The group was named for the San Francisco Muni Metro line that Hahn took down Church Street to work, as well as to band practice in the the early days. Through the years, Lance was joined by a vast array of musicians in an ever-evolving J Church lineup.
Lance Hahn was also a punk rock history writer, writing many pieces for Maximum Rock 'n' Roll, the San Francisco music zine. Additionally, he also found time to run Honey Bear Records and work on a book compiling various writings on anarcho-punk bands. Lance Hahn passed away on October 21, 2007, aged 40, after falling into a coma nine days earlier due to complications from kidney dialysis.
Band Members included:
Guitar / Vocals
Lance Hahn (1991-2007)
Second Guitarist
David DiDonato (2002-2005)
Bass Players
Ben White (2002-2007)
Jeff Bursley (1999-2002)
Scott Bradley (1998-1999)
Gardner Maxam (1991-1998)
Drummers
Chris Pfeffer (2002-2007)
Adam Pfahler (1998-2002)
Andee Connors (1997-2000)
Reed Burgoyne (1995-1997)
Wade Arnold Driver Jr (1994-1995)
Brendan Murdoch (1992-1994)
Adam Pfahler (1992-1993)
Aaron Olson (1991-1992)
http://www.j-church.com
Tightrope
J Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say some days you're gonna lose
I tell you I got news for you
Your losin' all the time you never win
If you believe that's how it's gonna be I'd better
Put you down
Get off your tightrope up there come down on
The ground you gotta save me now
When I looked around, I was heading down,
Won't somebody throw me down a line.
They say some days you gotta give
They say some day s you gotta take
If that's the way it's gotta be
Roll it over and you will see
The city streets are full of people going
Nowhere making time
The change from night to day is really only hours
It's just along the line can't you see the sign
When I looked around, I was heading down
Won't somebody throw me down a line
I want to look you straight in the eye
I want to tell you how I really feel
I can feel the wheels turnin' round
Won't somebody throw me down a line
The city streets are full of people going
Nowhere making time
The change from night to day is really only hours
It's just along the line, can't you see the sign
When I closed my eyes, I was so surprised
Somebody had thrown me down the line
Stopped me drownin'
The lyrics of J Church's song Tightrope speak about the challenges of life and the constant struggle to find balance. The lyrics suggest that there are days when we win, and there are days when we lose. However, the reality is that we are losing all the time if we continue to believe that we will never win. The singer then urges the listener to get off their tightrope and come down to the ground to save them. The song speaks about the struggle to keep going in life, and the need for support and help from others.
The second verse of the song speaks about how life can be challenging, and we have to give and take to make things work. The city streets are mentioned as being full of people going nowhere, making time. The change from night to day is described as being only a matter of hours, and the line between the two is blurred. The singer is looking for someone to throw them down a line to save them from drowning.
Overall, the song Tightrope speaks about the difficulties of navigating life and the need for support from others. The lyrics suggest that we cannot do it alone and that we need to lean on each other to get through the tough times.
Line by Line Meaning
They say some days you're gonna win
Life is unpredictable and some days you will succeed
They say some days you're gonna lose
Life is unpredictable and some days you will face failure
I tell you I got news for you
The singer has a revelation to share
Your losin' all the time you never win
The artist believes that the listener is constantly losing and never succeeding
If you believe that's how it's gonna be I'd better
Put you down
If the listener believes they will always fail, it's better for the artist to end the conversation
Get off your tightrope up there come down on
The ground you gotta save me now
You better turn around.
The listener is compared to someone walking on a tightrope and the singer believes they should come back down to reality and help them
When I looked around, I was heading down,
Won't somebody throw me down a line.
The singer is in a difficult situation and needs help from someone
They say some days you gotta give
They say some day s you gotta take
If that's the way it's gotta be
Roll it over and you will see
Life requires both giving and taking and accepting this fact will lead to understanding
The city streets are full of people going
Nowhere making time
People are living their lives without really accomplishing anything significant
The change from night to day is really only hours
It's just along the line can't you see the sign
The artist is emphasizing the insignificance of time and how easily it passes
When I looked around, I was heading down
Won't somebody throw me down a line
The singer is still in a difficult situation and seeking help
I want to look you straight in the eye
I want to tell you how I really feel
I can feel the wheels turnin' round
Won't somebody throw me down a line
The artist wants to have an honest conversation with someone about their situation and is feeling anxious about it
The city streets are full of people going
Nowhere making time
The change from night to day is really only hours
It's just along the line, can't you see the sign
The singer is repeating their earlier point about the lack of significance of people's lives and the passage of time
When I closed my eyes, I was so surprised
Somebody had thrown me down the line
Stopped me drownin'
Finally, someone has helped the singer and saved them from their difficult situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF LYNNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Adams
You can't compare this version with Janelle Monae's version. Both are amazing songs, but they're both very different styles of music. Each one is great in their own way.
91clarie
Amen to that. Janelle's version makes me wanna dance like crazy and this version makes me wanna watch the clouds and dream :)
Dojo San
Yeah i love this one. Her Voice is so Sweet and carefully like singing to a Child. I love It. But i Will check janelle's version
Cwe
Michael Adams, agree! 😉
Ryan
You can obviously compare them. This is a different take on that song. This has a lot more depth
Gabriel
Its weird cos I really love The Archandoid and Electric Lady but I never liked Tightrope for some reason. I found it annoying. I really like this version though.
Kevin Licon
Love how their covers are so different than the original.
I have no good name
Everything CHVRCHES touches turn into gold
Schlep Edits
Such a clean sound. New to this group and I fucking love it.
aar
I am so glad for this version right now. Thanks guys. U guys r my favorites
😄