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/)
Billys Shirts
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Billy's dream boat stills as the house alights
Sailors come from miles for a drink and a fight
But the harbour thrills pull back from the light
To the belly of a boat in a hammer try tight
Holler
Pleasures of the night
Holler
(refrain)
Pleasures of the night
What a sight
Oh no, the organ plays by itself
It doesn't need the grinder's help and the monkey
And the monkey stow away to sea
Back to his wife and a nest in the trees
Billy's brother plays bass in a band called man
He fancies himself as a travelling ham
Strutting and fretting them into fame
In a torn t-shirt he'll carve his name
Holler
(refrain)
Looking for adventure and some mystery
He doesn't need the grinder and he doesn't want me
Stripped off his suit
So let the poor beast be
Oh, let the poor beast be
The man said, "ho ho wee, this is too hot for me!"
Billy's shirt's on fire in the night
He said, "ho wee this is too hot to see."
Billy's shirt's on fire in the night
The lyrics to James's song "Billy's Shirts" describe a chaotic scene in a harbor where sailors come together to drink, fight, and engage in pleasurable activities. The opening lines of "Shirt's on fire, church on fire" suggest that the atmosphere is intense and potentially dangerous. The singer of the song, Billy, has a dream boat that is still while the house around it burns. The sailors, however, continue to enjoy themselves, ignoring the fire and reveling in the harbor's thrills. The shirt on fire referenced throughout the song could represent the chaos and passion of the scene, hinting that it's a dangerous and unstable environment.
Throughout the song, the singer describes various characters involved in the scene. Billy's brother plays bass in a band and is described as a "traveling ham" who "carves his name" into a torn t-shirt. This suggests that Billy's brother is an aspiring musician who is trying to make a name for himself. The song mentions an organ that plays by itself and a monkey who stows away to sea, adding to the already chaotic and bizarre setting.
The refrain "Pleasures of the night, what a sight" suggests that the characters see the thrills of the harbor as enjoyable despite the chaos that surrounds them. However, the closing lines of the song, "He said, 'ho wee this is too hot to see.' / Billy's shirt's on fire in the night," could be a warning that the excitement and passion of the scene can quickly become dangerous and destructive.
Line by Line Meaning
Shirt's on fire, church on fire
The situation is extremely intense and dangerous as both a shirt and a church are on fire.
Billy's dream boat stills as the house alights
While everything around him is on fire, Billy's dream of sailing on his boat is put on hold as he watches the flames engulfing his house.
Sailors come from miles for a drink and a fight
Despite the terrible situation, sailors are still willing to come to the harbor for some drinking and fighting.
But the harbour thrills pull back from the light
The excitement and enjoyment of being at the harbor fade away as the fire becomes more intense and threatening.
To the belly of a boat in a hammer try tight
Trying to escape the fire, some people go inside a boat and hammer it tight, hoping to avoid any damage to the boat.
Holler
Exclamation to get someone's attention.
Pleasures of the night
The joys and fun associated with spending time out at night.
Seaman's delight
Sailors are having a great time despite the danger around them.
(refrain) Pleasures of the night
The chorus is a repeat of the idea that there is still enjoyment to be found despite the chaos and danger of the night.
What a sight
Commenting on the unique and interesting experience happening around them.
Oh no, the organ plays by itself
Even the organ is starting to play on its own, which adds to the eerie and supernatural feeling of the situation.
It doesn't need the grinder's help and the monkey
The organ is playing on its own, so it doesn't require the help of the person who usually plays the organ (grinder) or the monkey who typically accompanies them.
And the monkey stow away to sea
The monkey hides on the boat to escape the fire and go out to sea.
Back to his wife and a nest in the trees
The monkey is returning to his family and home in the trees once he reaches land.
Billy's brother plays bass in a band called man
Billy's brother is a musician who plays the bass guitar in a band called 'Man.'
He fancies himself as a travelling ham
Billy's brother imagines himself as a performer who travels around constantly, like a hamster on a wheel.
Strutting and fretting them into fame
Billy's brother thinks he has what it takes to make his band famous by confidently performing and worrying about nothing else.
In a torn t-shirt he'll carve his name
In the midst of putting on an impressive performance, Billy's brother will mark his name onto the music world while wearing a ripped t-shirt.
Looking for adventure and some mystery
Billy's brother is searching for excitement and intrigue in his music career.
He doesn't need the grinder and he doesn't want me
Billy's brother thinks he can make his music without any help, and he doesn't want to be associated with someone who needs assistance, like a grinder who helps with the organ.
Stripped off his suit
Billy's brother has shed his professional persona and is now free to be himself.
So let the poor beast be
Leave Billy's brother alone to do his own thing, like a wild animal in its natural habitat.
The man said, 'ho ho wee, this is too hot for me!'
A man realizes how intense and dangerous the situation is around him, and exclaims his fear and desire to get away from the fire.
Billy's shirt's on fire in the night
Billy's shirt is actually on fire while he's watching his house burn down, adding another layer of danger to the situation.
He said, 'ho wee this is too hot to see.'
Billy expresses how hard it is for him to watch his dreams go up in flames, both literally and figuratively.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: GAVIN WHELAN, JAMES GLENNIE, LAWRENCE GOTT, TIMOTHY BOOTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind