“There’s a Michael Jackson influence,” confesses the producer/composer/musician with a gentle chuckle, about the third Jakalope album. “I made a conscious effort to look into the type of stuff I enjoy, so there’s a very heavy Jackson-factor in there, as well as a bit of a Donna Summer-thing going on.”
It’s one of the tastier ironies of Ogilvie’s catalogue that the pulsating influence of Donna Summer’s disco-synth svengali Giorgio Moroder is already felt in some of the more outré work he’s done in the past – albeit shrouded in night terrors – but it’s also no surprise.
“Moroder’s stuff was very influential in everybody’s world,” he says, “but especially for me, with Moroder being the first to do a lot of electronic stuff. I always had a very weak spot for that, and loved to be able to emulate that in any way. In the past with Jakalope I was trying to really stick to an industrial rock vein, but I’m trying to let it flow a little more with this album, and applying those influences.”
If Jakalope’s first two albums established a bubblegum meets sheet-metal blueprint for the enterprise, Things That Go Jump In The Night is a graduation into something a little more substantial, and a little less brazen in its effort to make itself heard. As Ogilvie notes, he’s letting the music “flow”, which means that Things That Go Jump In The Night has to some extent designed itself, taking Ogilvie and his cohorts to a slinkier place than Jakalope has occupied before. There’s at least one very good reason for the neon-lit and smoke-infused feel of the new material, or, as Ogilvie has it, “the lush, multi-dimensional sound.”
“These songs are really written with a lot more attention to the character of Chrystal’s voice,” he explains. “It’s a lot more mature, I think. That’s one of the things for me – the writing, performance and style has a whole new level of maturity, where before it was simple pop songs with simple vocals.”
Chrystal Leigh is Ogilvie’s newest muse, now that Katie B. has amicably moved on from her two-album collaboration with Jakalope. Ogilvie came across Leigh when he was petitioning friends and colleagues to find him the new voice. The Vancouverite aced her audition.
“I was blown away by her personality, her voice, and the fact that she’s a piano player,” recounts Ogilvie, before dishing, “I was dying to have someone to collaborate with, who actually is a musician and not just a singer.”
The results of their partnership? It’s anointed Jakalope with a Nancy-and-Lee or Serge-and-Jane vibe; adult, knowing, and altogether smoother than the boisterous dance moves of It Dreams and Born 4. Ogilvie had Leigh inaugurate the new Jakalope with a reverent cover of Julee Cruise’s “Falling”, which turned out every inch as celestial and haunting as the original. But it’s the Ogilvie/Leigh compositions that ultimately convince, be it “Magnolia” where an uplifting tempo juxtaposes the haunting lyrics, the boom box and B-movie organ laced “Cupcake”, which suggests a goth Gwen Stefani, or the gorgeous “Last Song Tonight”, which gives Ogilvie the chance to exercise his inner-John Barry with a tense string part emerging from a platter of schizoid, Aphex Twin percussive signals and rubbery bass. Throughout these tracks, Leigh establishes herself, unequivocally, as the new voice. “I’ve always been drawn towards Dave’s work and it’s nice to finally collaborate with someone I respect and inspires me. If there’s one thing Jakalope was missing was a chemistry between music and vocals and I’m excited to be that new voice.” Says Leigh. Jakalope has consequently taken an exponential leap forward, giving Ogilvie what he always wanted – an equality between its male and female principles.
“Look at my discography and there’s a lot of women I worked with,” he says. “And I always loved seeing passionate female performers, and it’s really something I think we’ve been lacking.”
“Joni Mitchell was one of my early influences,” Ogilvie continues, no doubt much to the surprise of any aging rivet-heads who grew up with Too Dark Park in constant rotation, “with just the power of what she was saying – it spoke to me very deeply. Seeing someone like Shirley Manson, from her onset to what she became, I just always loved to be able to see how someone with such a small demeanor in person can have such control of an audience. I just really, really enjoy that…”
Which brings us to Chrystal.
“The big thing I’ve always stressed,” he concludes, “is that when people see someone on stage, they want to be that person. You don’t want the person on stage to be part of the crowd, and Chrystal definitely stands out and is not part of the crowd. I’m so excited to be involved with that. She’s someone who takes the reins in her hands and is like, ‘Let me take control…’”
Come on
Jakalope Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or a piece
Of my mind
Bare another chip on my shoulder
My blanket so you don't get cold
Oh Oh
Do you want to cover your eyes
Do you want to see through mine
So you don't disappear
[Chorus:]
I'll give you
All of me
Then I can walk away
Free from the weight of the world that believes
So come on, come on
Do you really want my arms
So you can hold- my hand
Take the skin off of my back
Take the feet from under me
So you can- stand
Take in all the people I like
Break in all my sunny skies
And I will take all of your rain
For the ones you hate
I'll give you
All of me
Then I can walk away
Free from the weight of the world that believes
But you can't even see
That I'm failing to breathe
So come on- come, come, come on
The first stanza of Jakalope's song Come On highlights the dilemma of a person trying to understand the intentions of another. The person singing is curious whether the other person wants their time or their opinion on an issue. The next line alludes to the fact that the person singing feels that they already have too many problems of their own and are bearing extra weight like a chip on their shoulder. However, despite all of this, they still offer a blanket to the other person so that they don't feel left out in the cold.
The chorus of the song is reflective of the generous and selfless nature of the person singing. They offer all of themselves to the other person without expecting anything in return. They believe that by doing so, they will be able to free themselves from the weight of the world that others believe. The chorus is an invitation for the other person to come on and take all that they want from them.
In the second stanza, the person singing expresses their willingness to give everything to the other person. They offer their arms to the other person so that they can hold their hand, the skin off their back, and even the feet from under them so that they can stand. They also offer them access to all the people they like even though this might mean breaking in their sunny skies. Ultimately, they tell the other person that they are willing to take all of their rain for the ones they hate.
In conclusion, the song Come On by Jakalope highlights a generous and selfless person who is willing to give all of themselves to another person without expecting anything in return. The chorus is an invitation for the other person to come on and take everything they want from them. The song is a reflection of the complexities of human relationships and the selflessness of some individuals even in the midst of their own challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you want a piece of my time
Do you desire some of my attention or a portion of my life?
Or a piece of my mind
Perhaps, do you want to know what's on my thoughts or understand my emotions?
Bare another chip on my shoulder
Will you add another burden on me and test my strength?
My blanket so you don't get cold
I'm ready to comfort and protect you if you need me to.
Do you want to cover your eyes
Do you have a choice but to remain ignorant of the things around you?
Do you want to see through mine
Do you want a glimpse of my perspectives and ideas towards life?
Taking my darkest years
Even if it means reliving my most painful memories, can I open up to you?
So you don't disappear
I'm willing to share my life's ups and downs with you so that you won't fade away from my life.
I'll give you all of me
I can sacrifice everything I have for you.
Then I can walk away
After giving you my all, I could leave and have no regrets or resentment.
Free from the weight of the world that believes
After opening up, I can be free from the judgment of the world.
So come on, come on
I'm ready for you to take what you need from me.
Do you really want my arms
Do you want to be embraced and comforted by my arms?
So you can hold my hand
Do you wish to remain by my side for the journey?
Take the skin off of my back
Take what you need even if it hurts me.
Take the feet from under me
Will you push me down to lift you up?
So you can stand
I'm willing to sacrifice my stability if it means you can reach greater heights.
Take in all the people I like
I would like you to know and appreciate the people who matter to me in my life.
Break in all my sunny skies
Will you test my resolve and challenge me in times of peace and prosperity?
And I will take all of your rain
I'm ready to endure all the trials, difficulties, and pains that you may encounter on your journey.
For the ones you hate
I'm ready to make sacrifices for the people who you may not necessarily like or appreciate.
But you can't even see
Even though I'm giving you everything, do you not notice it at all?
That I'm failing to breathe
Am I suffocating under the weight of your demands and expectations?
So come on, come, come, come on
If you're going to take it all, then take it quickly and leave me some room to breathe.
Lyrics © Regard Music
Written by: ASH HOWES, DEBRA ANNE ANDREW COWEN, MARTIN PETER HARRINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind