on the way, and finding something else to say, is like walking on the freeway," continues this metaphor of a life lived on the fringes, where one must constantly be careful of danger. The second verse highlights the idea of fear and how society perpetuates and profits from it. The line "So is it true that only good girls go to heaven? They only sell you what you buy" suggests that society creates and perpetuates fear to sell a particular narrative, and that the idea of "good" behavior is subjective and created to fit the narrative being sold.
Ultimately, "Something Else" is a song about questioning societal expectations and defining one's own truth and path in life. It suggests that there is a beauty and strength in vulnerability, despite the messages we may receive from society to the contrary. The song encourages us to find our own path and own truth, despite the danger and fear involved.
Line by Line Meaning
They never tell you
People often neglect to mention...
Truth is subjective
...that truth is often a matter of personal interpretation.
They only tell you not to lie
...but they focus on dishonesty rather than honesty.
They never tell you
People often neglect to mention...
There's strength in vulnerability
...that being vulnerable can be empowering.
They only tell you not to cry
...but suppress emotion instead of embracing it.
But I've been living underground
The singer feels isolated and disconnected from the world.
Sleeping on the way
The artist is physically present, but not emotionally engaged.
And finding something else to say
The artist struggles to articulate their true feelings and experiences.
Is like walking on the freeway
The process of self-expression is difficult and dangerous.
They never tell you
People often neglect to mention...
You don't need to be afraid
...that fear can be overcome.
They only tell you to deny
...but people often suppress their fears rather than face them.
So is it true that only good girls
The singer questions societal norms and expectations...
Go to heaven?
...such as how morality is often judged and rewarded.
They only sell you what you buy
People tend to conform to societal norms and values.
I've been living underground
The artist feels isolated and disconnected from the world.
Trying not to burn
The singer is struggling to avoid being emotionally hurt or damaged.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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