Sellards attended Occidental College in Los Angeles. When Sellards was 19, he traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to visit a classmate, who introduced him to Scott Hoffman (Babydaddy). Sellards and Hoffman hit it off immediately and, a year later, both moved to New York.
In New York, Sellards attended Eugene Lang College, where he studied fiction writing, and wrote pieces for the gay magazine HX. For a while, Sellards was a fixture on the New York gay and electroclash scene, as well as a stripper in alternative gay bars (including the legendary IC-Guyz).
Sellards and Hoffman formed the Scissor Sisters in 2002 as a kind of performance art lark, playing outrageous shows in clubs like Luxx, the heart of the electroclash scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Sellards lived. After a couple years struggling in New York (working with record label A Touch of Class, who produced Comfortably Numb and Filthy/Gorgeous), the Sisters finally found success in the UK/Ireland - ending 2004 with the biggest-selling album of the year in the UK.
In concert, Shears is known for provocative dancing and often going near-nude, hearkening back to his former occupation as a stripper. He, along with his band, has become especially popular in the GLBT community.
Shears, as well as fellow band members Babydaddy and Del Marquis, are openly gay.
Shears performs with Erasure's Andy Bell on Thought It Was You, on Bell's 2005 album Electric Blue.
He has also collaborated with Tiga, and wrote the hit single, I Believe In You, for Kylie Minogue with Babydaddy.
Meltdown
Jake Shears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better cool it off 'fore the Meltdown
You've gone and left the stove on
You love an open flame
You wanting everyone to see inside
But you're steaming up your window panes
This is the Dawn of Hades
I do my best for baby
Don't need no
No warning signs
It's too damn hot
Better cool it off 'fore the Meltdown(Meltdown)
It's too damn hot
Better cool it off 'fore the Meltdown yeah
Don't think I can take on another degree
The way you throwing heat around
I'm too damn hot
Better cool me off before the Meltdown yeah
I'm a warm blooded man
Bring me a fan
This fever don't feel right
It's burning me alive
It's too damn hot
Better cool it off 'fore the Meltdown
It's too damn hot
Better cool it off 'fore the Meltdown
Don't think I can take on another degree
The way you throwing heat around
It's too damn hot
Better cool it off before the Meltdown yeah
The song 'Meltdown' by Jake Shears talks about the heat that two lovers are creating in their relationship which could cause a meltdown if not addressed. The lyrics convey how the heat is rising and the singer is feeling overwhelmed by it. He warns his partner that it's "too damn hot" and they need to "cool it off before the meltdown". The singer feels like they are being steamed up, as their partner is showing off their love publicly and they are unable to handle it. In addition, she is also causing him to feel ill, pumping up the heat to the point where he is burning alive. The singer is a "warm blooded man" who needs a fan to cool off. He has tried his best to make things easy for them, but he thinks that he can't handle any more heat and warns her to bring it down before it leads to a meltdown.
The song may have a deeper meaning that Shears is using to discuss the current state of the world. The lyrics "This is the Dawn of Hades, This is the End of Times" could suggest an apocalypse. The heat mentioned in the lyrics could refer to the increase of global warming and the effects it has on the planet. It could also refer to political tension in the world that is causing fear and anxiety among people. Overall, the song is about acknowledging that things are heating up and we need to take action before it's too late to avoid a breakdown.
Line by Line Meaning
It's too damn hot
The temperature is uncomfortably high
Better cool it off 'fore the Meltdown
It's necessary to lower the temperature before a catastrophe occurs
You've gone and left the stove on
The heat source is still active and potentially dangerous
You love an open flame
You enjoy showing off and attracting attention
You wanting everyone to see inside
You seek validation and recognition from others
But you're steaming up your window panes
Your actions are causing problems and discomfort
This is the Dawn of Hades
The situation is becoming increasingly dire and ominous
This is the End of Times
The situation is approaching a breaking point
I do my best for baby
I'm trying my hardest to handle the situation
Don't need no No warning signs
I don't require any further alerts or signals to recognize the danger
Don't think I can take on another degree
I'm near my limit and can't handle any more stress or discomfort
The way you throwing heat around
Your actions are causing the temperature to rise quickly
I'm too damn hot
I'm extremely uncomfortable and anxious
Better cool me off before the Meltdown yeah
It's urgent to find a way to lower my stress level and address the root cause of the problem
I'm a warm blooded man
I'm a passionate and emotionally-driven person
Bring me a fan
I need some help and support to cool down and relax
This fever don't feel right
The current state of intense emotions and pressure is unsettling
Writer(s): Jason Sellards, Michael Laine Cheever
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.