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/)
Blue Pastures
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Green rivers in silver light
I'm walking to the sound of distant bells
So peaceful I don't know who I am
And just when I think its clear
It turns all grey again
And I wonder who will find me in the snow
And just when I thought I was free
Once you're in, you're in
Blue pastures calling home
I'm Walking but I can't stand anymore
Hear voices, can't tell near or far
Weird voices lay me down
And I don't see why I'm obliged
To just carry on
When everything I touch
Turns out wrong
And I feel I've committed some crime
But I don't know what I've done
One day life just wins
One day life just wins
Still breathing
But I'm tired and I want to go home
Still breathing
But I'm not sure anymore
Still breathing
But it doesn't really matter if I fade away
Fall into sleep
Fall into sleep
The song "Blue Pastures" by James is a haunting and introspective reflection on the vagaries and complexities of life. The imagery of blue pastures and green rivers in silver light juxtaposed with the sound of distant bells creates a sense of nostalgia and bittersweet longing. The singer is surrounded by peacefulness and tranquility but seems to be lost and unsure of their place in the world. The line "So peaceful I don't know who I am" captures the sense of identity crisis that the singer is experiencing.
The song goes on to express the frustration of feeling trapped and unable to escape the cycle of one's life. The line "Once you're in, you're in" suggests a sense of resignation and hopelessness. The singer is pulled back into the monotonous and unfulfilling routine of their life despite their desire for something more. Even when the singer thinks they have broken free, they are sucked back into the same pattern.
The final verses of the song express a weariness and resignation with the struggles of life. The repetition of "Still breathing" emphasizes the singer's struggle to keep going despite their fatigue and uncertainty. The line "It doesn't really matter if I fade away" suggests a nihilistic point of view, where life's struggles and triumphs are ultimately meaningless.
Overall, "Blue Pastures" is a poignant and expressive exploration of the human condition, capturing the sense of uncertainty and confusion that can accompany life's twists and turns.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue pastures fade away
The happy memories of the past are fading away.
Green rivers in silver light
The beauty of nature is still visible despite the fading past.
I'm walking to the sound of distant bells
The journey of life is guided by unseen forces.
So peaceful I don't know who I am
The peace around is so strong that it makes the singer forget his own identity.
And just when I think its clear
The clarity of thought that emerges is short-lived.
It turns all grey again
The darkness of uncertainty engulfs everything again.
And I wonder who will find me in the snow
The despair is so crushing that the singer wonders if anyone would come to his rescue in times of need.
And just when I thought I was free
Just when the singer thought he had achieved freedom from his troubles.
I got pulled in again
He is again in the midst of his troubles and despair.
Once you're in, you're in
Once a person is engulfed in the sadness, it's hard to break free.
Blue pastures calling home
The memories of good times are still calling the singer, signaling him to come back to that world.
I'm Walking but I can't stand anymore
Even though the journey of life must continue, the weariness of it all is taking over.
Hear voices, can't tell near or far
The singer hears voices, but is not sure if they are coming from his head or from the world outside.
Weird voices lay me down
The strange, unexplained voices are making him feel vulnerable and weak.
And I don't see why I'm obliged
The singer is questioning the reason behind his obligation to continue living.
To just carry on
Despite everything, one must move forward in life.
When everything I touch
The singer feels that his every action is leading him towards doom and failure.
Turns out wrong
Nothing seems to go right in his life.
And I feel I've committed some crime
The sense of guilt and self-blame is consuming him.
But I don't know what I've done
The singer is unable to explain or understand the reason behind his sense of guilt.
One day life just wins
At times, life is too much to tackle, and it wins over the individual.
One day life just wins
This sentence is repeated to accentuate the theme of life's difficulty and unpredictability.
Still breathing
The singer is still alive, even though he is struggling.
But I'm tired and I want to go home
The struggle is making the singer long for the safety and comfort of home.
But I'm not sure anymore
The singer's wavering faith in the world is making him feel directionless.
Still breathing
The singer is still trying to survive.
But it doesn't really matter if I fade away
The singer is questioning the importance of his existence in the larger scheme of things.
Fall into sleep
The singer is giving in to his weariness and is ready to embrace sleep.
Fall into sleep
This sentence is repeated to emphasize the singer's surrender to his feelings of exhaustion and despair.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JAMES GLENNIE, LAWRENCE GOTT, TIMOTHY BOOTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind