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/)
Next Lover
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who are you dreamin' of now
Is she flesh real
Or is she part of 'dem memories
Who are you dreamin' of now
Is she flesh real
Or bloodless fantasy
From a film heroine
Here comes bitterness after youpay
For believin in stories man made
Yes we all want to be your next lover
But we're scared so we're runnin you down
Yes we all want to be your next lover
But your beauty is too far above ground
>From a film heroine
We will laugh at the worst of your jokes
Steal a kiss if we can
Buy you gifts and flowers
Every move is a plan
You can measure this man
By the depth of his laugh
You can measure this man
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Yes we all want to be your next lover
We are driven you can't feel
Are we stealin' or are we the steal?
So we lie like a priest
To slide under and into and inside
Love is creul but looks seldom kind
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Yes we all want to be your next lover
I can lie like the best of them
Wait with the patience of man
Seems so understand it
While I'm makin' my plans
I'm so full of desire
I've frogotten your name
I'm so full of desire
I could burst into flames
I'm so full of desire
I can hope to control
This desires that's closer to pain
River runs where all rivers go
This desire will not be contained
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Lover...
I love her
Lover
Who are you thinkin of now
Is she flesh real
Or part of them memories
In "Next Lover," James ponders about who the person he loves is thinking about. He wonders if she's fantasizing about an actual person or if it's just a memory of someone she's no longer with. He speaks of how the bitterness creeps after believing in man-made stories of love, and how everyone wants to be her next lover but is scared of rejection. James discusses a desire so strong that he forgets her name, but also acknowledges the cruelty of love and how it seldom looks kind. He describes how love is like a river and it will not be contained; it flows where it should.
The song's lyrics showcase the depth of honesty and vulnerability that James offers in his music. He talks about how love can make a person forget everything, even the name of their significant other because of how powerful desires can be. James makes it clear that love can make people do unthinkable, irrational things; even lie like a priest to gain the affection of the person they love. "Next Lover" is a solemn and introspective song that encourages people to acknowledge the darker aspects of love and appreciate the tenderness that comes with being vulnerable.
Line by Line Meaning
Who are you dreamin' of now
Who is occupying your thoughts right now
Is she flesh real
Is she a physically present person
Or is she part of 'dem memories
Or is she a memory of someone who was previously physically present
Who are you dreamin' of now
Who is occupying your thoughts right now
Is she flesh real
Is she a physically present person
Or bloodless fantasy
Or is she an imaginary person
From a film heroine
She could be someone you saw in a movie
There goes innocence fadin' away
You are becoming less innocent
Here comes bitterness after youpay
Bitterness follows disappointment
For believin in stories man made
Disappointment resulting from believing in unrealistic stories
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
But we're scared so we're runnin you down
But we are scared and therefore sabotaging the chance to be with you
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
But your beauty is too far above ground
But you seem to be unattainable due to your beauty, status or other qualities
From a film heroine
She could be someone you saw in a movie
We will laugh at the worst of your jokes
We will pretend to find humor in your jokes, even when they're not funny
Steal a kiss if we can
We will try to steal a kiss from you when given the chance
Buy you gifts and flowers
We will buy you gifts and flowers to win your affection
Every move is a plan
We are calculating every action we take to impress you
You can measure this man
You can judge the worth of a man
By the depth of his laugh
By how much he is able to laugh
You can measure this man
You can judge the worth of a man
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
We are driven you can't feel
We are driven by our desires, which you cannot feel
Are we stealin' or are we the steal?
Are we stealing your heart or are we the ones who are being stolen (by your beauty)
So we lie like a priest
We lie to you, just like a priest might lie to their congregation
To slide under and into and inside
To gain access to you and your emotions
Love is creul but looks seldom kind
Love can be cruel, even though it may seem nice or kind on the surface
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
I can lie like the best of them
I am able to lie to you like the best of liars
Wait with the patience of man
I am able to wait for you with the patience of a man
Seems so understand it
I seem to understand you
While I'm makin' my plans
While I am calculating my approach to win your affection
I'm so full of desire
I am filled with a strong desire for you
I've frogotten your name
I am so consumed by my desire that I have forgotten your name
I'm so full of desire
I am filled with a strong desire for you
I could burst into flames
My desire for you is so intense that I feel like I could literally burst into flames
I'm so full of desire
I am filled with a strong desire for you
I can hope to control
I hope to be able to control my desire and avoid being consumed by it
This desires that's closer to pain
This desire is so intense that it is bordering on being painful
River runs where all rivers go
The direction of this desire is inevitable
This desire will not be contained
This desire cannot be contained or controlled
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
Yes we all want to be your next lover
Everyone desires to be your next romantic partner
Lover...
Addressing the person you desire as a lover
I love her
Expressing love for the person desired
Lover
Addressing the person you desire as a lover
Who are you thinkin of now
Who is occupying your thoughts right now
Is she flesh real
Is she a physically present person
Or part of them memories
Or is she a memory of someone who was previously physically present
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES GLENNIE, LAWRENCE GOTT, TIMOTHY BOOTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JRA73
Still absolutely adore this song!!!!! Brilliant!!! 😎
@makis364
so underrated song.My best song from James!.
@dimitrisserkitzis2904
so many ´`bests``...ti na protodialexeis...underrated comparing their worthiness for sure...top in every!?! moment good or bad,so for sure INVALUABLE IN OUR HEARTS... JAMES IS A BAND FOR LIFE. TRUST me,i keep coming back after almost 30 years,just to perceive they never left me...filia apo ellada
@susangregory68
Classic x
@theworldasitis4290
It was the best song for far away...
@gumbypokey
Nice job...
@reubenvernon6664
fuckin' quality xxxxxxx
@Dorpington
"Fleash."
@theworldasitis4290
Indeed buddies
@littledites8167
milkdrop 2 :D