He is the eldest of three boys. His birthplace is Southampton, England, and he spent his early years in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, and attended the Royal Grammar School. He now lives with his family in Somerset, England.
When he was young, he used to give piano lessons. One of his clients was a girl named Jan Smith, who he later married. Whilst working with her, a vehicle crashed into their van, injuring Jan. She claimed compensation and used the money to buy Howard a synthesiser, a Moog Prodigy. The shop delivered two by mistake, and Howard liked the combination of the two so much that he paid for the extra one.
He hit the charts in 1983 with a song called "New Song," which made it into the UK top ten. Speaking with Songfacts, Jones explained the song is his manifesto, and why he wanted to get in the music business and write songs to begin with. Said Jones: "I was working in the factory at the time - I was doing the gigs at night and I was working in the factory. And I wanted to say to people, 'You can. It is possible to do what you really want to do if you've got enough guts and determination. You can do what you're really good at in this life if you set your mind to it.' And so really that's what that song's about. It's about letting go of fear and seeing both sides of an argument and throwing off the things that hold you back mentally."
Jones subsequently had three more hits over the next twelve months and a UK Number 1 album, Human's Lib. He acquired a hardcore fanbase made up of both starstruck teenagers and more mature music lovers, who saw the musicianship which went into the electronic sounds of his songs. His mother ran his fan club. Jones was a close temporal and stylistic contemporary of Nik Kershaw, and the two musicians were often conflated in the affections of the contemporary pop audience.
Howard was known as a respectable face of pop, combining innovative synthesiser music with strong feelings on animal rights and life's excesses. In his early days, he performed with a mime artist called Jed Hoile, who used to do improvised choreography while doused in white paint as Howard played behind him.
In the summer of 1984, he released a single called "Like To Get To Know You Well", which he said was 'dedicated to the original spirit of the Olympic Games'. Although it wasn't an official Olympic anthem for the Games in Los Angeles that summer, it caught on and was a huge worldwide hit. The sleeve featured the song title in ten different languages; while Howard sang the title line in French and German on the extended version. The song appeared in the film Better Off Dead.
Howard's second album was a ground breaking 'remix' album. It contained six songs, all but one of which had been previously released, but which appeared in elongated formats, including the multi-lingual version of "Like To Get To Know You Well". The album was called The 12 Inch Album and the sleeve featured a miniature Howard standing next to a 12-inch ruler.
When he released his second studio album, Dream Into Action, in 1985, he introduced his own backing band, including future Soul II Soul singer Caron Wheeler as one third of female backing vocal trio Afrodiziak. Playing bass guitar, meanwhile, was Howard's own brother Martin, who had to have an extra string added to his instrument to play some of Howard's bass lines, which were originally played on a keyboard without regard for the range of a real bass guitar. One of the singles released from this album, "No One Is To Blame", was later re-recorded and featured Phil Collins as drummer and producer.
In July 1985, Howard performed at Wembley Stadium as part of the Live Aid concert, singing his 1984 hit "Hide And Seek" while playing a piano belonging to Freddie Mercury.
Howard had his last UK Top 40 hit in 1986 and thereafter concentrated on production, songwriting and running a successful vegetarian restaurant, though he had Billboard Top 10 success in the States in the 1990s. His eldest son, Oisín (pronounced Osheen), was born in 1985 and is now an actor.
In 2005, he competed on the American TV show Hit Me Baby One More Time, losing to Irene Cara. Although he lost the in-studio vote to Cara, he won the online poll vote.
There are other artists with the same name:
2. Howard Jones is the current lead singer of American metalcore bands Killswitch Engage and Blood Has Been Shed.
Jones resides in Connecticut. His first success was in Connecticut with the band Blood Has Been Shed. After the release of The Novella of Uriel, the band went on tour, but Jones was eventually approached for a bigger project. Howard Jones replaced the lead singer of Killswitch Engage, Jesse Leach, in July of 2002, shortly after the release of Alive or Just Breathing, Killswitch Engage's Roadrunner Records debut album.
Meanwhile, Blood Has Been Shed released their third album, Spirals in 2003. Critical reviews were mixed, with some saying the album was a bit stray from the music found on I Dwell and Novella, while fans found it to be the band's most sonically-challenging album yet.
The first time KSE fans heard Jones they were impressed by him. Later he would be heard on the song "When Darkness Falls", which was first released on the soundtrack for the movie Freddy vs. Jason. Finally, Killswitch Engage released their first album with Jones as the new singer, as well as Blood Has Been Shed drummer Justin Foley. The End of Heartache would spawn two successful singles, "Rose of Sharyn" and the Grammy-nominated title track, "The End of Heartache". There was a minor spot of controversy with some fans over the Grammy nomination, as the song that was picked was a remixed version that would eventually appear on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack. The differences between the original recording and the remixed version are the fact that the song is sung in a traditional singing style rather than using the original scream track that appears on the album, and several sections of the song have been shortened for a more commercially dynamic vision.
In November 2006, Killswitch Engage released their fourth album (and second with Howard Jones) entitled As Daylight Dies. The album has spawned the singles "My Curse" and "Arms of Sorrow", and it has been cited by the band through numerous interviews that the album recalls influences from bands in the NOLA music scene, as well as metal bands like Pantera and Machine Head.
Despite his front man role in Killswitch Engage, Jones is still the lead singer for Blood Has Been Shed.
Aside from singing, Jones has also taken on the role of a manager to new and upcoming artists. Currently, he manages two bands, Twelve Tribes, Mikoto, and also the producer Zeuss.
He is also known for his vocal styles, which include deep, booming roars, a higher, raspier scream, and operatic clean vocals. The clean style is absent from most of his work with Blood Has Been Shed, however, with Killswitch Engage, he usually makes use of all of his vocal styles in almost every song, particularly in As Daylight Dies and Holy Diver.
3. Howard Jones is an English folk singer and musician. He was a member of The Electropathics and currently performs with Albireo and as a solo performer.
Just Look At You Now
Howard Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When things just didn't work out for you
I said don't crack up and see both sides
But you kept on blaming the world for everything
I tried to tell you that you were in control
But you didn't seem to listen to a word I say
But I'm never giving up, giving up on you
Hey, yeah, just look at you now
Riding on a silver wave
That keeps on going
Through the sun and through the rain
Through the good and the bad times
Through the joy and through the pain
Hey, look at you now
See what you've become
Now look me in the eye, now and tell me straight
Did you find it hard to tell me everything
I said things can only get better dear
But they won't if you don't lift a finger to help me
What's the point in taking this human form
If we can't understand the point of living here
Who would ever want to live alone
Without sharing this world with everyone and everything
Just look at you now
Riding on a silver wave
That keeps on going
Through the sun and through the rain
Through the good and the bad times
Through the joy and through the pain
Hey, look at you now
See what you've become
Hey, just look at you now
Riding on a silver wave
That keeps on going
Through the sun and through the rain
Through the good and the bad times
Through the joy and through the pain
Hey, look at you now
See what you've become
The lyrics of Howard Jones's song Just Look At You Now describe a person's journey from a point in their life where they felt helpless, blaming the world for their problems, to a point where they've taken control of their life and embraced all the ups and downs that come with it. The singer of the song is someone who knows this person since they were young and has tried to help them see things differently but has faced resistance initially. The opening lines reflect the singer's familiarity with the subject- "I've known you since you were a girl"- and a sense of concern for their well-being. The line "when things just didn't work out for you" suggests that the person faced setbacks in life, and instead of taking ownership, they chose to blame others.
In the second verse, the singer highlights their efforts to make the person understand that they have control over their life. "I tried to tell you that you were in control / But you didn't seem to listen to a word I say." Despite this, the singer claims to never give up on the person and continues to guide them towards a better perspective. The line "try to help you see the world in a different way" suggests that the singer wants the person to change their outlook towards life.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the transformation that the person has undergone. The lines "Riding on a silver wave, that keeps on going / Through the sun and through the rain" suggest that the person has experienced both the highs and lows of life but has been able to ride through them. The line, "See what you've become," acknowledges the person's growth and achievements. The final verse is a call to the person, urging them to open up and communicate. The line "Did you find it hard to tell me everything" suggests that the person has bottled up emotions and has difficulty sharing their feelings. The singer emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one's existence and living in harmony with others.
Line by Line Meaning
I've known you since you were a girl
I have been acquainted with you since you were a young person
When things just didn't work out for you
When circumstances didn't go your way
I said don't crack up and see both sides
I advised you not to become overwhelmed and to consider both perspectives
But you kept on blaming the world for everything
You persisted in attributing all of your problems to external forces
I tried to tell you that you were in control
I attempted to convey that you had agency and influence
But you didn't seem to listen to a word I say
However, you appeared to ignore my advice
But I'm never giving up, giving up on you
Nevertheless, I refuse to abandon you
I try to help you see the world in a different way
I endeavor to assist you in perceiving the world from an alternative perspective
Hey, yeah, just look at you now
Now, observe where you are currently
Riding on a silver wave
Riding on an advantageous streak
That keeps on going
That endures
Through the sun and through the rain
Through both the pleasant and unpleasant times
Through the good and the bad times
Through both the beneficial and detrimental times
Through the joy and through the pain
Through both the happy and unhappy moments
Hey, look at you now
Observe how far you have come
See what you've become
Recognize the person you have developed into
Now look me in the eye, now and tell me straight
Directly address me and speak honestly
Did you find it hard to tell me everything
Was it difficult for you to be fully honest with me
I said things can only get better dear
I declared that things can only improve, my dear
But they won't if you don't lift a finger to help me
However, they will not improve if you do not make an effort to assist me
What's the point in taking this human form
What is the purpose of assuming a human body
If we can't understand the point of living here
If we cannot comprehend the reason for being alive in this existence
Who would ever want to live alone
Who would want to be alive without companionship
Without sharing this world with everyone and everything
Without communing with all individuals and entities in this world
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: HOWARD JONES, ROBBIE BRONNIMANN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Corey Scott
I have loved your music since the very first note. Thank you so much for the many years of joy you've shared.
Sparkina
Lovely song from a talented fellow. Been a fan of Howard’s music since I was a teen in the 80s. Way to go, HoJo
teresa pannells
Howard, your voice is still beautiful,even after all these years. You are a lovely person.
Nutrition Theory
Howard, this is one of the best songs of the 2000s. It is a hidden masterpiece. The second verse, in the studio version, is sublime. That elegant piano accompaniment.
PS
Love how HJ’s songs are always positive. Have loved him from the very first time I heard New Song. Lots of warm wishes from Down Under!
Jaki de Dassel
I totally love this song.wow.just tonight I heard it on my little local radio station.its so inspiring.i was a chef and had a massive career and now I own an art gallery.i feel very positive vibes now after hearing this awesome song.xx
Davide Consonni
Pure talent and emotion. Wonderful show, congrats to all!!!
Dianix
Love Howard Jones music! 😍🎼🎶
willkoff
Should have been a top charts single!I wonder,why it was not played anywhere much at all?Great song!
Deibu-San
I was at this show. What a great night. I also played this song at my wedding 12 years ago. Shame the marriage didn't work. But I love this song still.