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.
Orange Blossoms
JJ Grey & Mofro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will you come meet me at the back of the grove?
All the trees were in bloom that sweet smell in the air
We were trembling together we were young we were scared
True love is hard to find
I can smell those orange blossoms
When I smell those orange blossoms then I'm there
We swam in the lake, we watched fire flies by night
She was my princess and I was her knight
But her daddy didn't like me, he ain't like how I look
He said leave that boy be and that's all that it took
True love is hard to find
I can smell those orange blossoms
I can see her standing here
When I smell those orange blossoms
Then I'm there
But I remember her vow, how she wouldn't forget me
And all these years later, I can't even remember her name
True love is hard to find
I can smell those orange blossoms
I can see her standing here
When I smell those orange blossoms
Then I'm there, oh yeah
I can smell those orange blossoms
I can see her standing here
When I smell those orange blossoms
Then I'm there
Ooh yeah
Where did she go
The song "Orange Blossoms" by JJ Grey & Mofro tells the story of a young couple's fleeting love in the midst of orange groves in bloom. The first verse depicts the excitement and fear of young love as the singer sneaks a note to his lover to meet him at the back of the grove. The imagery of the blooming trees and sweet scent in the air adds to the romantic atmosphere. The second verse reveals the conflict between their love and the disapproval of the girl's father. Despite their promise to never forget one another, the singer can't even remember her name many years later.
The chorus, "I can smell those orange blossoms, I can see her standing here, when I smell those orange blossoms then I'm there," highlights the idea that the memory of their love is associated with the scent of the orange blossoms. The nostalgia and longing for that fleeting love is captured in the repetition of this line throughout the song. The use of sensory imagery throughout the song, such as the smell of orange blossoms and the sight of fireflies at night, adds to the nostalgia and sense of longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I snuck to her window, to leave her a note
I secretly went to her house to leave a message for her
Will you come meet me at the back of the grove?
Will you come meet me at the back of the orchard?
All the trees were in bloom that sweet smell in the air
All the trees were flowering and the air was fragrant
We were trembling together we were young we were scared
We were both nervous and afraid, being young and in love
True love is hard to find
It's not easy to find genuine love
I can smell those orange blossoms
The scent of orange blossoms reminds me of her
I can see her standing here
The scent brings up vivid memories of her being here
We swam in the lake, we watched fire flies by night
We spent sweet evenings swimming and watching fireflies
She was my princess and I was her knight
We were head over heels in love with each other
But her daddy didn't like me, he ain't like how I look
Her father disapproved of me, maybe due to my appearance
He said leave that boy be and that's all that it took
He told her to stop seeing me, and she obeyed
But I remember her vow, how she wouldn't forget me
I recall how she promised to always remember and love me
And all these years later, I can't even remember her name
Despite my own promise to remember, time has erased her name from my memory
Ooh yeah
Where did she go
I wonder where she is now
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JJ Grey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind