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/)
Do Something to Me
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got to find love in a hurry
Do something to me
Help me to ease all the worry
Whenever you're near me
You give me such a lovin' feeling
But baby you keep concealin'
I want to know so come on
Do something to me
I've got to find love in a hurry
Do something to me
Help me to ease all the worry
Do something to me
Help me to ease all the worry
So let's get together
Just think of all the time we've wasted
All the love we could be tastin'
So baby let's go (oh come on)
[Chorus]
Do something to me
I've got to find love in a hurry
Do something to me
Help me to ease all the worry
It should be so easy
For you to hear what my heart's sayin'
So why do you keep delayin'
What I want to know
So come on do something to me
[Chorus]
In James's song "Do Something to Me," the singer is desperately seeking love and needs his partner to help ease his worries. He's frustrated with feeling ignored and wants his partner to reveal their feelings for him so that they can move forward in their relationship. The repetition of the phrase "do something to me" emphasizes the singer's sense of urgency and the importance of his partner's actions.
The chorus of the song serves as a plea for his partner to take action and help him find love quickly. He points out that they've wasted enough time and could be experiencing love if they would just come together. The singer believes that it should be easy for his partner to understand his feelings, and it's frustrating when they delay in revealing their emotions.
Overall, the song portrays the anxiety and impatience that often come with being in a relationship and desiring love. The singer's plea for something to happen reflects a sense of urgency and a need for action in order to get what he wants.
Line by Line Meaning
Do something to me
I need a change or an action to help me find love quickly
I've got to find love in a hurry
I am in a rush to find true love
Help me to ease all the worry
Assist me in reducing my anxiety and fears
Whenever you're near me
Being around you affects me greatly
You give me such a lovin' feeling
Your presence gives me strong romantic emotions
But baby you keep concealin'
You are hiding something from me
What I want to know (so come on)
I would like you to reveal the truth to me
I want to know so come on
I am interested in discovering the truth
So let's get together
We should spend time together
Just think of all the time we've wasted
We have missed out on some romantic opportunities due to delay
All the love we could be tastin'
We have missed out on some possible romantic experiences or benefits
So baby let's go (oh come on)
We should start taking action towards our love life
[Chorus]
Refrain from the verses to emphasize the need for actions to find love quickly
It should be so easy
It ought to be simple to hear my true intentions
For you to hear what my heart's sayin'
You need to understand the message from my heart
So why do you keep delayin'
Why are you still procrastinating
What I want to know
I want to gain clarity in our situation
So come on do something to me
I am urging you to take actions towards our relationship
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TOMMY JAMES, DONALD CICCONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dr.marvel870
This is an awesome track, wish it was longer.
@richardzion1828
Should have been a bigger hit then it was!
@bertspierings7922
Come on. Great song, going out of my mind wow
@musiccollector
Classic TJ & Shondells.
@mtwallet69
there's also a nice cover by ? & the Mysterians
@jasonotoole1982
@@Youngstown69 Not sure if you’re joking. ‘? & the Mysterians’ is the name of the band.
@jeannespahr2696
Would if I could,but I can't.
@tomdespres7419
Sounds derivative of Mony Mony. Much like Mirage was derivative of I Think We’re Alone Now. Or Sweet Cherry Wine to Crimson and Clover.