The band made its recording debut in 2001 with Blackwater, following up in 2004 with Lochloosa (both released under the name Mofro; both albums reissued by Alligator). In 2007 the band, with it's current name, released Country Ghetto, followed by the 2008 album Orange Blossoms. With the release of 2010’s Georgia Warhorse, the band stepped further into the mainstream view with the AAA radio breakout single The Sweetest Thing. In 2011 the full fury of the band’s live show was captured on the live CD/DVD Brighter Days.
April 2013 brings the release of the band's sixth studio album, This River. Named for the St. John’s River, a centering point for Grey's childhood near Jacksonville, Florida, b]This River flows from freewheeling celebrations (Florabama) to dark inner journeys (Somebody Else), from late night, beer-soaked testimonials (Your Lady, She’s Shady) to heartfelt ballads of the almost-forgotten (The Ballad Of Larry Webb), and ends with the title track and a singularly devastating vocal performance. With Dan Prothero at the helm as producer, JJ and the band once again returned to Retrophonics Studio in nearby St. Augustine, Florida and muscled out some of JJ’s strongest material to date.
The band has played countless festivals, including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, Austin City Limits Festival, Byron Bay Blues Festival (Australia), Montreal Jazz Festival and Fuji Rock (Japan). Over the course of his career, Grey has shared stages with the likes of Lenny Kravitz, B.B. King, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, Los Lobos, Jeff Beck, Ben Harper, Booker T. Jones, Mavis Staples and many others. In 2011 the band extensively toured the UK. That same year, back in the U.S.A., Grey embarked on his first-ever solo tour, playing packed-to-capacity clubs. The band returned to Europe in 2012, playing multiple dates in the UK, Germany and The Netherlands.
JJ’s songs have appeared in film and network television including House, Flashpoint, Crash, Friday Night Lights, The Glades, The Deadliest Catch and the film The Hoot. In November 2009, JJ wrote his first film score for the critically-acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning documentary The Good Soldier, that appeared in theatres and on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. In 2010, JJ played piano, sang and contributed a song (The Wrong Side) to Buckwheat Zydeco’s Grammy-winning Alligator Records album Lay Your Burden Down. JJ also appears on Shemekia Copeland’s Grammy-nominated 2012 CD 33 1/3.
Fireflies
JJ Grey & Mofro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We used to play all day
Lord and when the night came
Oh, them lights would dance away
Oh so good, so warm, it felt to play
Like being in your mama's arms, so safe
Where did all the fireflies go?
No more movement in the night
Where did all the fireflies go?
I heard someone say
They ain't never coming back
Running wild, feeling oh so free
Trying to light the night up
With the fire inside of me
Oh them lights Lord, they let me be me
Where did all the fireflies go
Where did they go?
Where did all the fireflies go?
Hold your breath
No more movement in the night
Where did all the fireflies go?
I heard someone say
They ain't never coming back
The song "Fireflies" by JJ Grey & Mofro is a nostalgic ode to childhood and the loss of innocence. The lyrics describe the joy of playing outside all day and chasing fireflies at night. The lights of the fireflies provided a sense of comfort and safety, like being in a mother's loving arms. The song's chorus repeats the question "Where did all the fireflies go?" suggesting a loss of that childhood innocence and wonder. The imagery of the fireflies fading away and being gone forever is a metaphor for growing up and losing a part of ourselves.
The song speaks to the universal experience of growing older and losing the carefree nature of childhood. The sentimentality of the lyrics is intensified by JJ Grey's emotive vocals and the soulful backing of Mofro's band. The song's slow, bluesy rhythm encourages the listener to reflect on their own experiences of growing up and the memories that we hold dear.
Line by Line Meaning
When we were youngin's
When we were young children
We used to play all day
We used to play all day long
Lord and when the night came
And when the night fell
Oh, them lights would dance away
The fireflies would twinkle and dance
Oh so good, so warm, it felt to play
It felt amazing and comforting to play
Like being in your mama's arms, so safe
Like being in a safe and warm place, such as your mother's arms
Where did all the fireflies go?
Where have all the fireflies disappeared to?
Hold your breath
Pause and wait in anticipation
No more movement in the night
No more flickering lights in the dark
I heard someone say
Someone told me
They ain't never coming back
They will never return
Running wild, feeling oh so free
Running around without inhibition, feeling completely free
Trying to light the night up
Attempting to brighten the dark
With the fire inside of me
Using the energy within oneself
Oh them lights Lord, they let me be me
The fireflies allowed me to express myself
Where did they go?
Where have they disappeared to?
Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.