Born Joseph Mascis on 10th December 1965 in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States, in the early 1980s he founded the short-lived hardcore group Deep Wound with his high school friends Lou Barlow and Scott Helland. He started out on drums, but moved to guitar when he went on to found Dinosaur Jr. (with bassist Barlow and drummer Patrick "Murph" Murphy in 1984), which achieved national and international success. After Mascis dismissed Barlow from Dinosaur Jr. in 1989, he recorded several more Dinosaur Jr. albums until 1997, including the 1996 acoustic solo album Martin & Me. He then went on to produce albums with his new band, J Mascis and the Fog, starting in 2000.
In April 2005, Mascis joined up again with Barlow and Murph, as the original trio of Dinosaur Jr., to begin a tour celebrating the re-release of the group's first three albums.
In August 2005, Mascis released a new solo album as J Mascis and Friends, J and Friends Sing and Chant for Amma, an album of devotional songs dedicated to Hindu religious leader Mata Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, about whom he had previously written "Ammaring" on the first J Mascis and the Fog album More Light. The proceeds from the album are being donated to Tsunami relief efforts by Ammachi's organisation.
In late summer 2005, Mascis helped Danish band Mew by adding vocals to the song "Why Are You Looking Grave?" and backing vocals on "An Envoy to the Open Fields". Both songs can be found on Mew's newest album And the Glass Handed Kites.
In 2006, Mascis released an album with his newly-formed heavy metal band Witch, returning to drumming for their debut album, Witch.
In 2010, J Mascis teamed up with two members of Cobra Verde and one of his Witch bandmates for a new project: Sweet Apple. Like Mascis’ Witch side project, Sweet Apple finds J behind the drum kit, although he does plays guitar and sings this time around.
Take a Run at the Sun
J Mascis Lyrics
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When you think of the one
Brings a cloud to your eye
Every moment you smile
Rain lets up for awhile
Sun starts clearing your sky
Every night you cry alone
And every time you're on your own
And you wish the hurt would stop
The sun will never hurt you
The warmth of rays will hold you
And every time you wonder why
Remember what I told you
You've been waiting for a sign
You wouldn't need if you were mine
The littlest clouds could feel the sun shine
Take a run at the sun
When you think of the one
Brings a cloud to your eye
Every moment you smile
Rain lets up for a while
Sun starts clearing your sky
Let the rays come inside
They'll make everything right
Let the sun embrace you
All the feelings you hide
Let 'em go with the tide
Give the moon a place too
You been hurt the cloud's rolling
Your heart is close to broken
Don't want to move you're feeling down
Catch the rain it's coming 'round
The sun would never hurt you
The warmth of rays will hold you
And every time you wonder why
Remember what I told you
Take a run at the sun
When you think of the one
Brings a cloud to your eye
Every moment you smile
Rain lets up for a while
Sun starts clearing your sky
Let the rays come inside
They'll make everything right
Let the sun embrace you
All the feelings you hide
Let 'em go with the tide
Give the moon a place too
Take a run at the sun
Take a run at the sun
Take a run at the sun
Take a run at the sun
The lyrics of J Mascis's "Take a Run at the Sun" is an uplifting message about finding hope and renewal in the midst of heartbreak and despair. The song encourages the listener to "take a run at the sun" as a metaphor for taking a chance on happiness and letting go of negativity. Throughout the song, the lyrics use imagery of rain, clouds, and the warming rays of the sun to convey the emotions of the singer and the listener.
At the start of the song, the lyrics suggest that thinking of someone who brings sadness and tears can bring clouds to one's eyes. However, the singer reminds the listener that the sun will never hurt them and that its warmth can provide comfort and healing. The chorus encourages the listener to take a chance on finding happiness, letting go of fear and negativity, and allowing positivity and warmth to enter their lives.
The final verse references the moon, reminding the listener that even in darkness, there is still beauty and hope. The lyrics ultimately serve as a reminder that even in tough times, there is still the potential for happiness and positivity, and that we should take a chance on pursuing it.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a run at the sun
Even though it's impossible to reach the sun, strive for something greater than yourself.
When you think of the one
When you are thinking of that special person in your life.
Brings a cloud to your eye
Makes you emotional and sentimental.
Every moment you smile
Every time you find joy in life.
Rain lets up for awhile
Difficult times start to dissipate.
Sun starts clearing your sky
Good things start to happen and the future looks brighter.
Every night you cry alone
The pain is overwhelming and you feel alone in your sadness.
Every tear a raindrop
Your tears are like raindrops, falling from the sky, reflecting the emotions you feel.
And every time you're on your own
When you are feeling lonely and isolated.
And you wish the hurt would stop
You want to heal and move past the pain you feel in your heart.
The sun will never hurt you
Even though life can be painful at times, it also brings joy and happiness.
The warmth of rays will hold you
The feeling of the sun can bring comfort and warmth when you are feeling down.
And every time you wonder why
When you question why things did not work out as you planned.
Remember what I told you
Remember the positive message and encouragement you received from someone important in your life.
You've been waiting for a sign
You are waiting for a message or direction that will help guide you in the right direction.
You wouldn't need if you were mine
If you belonged to someone else, you would not need a sign to tell you what to do or where to go.
The littlest clouds could feel the sun shine
Even small changes in your life can help brighten your outlook and make you feel more positive.
Let the rays come inside
Open yourself up to new opportunities and experiences.
They'll make everything right
New experiences and perspectives can help heal old wounds and make you feel better about the future.
Let the sun embrace you
Let hope and love into your heart, hold onto positive experiences and the joy of life.
All the feelings you hide
Embrace and confront feelings that might be difficult, embracing and accepting them is key to growing past them.
Let 'em go with the tide
The struggles you face should be allowed to float away, instead of clinging to them, let the waves wash them away so you can move forward.
Give the moon a place too
Give other aspects of life a chance to shine and bring harmony to your life.
You been hurt the cloud's rolling
Your pain can cloud your judgement and leave you feeling stuck in a situation.
Your heart is close to broken
Heartache can make it difficult to see beyond pain, but being open to new opportunities and experiences is key to moving beyond it.
Don't want to move you're feeling down
Even when feeling stuck, it is important to keep moving forward a little bit at a time, so you aren't held captive by past regrets or pains.
Catch the rain it's coming 'round
New opportunities are coming, so be ready to take advantage of them when they arrive.
Take a run at the sun
Even if you cannot reach it, take aim for something greater than yourself and reach for it with all that you have.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOSEPH DONALD MASCIS JR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind