James emerged from their native Manchester in the mid-'80s playing a brand … Read Full Bio ↴James emerged from their native Manchester in the mid-'80s playing a brand of urgent, ringing guitar pop distinguished by Tim Booth's keening, insistent vocals. Booth's dramatic stylings and James' dedication to textured guitars earned the group the designation of "the next Smiths," a connection strengthened by Morrissey's endorsement of the band. By the dawn of the '90s, James shook off these comparisons by embracing acid house, the first of many adventurous left turns the band took over the decades. "Sit Down," an old open-hearted tune re-recorded for the age of "baggy," proved to be their breakthrough, reaching number two in the U.K. in 1991 and becoming an alternative rock hit in the U.S. With its singles "Sound" and "Born of Frustration," Seven consolidated that success in 1992, but it was 1993's Laid that established the group's mature sound. Working with Brian Eno, the group took aural risks that paid off artistically and commercially: the title track became their biggest American hit. From there, James had a flurry of activity in the late 1990s before entering a hiatus in 2001. The band regrouped in 2007, releasing Hey Ma the following year and then settling into a groove where they alternated tours with ambitious album projects such as 2010's two-part The Night Before and The Morning After, as well as 2021's pandemic journal All the Colours of You.

James formed in Manchester in 1982, when Paul Gilbertson (guitar), Jim Glennie (bass), and Gavan Whelan (drums) met Tim Booth (vocals) at Manchester University and asked him to join their fledgling band. During the next year, James became regulars on the local club circuit, and by 1983 they had signed to Factory, releasing their debut EP, Jimone, later that year. Two years later, their second EP, James 2, was released, and Morrissey, the lead singer of the Smiths, publicly endorsed the group, asking them to open for his band. By the summer of 1985, Larry Gott had replaced Gilbertson, and the group signed to Sire Records. Working with producer Lenny Kaye, the group recorded its debut, Stutter, that year, releasing it in early 1986 to generally positive reviews.

Over the next two years, James toured constantly, building up a solid fan base. They released their second album, the folky Strip-Mine, in 1988. The record failed to capitalize on their live following, and the band departed Sire the following year, signing with the independent Rough Trade. On their new label, James released the moderately successful "Sit Down" and the live album One Man Clapping, which climbed to number one on the indie charts. In 1990, Whelan was replaced by David Baynton-Power, and James expanded to a septet with the addition of keyboardist Mark Hunter, violinist Saul Davies, and trumpeter Andy Diagram. The new lineup signed to Fontana Records and released Gold Mother in the fall. Following a handful of minor hit singles, Gold Mother finally became a breakthrough success in the spring of 1991, when a re-recorded version of "Sit Down" -- now boasting a contemporary baggy beat -- climbed to number two on the U.K. charts and became a staple on U.S. modern rock radio. Although the success of "Sit Down" was a blessing, it also was a curse, as the single became all James were known for. The band began to rebel in concert, playing almost nothing but new material, and its next album, 1992's Seven, was perceived as a misguided stab at big arena rock.

For the follow-up to Seven, James stripped away Diagram and worked with producer Brian Eno. The resulting record, Laid, was a quieter, more ambitious album, and it received some of the band's best reviews. While the album was ignored in the U.K., it was an alternative rock hit in the U.S. on the strength of the title track, which became a crossover hit. During the Laid sessions, James recorded another album's worth of experimental music with Eno that was released in the fall of 1994 as Wah Wah. The album received mixed reviews and the group took an extended break throughout 1995, partly due to guitarist Gott's departure. In 1996, Tim Booth recorded a collaboration with composer Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet) entitled Booth and the Bad Angel, which received generally positive reviews.

With guitarist Adrian Oxaal in tow, James returned in early 1997 with Whiplash, a more straightforward record that was greeted with mixed reviews. Released in 1999, Millionaires, recorded with new guitarist Michael Kulas, was initially released only in the U.K. Their spectacular follow-up, 2001's Pleased to Meet You, was also available only in the U.K. A few months later, frontman Tim Booth announced his departure from the band he founded nearly 20 years before, and James called it quits following a winter tour of the U.K. in December 2001. The break was short-lived, however, as the band re-formed in 2007 and embarked on a tour in support of the double-disc compilation Fresh as a Daisy: The Singles. The following year saw the release of Hey Ma, James' tenth studio album.

The band returned in 2010 with a pair of "mini-albums" called The Night Before and The Morning After, respectively, before late 2011 brought a short, but novel, U.K. tour (the Orchestra of the Swan and the Manchester Consort Choir were their backup bands). In 2012, the lavish and long-awaited box set The Gathering Sound was issued, and included previously unreleased audio material alongside long-unavailable video concert footage. Details of the Max Dingel-produced La Petite Mort emerged in February 2014, and this first post-Mercury studio album was released four months later in June. Dingel then returned to produce their 2016 record, Girl at the End of the World. Written in Scotland and recorded in London, the album was described by the band as "big but personal, abrasive but warming" and "ultimately uplifting." Two years later, James teamed with producers Charlie Andrew and Beni Giles for Living in Extraordinary Times.

During the 2020 pandemic, Tim Booth teamed up with his Topanga Canyon neighbor Jacknife Lee to construct the basic tracks the rest of James completed while in quarantine. The resulting All the Colours of You was released in June 2021.

Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

There are other artists using the same name:

2) James is the vocalist of popular Bangladeshi band Nagar Baul. He was a member of the band Feelings and later formed the band Nagar Baul. James was raised in Chittagong and later moved to Dhaka for his singing career. Stylishly longhaired James--overwhelmingly known as the Nagar Baul (the City Bard), was the pioneer of psychedelic rock in Bangladesh. Originally a lead singer and guitarist, he has always been respected for his solo projects. He became affectionately called Guru by his fans. His tunes were bright and his singing a divergence from the archetypal tunes preferred by the commercial-type directors. His songs expressed love, rage, discontent, frustration, and happiness.

3) A Dutch rapper connected to the Fakkelteitgroep.

4) James Lee - known as James - was a former member of Royal Pirates, a South Korean band. On 2015, he got into an accident that caused him unable to play bass any longer. Hence, he decided to left the band.
James moved back to Los Angeles and decided to release music written post accident in a project called ’the Light EP’ consisted of 5 tracks. (http://jamesleeofficial.com/)

Ball of Fire
James Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Scarlet hoverin' my head
Pretty and red, pretty and red
Flowers dyin' in their bed
Oh, yeah

Why is everyone crying, mmm, hmm
Don't you know you can see
Shining down on you and me, yeah

And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah
Keeps watching over you and I, way up high
And the ball of fire in the sky, come on
Keeps watching over you and I, way up high

And now the towers are fallin'
Tumblin' down, tumblin' down
Oh, can't you hear the angels callin'
Oh, yeah, listen

Mmm, shinin' through eternity
As it was, so it shall be, yeah

And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah
Keeps watching over you and I, way up high, yeah
And the ball of fire in the sky
Keeps watching over you and I, you and I, yes, it does

And the ball of fire in the sky, come on
It keeps watching over you and I, way up high, come on
And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah
Keeps watching over you and I, you and I, way up high

And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah
It keeps watching over you and I, way up high, ho

And the ball of fire in the sky, come on
It keeps watching over you and I, way up high

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of James's song Ball of Fire seem to be a reflection on the cyclical nature of life and the constant presence of an unseen force that watches over us all. The imagery of a Scarlet hoverin' overhead likely represents the sun or perhaps a metaphor for some higher power that guides and influences our lives. The flowers dyin' in their bed could be a symbolic representation of the temporary nature of life and how things must come to an end in order for new beginnings to emerge.

The chorus speaks to this constant presence that seems to be watching over us all, referred to as the ball of fire in the sky. This could be interpreted as the sun, a metaphor for a higher power, or even the constant cycle of life and death that exists all around us. The mention of fallen towers could be a reference to tragedy or the passing of time, and the angels callin' could be a symbolic reference to the afterlife or something beyond our current understanding.

Overall, the lyrics of Ball of Fire seem to be a contemplation on the nature of existence and the forces that influence and guide us along the way.

Line by Line Meaning

Scarlet hoverin' my head
There is something ominous and dangerous that James is aware of lurking close to him.

Pretty and red, pretty and red
The danger that James senses is particularly striking and visually appealing in a seductive but threatening way.

Flowers dyin' in their bed
The beauty of the flowers James sees is being wasted and destroyed because of the danger he feels around him.

Why is everyone crying, mmm, hmm / Don't you know you can see / Shining down on you and me, yeah
Despite the danger and sadness around him, James sees something hopeful and optimistic in a celestial source of light that still shines down on him and others.

And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah / Keeps watching over you and I, way up high / And the ball of fire in the sky, come on / Keeps watching over you and I, way up high
The 'ball of fire' in the sky is a symbol of the source of light that James sees as a protector and a beacon of hope, watching over him and all of humanity from above.

And now the towers are fallin' / Tumblin' down, tumblin' down / Oh, can't you hear the angels callin' / Oh, yeah, listen
James sees a great tragedy occurring, with structures collapsing and what may be the supernatural or the divine attempting to deliver a warning or message to humanity.

Mmm, shinin' through eternity / As it was, so it shall be, yeah
A message of permanence and continuity that James identifies with the celestial light source that he perceives, which never fades or disappears.

And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah / Keeps watching over you and I, way up high, yeah / And the ball of fire in the sky / Keeps watching over you and I, you and I, yes, it does
Repeating the assertion that the 'ball of fire' is still present and watching over the world and everyone in it, with emphasis on the collective 'you and I.'

And the ball of fire in the sky, come on / It keeps watching over you and I, way up high, come on / And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah / Keeps watching over you and I, you and I, way up high
Reiterating the enduring power and protective influence of the celestial light source that James perceives, encouraging others to recognize it as well.

And the ball of fire in the sky, yeah / It keeps watching over you and I, way up high, ho / And the ball of fire in the sky, come on / It keeps watching over you and I, way up high
Closing the song with another reminder of the enduring presence of the 'ball of fire' in the sky, watching over humanity from above.

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUCE C SUDANO, MIKE VALE, PAUL DENNIS NAUMANN, THOMAS WILSON, TOMMY JAMES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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