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/)
Oh My Heart
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could end by tomorrow
Adore every fight, an opportunity
To give back what was borrowed
Nothing's sacred, make it shatter
Nothing's sacred, fall apart
Come on, break me in two
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Come on, break me in two
Bring on the dreams, I'm shaking with relief
Don't miss the darker scenes
These roller coaster dreams are breaking my belief
That I should matter
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Come on, break me in two
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Come on, break me in two
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Come on, break me in two
I don't own anything, just this life living me
No control, refugee, just this life, living me
I don't owe anything, just this life, loving me
No control, refugee, just this life, living me
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Come on, break, come on, break
Come on, break, come on, break
Come on, break
The lyrics of James's song "Oh My Heart" reflect on the fleeting nature of life and the need to embrace every moment. The opening lines set up the theme, with the singer urging the listener to appreciate life as there is no guarantee that it will continue past tomorrow. The reference to "every fight" being an opportunity to give back what was borrowed suggests that life is a gift and we should make the most of it by using our experiences to help others.
The chorus, "Oh my heart, oh my heart, come on, break me in two," speaks to the vulnerability we feel when it comes to matters of the heart. The idea of being broken in two is a metaphor for experiencing intense emotions and feeling raw and exposed. Rather than shying away from this vulnerability, the singer is embracing it and asking for more, suggesting that the pain of heartbreak is preferable to feeling nothing at all.
The second verse brings a sense of urgency, with the singer encouraging the listener to "bring on the dreams" and not to miss any of the ups and downs of life, even the darker moments. The passage "roller coaster dreams are breaking my belief that I should matter" suggests that the singer is struggling to find meaning and purpose in life but recognizes that the journey is still valuable.
Overall, the lyrics of "Oh My Heart" are a call to live life fully and embrace both the good and the bad. The message is not to shy away from vulnerability and to appreciate the gift of life while we have it.
Line by Line Meaning
Adore this life, there is no guarantee
Cherish your life because nothing is guaranteed.
Could end by tomorrow
Your life could end at any moment.
Adore every fight, an opportunity
Be grateful for every challenge because it's a chance to repay debts.
To give back what was borrowed
Fulfill the obligations you owe to those who helped you.
Nothing's sacred, make it shatter
Question the things that are believed to be untouchable.
Nothing's sacred, fall apart
Things can fall apart, including the unalterable.
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Metaphorically speaking, my heart. Tweaking myself internally.
Come on, break me in two
Encourage this internal tweaking to push me beyond a certain limit.
Bring on the dreams, I'm shaking with relief
Entice more ambitions, because it's reassuring despite the uncertainties.
Don't miss the darker scenes
Don't ignore the unpleasant and difficult parts of life.
These roller coaster dreams are breaking my belief
These fluctuating expectations test my faith.
That I should matter
That my life should be significant and meaningful.
I don't own anything, just this life living me
I'm not in control, life is in control of me.
No control, refugee, just this life, living me
I lack full power and control, feeling manhandled by exterior forces.
I don't owe anything, just this life, loving me
I'm not indebted to anyone, I'm just grateful for being alive.
Oh my heart, oh my heart
Metaphorically speaking, my heart. Tweaking myself internally.
Come on, break, come on, break
Iterating again the encouragement to internally test his limits.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TIMOTHY BOOTH, JAMES PATRICK GLENNIE, JAMES LAWRENCE GOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robinsson
Dreamy, passionate, powerful..... Another great song by James!
nobodygetsmebutyou
This song is all kinds of epic.
Shaolin Punk
Love this song.
Marcus
A song to raise the spirts.
Steve Duffy
Hey ma ..I miss you xx RIP
SALVADOR ROMERO MOLINA
MAYBE THEIR BEST SONG EVER BESIDE ENGLISH BEEFCAKE
TP. Chilton
i have the CD of it