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.
Hide & Seek
JJ Grey & Mofro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you got to turn and fight, to live another day
Whisper in the saw grass, murmur in the pines
Lift your hands up and away, lift them off your eyes
Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open
Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open
Well who speaks and who listens the weak or the strong
Can you feel the fear, deep within the mind
There's no loss or gain in soul
Nothing real can ever die or feel it
Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open
Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open
Standing by the VJ, I can hear them sing
That the truth it must be lived
And to wake up from the dream of madness
Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open
Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open
Playing hide and seek, but our eyes are wide open
Playing hide and seek, but our eyes are wide open
Playing hide and seek, but our eyes are wide open yeah
In JJ Grey's song "Hide & Seek," he is giving a strong and empowering message to his listeners. The opening lines, "Devil behind you, run run away / But you got to turn and fight, to live another day," suggest that obstacles are always lurking behind us, but in order to overcome them, we must fight and confront them head-on. The second verse continues with Grey questioning the validity of voices that speak to us, asking whether it is the weak or the strong that should be listened to. This highlights the importance of listening to our inner voice and trusting our instincts.
Grey emphasizes that fear is an inherent part of the human experience, but it is not something that should consume and control us. He sings, "Can you feel the fear, deep within the mind / There's no loss or gain in soul / Nothing real can ever die or feel it." Essentially, fear is a product of the mind and is not something that can harm our soul. The chorus repeats the phrase "Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open," emphasizing the idea of being aware and present in our own lives. Even though we might experience moments of fear or uncertainty, we must keep our eyes open and not let ourselves be consumed.
The final lines of the song bring the message full circle, with Grey singing about the importance of living in truth and waking up from the dream of madness. The song overall is a call to action, encouraging listeners to face their fears head-on, trust their instincts, and be present and aware in their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Devil behind you, run run away
There is something negative chasing you, but it is up to you to flee from it and avoid being consumed by it.
But you got to turn and fight, to live another day
Even though running is essential, you need to confront it in order to avoid being a victim of it constantly.
Whisper in the saw grass, murmur in the pines
There are always background noises around you that you may not hear, like secrets that others may be hiding or dangers that may come your way.
Lift your hands up and away, lift them off your eyes
You must remove whatever is blinding you from the truth to observe your surroundings objectively and make more informed decisions.
Playing hide and seek, but my eyes are wide open
Although you may feel that you are playing a game of hiding and seeking, make sure you are alert and conscious of the world around you.
A voice says you're right, another says you're wrong
You will be faced with opposing viewpoints and opinions, but you must decide for yourself which one is correct.
Well who speaks and who listens the weak or the strong
It may not be the strongest or most powerful voice that is correct, and it is crucial to listen to all points of view, no matter how weak they may seem.
Can you feel the fear, deep within the mind
There may exist deep-seated fears within your mind that hold you back from taking risks and making progress.
There's no loss or gain in soul Nothing real can ever die or feel it
The soul is an invulnerable entity that can never be destroyed or damaged beyond repair.
Standing by the VJ, I can hear them sing That the truth it must be lived And to wake up from the dream of madness
People say that the truth must be lived and that you cannot run away from it, that you must confront it head-on rather than continuing to live in blissful ignorance.
Playing hide and seek, but our eyes are wide open yeah
Everyone is playing a game of hide and seek, but you must remain watchful and alert to avoid being taken by surprise.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bode54
Great to hear on the blues channel, great live set !
Curt Bayer
great song- looking forward to catching them in Atlanta
Cynthia Cook
Lyrics to live by!!!
Petter Deilrind
Saw them live in a few weeks ago, (my favourite liveband now btw) and this and Brighter Days were fuckin' awesome live, they are good in studio, but in concert is where they come to their right, it really is on a whole other level!
Debbie Benson
Love me some JJ and Mofro :P
oldasnew
LOVE J.J.!!!
Curt Bayer
great concert at Sweetwater last week
Melissa Cross
❤❤😘
The Internet Explorer User
only missing that Hey Joe style solo at the end hehe
Raymond Florence
I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS GUY AND HIS BAND ARE SO Soulful