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/)
It's Only Love
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your actin kinda funny and you don't know why
Cause your heart keeps beatin like a big bass drum
And the beats gettin strong and it?s so much fun
And you keep on singin but the words are wrong
And you can't stop laughin baby what's goin on
It's only love, tryin to get trough
It's only love, tryin to get trough
You can't run, you can't hide
No matter what you do your on a ten cent ride
Goin up, down baby and it's so much fun
And your heart keeps beatin like a big bass drum
And the beats gettin strong and it just won't quit
Better hold on baby, cause you know that
It?s only love, tryin to get trough
It?s only love, tryin to get trough
It?s only love, tryin to get trough From: "J. R. Walskey"
The lyrics to James's song It's Only Love describe the feeling of being in love and how it can affect a person's emotions and actions. The first verse portrays confusion and the inability to control one's emotions. The heart beats like a "big bass drum" which may symbolize the overwhelming feeling of love that cannot be ignored. The following lines talk about singing the wrong words and uncontrollable laughter, which may signify how love can make someone feel giddy and euphoric. The chorus repeats the phrase "It's only love, tryin to get through" which suggests that love is a force that needs to be reckoned with.
The second verse continues with the theme of being unable to control one's emotions in the face of love. The ride of love is compared to a "ten cent ride" which could signify the wild and unpredictable nature of love. The heart beats like a "big bass drum" again which emphasizes the strength and intensity of the emotions felt. The lines "better hold on baby, cause you know that" indicate that the ride of love can be overwhelming, but it's worth holding on to.
Overall, the lyrics of It's Only Love describe the exhilarating, uncontrollable and overwhelming feeling of being in love. Love is portrayed as a force to be reckoned with and something that cannot be controlled.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't laugh, you can't cry
You are feeling an overwhelming mixture of emotions that prevents you from expressing any particular one.
Your actin kinda funny and you don't know why
Your behavior might seem strange to others, but you can't help it because you are experiencing the freeing and confusing effects of love.
Cause your heart keeps beatin like a big bass drum
The intensity of this love is so great that it feels like your heart is pounding like a drum.
And the beats gettin strong and it's so much fun
Despite the confusion and intensity, you are still able to enjoy the experience of this love.
And you keep on singin but the words are wrong
You might not understand what you're feeling or how to express it, but you still want to try.
And you can't stop laughin baby what's goin on
The intensity of the emotions you're feeling is causing you to express them in unusual ways, such as laughing uncontrollably.
It's only love, tryin to get trough
All of these overwhelming emotions and confusing behaviors are simply a result of trying to navigate through the experience of love.
You can't run, you can't hide
There is no escaping the intensity and all-consuming nature of love.
No matter what you do your on a ten cent ride
You may feel helpless to control or understand what's happening to you, like you're on a wild and unpredictable ride.
Goin up, down baby and it's so much fun
Despite the chaos, you find yourself having fun and enjoying the experience.
And your heart keeps beatin like a big bass drum
Your heart is still pounding with the intensity of the love you're feeling.
And the beats gettin strong and it just won't quit
The intensity of the emotions is only getting stronger and more all-consuming.
Better hold on baby, cause you know that
You need to hold on tight and brace yourself for the intensity of this love.
It's only love, tryin to get trough
Despite the intensity and confusion, all of this is simply part of the journey of trying to navigate through the experience of love.
It's only love, tryin to get trough
Love can be intense and confusing, but it's all part of the journey.
It's only love, tryin to get trough
Don't give up or get discouraged in the face of the overwhelming emotions of love - it's all part of the process.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MORRIS LEVY, RITCHIE CORDELL, SAL TRIMACHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind