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/)
Crash
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Smoking on that nic to get a buzz
Yo lil feindin ass
Paying all that money for sum slugs
Said you wanna be a star
But burning out on all them bugs
Get your mind off all that trash
I can't get stuck on where i was
Gotta keep on moving forward
Cuz they all want me to fail
Keep on looking at the sky
Cuz down here pain is all i feel
I had the closest to me leave
So if you go its nothing there
We ain't planned for that 9-5
My brothers trapping by the stairs
I kept the realest by my side
So keep that fake shit over there
I see right through the crooked smile
My world so cold
And she know that ain't nothing here
I'm alone but never lonely
If you say you love me
Fuck the words you gotta show me
I fucked up in the past
But i swear to you i'm growing
I left it in the past
But times like this feel like it's holding me back
Still i feel just like a puppet
I want all strings attached
I'll still give you all my love
And i know it won't last
Pushed that mustang gave it gas
Doing 30 over
Praying that tonight i won't crash
Still i'm living so fast
Wish that i could slow it down
But that's when life creeps up blast
I flipped the car like 20 times
But in my sleep i won't pass me not
I pray they pass me not
We walked him down
Put glass on dome like he an astronaut
Im burning woods down to my fingers
Know the ash be hot
They say i'm bout to be like juice
I pray my last is not
I put my soul all in these verses
I'll never give up my secrets
But for you they know i'll gladly stop
Just make the madness stop
It's 2021 and i'm still living with that damage
I'm not living in the past
But i'm still learning how to manage
Without you
And fuck all of fame and fancy shit
If it ain't got you
Just grab my arm and hold me
Know i got you
Wtf you on
Smoking on that nic to get a buzz
Yo lil feindin ass
Paying all that money for sum slugs
Said you wanna be a star
But burning out on all them bugs
Get your mind off all that trash
I can't get stuck on where i was
Gotta keep on moving forward
Cuz they all want me to fail
Keep on looking at the sky
Cuz down here pain is all i feel
I had the closest to me leave
So if you go its nothing there
We ain't planned for that 9-5
My brothers trapping by the stairs
I kept the realest by my side
So keep that fake shit over there
I see right through the crooked smile
My world so cold
And she know that ain't nothing here
The lyrics of James's song Crash speak to the struggles of navigating life and the challenges that come with it. The opening lines speak to the concerns of the artist about the self-destructive use of drugs and the perils of addiction. The line "Get your mind off all that trash, I can't get stuck on where I was" suggests the artist has seen the negative effects of drugs and chooses not to indulge in that lifestyle.
The chorus speaks to the artist's determination to keep moving forward, despite the obstacles that lay in front of him. He mentions struggles with losing people close to him, the appeal of fast money, and the difficulties of balancing fame and personal relationships.
The second verse delves deeper into the artist's personal struggles with himself and the world around him. The lines "I'm alone but never lonely, if you say you love me, fuck the words you gotta show me" suggest a struggle with trust and a need for validation. The imagery of flipping his car and the line "in my sleep, I won't pass me not, I pray they pass me not" speak to a fear of death and a struggle with mortality.
Overall, the lyrics of Crash convey a sense of vulnerability, honesty, and a willingness to confront personal demons head-on. It is a powerful testament to the human experience and the challenges we all face in our own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Wtf you on
What are you doing?
Smoking on that nic to get a buzz
You're smoking nicotine to feel a high
Yo lil feindin ass
You have an addictive personality
Paying all that money for sum slugs
You're wasting your money on useless things
Said you wanna be a star
You want to be successful and famous
But burning out on all them bugs
But you're sabotaging yourself with destructive habits
Get your mind off all that trash
Stop focusing on negative thoughts and actions
I can't get stuck on where i was
I can't dwell on my past mistakes
Gotta keep on moving forward
I need to continue progressing in life
Cuz they all want me to fail
Because there are people who want me to fail
Keep on looking at the sky
I need to keep looking ahead to the future
Cuz down here pain is all i feel
Because down here on earth, all I feel is pain
I had the closest to me leave
The people closest to me have abandoned me
So if you go its nothing there
So if you leave, there will be nothing left
We ain't planned for that 9-5
We don't want to work a regular 9-5 job
My brothers trapping by the stairs
My siblings are selling drugs by the stairs
I kept the realest by my side
I surround myself with genuine people
So keep that fake shit over there
So keep fake people away from me
I see right through the crooked smile
I can see through people's fake happiness
My world so cold
My life is difficult and harsh
And she know that ain't nothing here
And the person I love knows there's nothing here for us
I'm alone but never lonely
I'm alone, but I don't feel lonely
If you say you love me
If you claim to love me
Fuck the words you gotta show me
You need to prove it with actions, not just words
I fucked up in the past
I made mistakes in the past
But i swear to you i'm growing
But I promise I'm trying to improve and change
I left it in the past
I've moved on from it
But times like this feel like it's holding me back
But sometimes it feels like my past is preventing me from moving forward
Still i feel just like a puppet
I still feel like someone else is controlling me
I want all strings attached
I want to be in complete control of my own life
I'll still give you all my love
I'll still love you with all my heart
And i know it won't last
And I know it won't be forever
Pushed that mustang gave it gas
I drove my Mustang really fast
Doing 30 over
Driving 30 miles per hour over the speed limit
Praying that tonight i won't crash
Hoping that I won't get into an accident
Still i'm living so fast
But I'm still living recklessly
Wish that i could slow it down
I wish I could slow down my life
But that's when life creeps up blast
But that's when life hits me unexpectedly
I flipped the car like 20 times
I got into a serious car accident
But in my sleep i won't pass me not
But I hope I won't die in my sleep
I pray they pass me not
I pray that death won't come for me yet
We walked him down
We hunted him down
Put glass on dome like he an astronaut
We shattered his skull like glass, as if he were an astronaut's helmet
Im burning woods down to my fingers
I'm smoking so much that I'm burning my fingers
Know the ash be hot
I know the ash is still hot and can burn me
They say i'm bout to be like juice
They say I'm about to become like Juice WRLD (a successful rapper)
I pray my last is not
But I hope I don't die young like him
I put my soul all in these verses
I pour my heart and soul into my music
I'll never give up my secrets
I'll never reveal my deepest thoughts and feelings
But for you they know i'll gladly stop
But for you, I'll do anything, including stopping
Just make the madness stop
Just make everything stop being so crazy and difficult
It's 2021 and i'm still living with that damage
It's currently 2021 and I'm still trying to cope with the damage I've endured in the past
I'm not living in the past
I'm not dwelling on past events
But i'm still learning how to manage
But I'm still figuring out how to cope with my struggles
Without you
Without the person I love
And fuck all of fame and fancy shit
And I don't care about fame or materialistic things
If it ain't got you
If it doesn't involve the person I love
Just grab my arm and hold me
Just hold onto me tightly
Know i got you
Know that I will always be there for you
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: James Amaker ii
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind