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/)
Sometimes
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I look into your eyes
I'm greeted by the ocean
My heart swells like the tide
Sometimes
When I hear your voice
I'm greeted by a symphony
You're my favorite song
When your lips touch mine
You taste like a memory
That grows sweeter over time
Sometimes
When I take you in my arms
I can feel my bleeding heart
Leap right out my chest
Sometimes
Sometimes
When I see your smile
It fills me with butterflies
They last for a while
Sometimes
When you pull me close
It feels like I'm coming home
Deep in my bones
Sometimes
When I make you laugh
I can feel you coming back
From the edges of your past
Sometimes
When you call my name
You can ease my worried mind
You free me from the pain
Sometimes
Sometimes when you touch me
I turn to stone
Sometimes when you leave me
I just wanna go home
Sometimes I get angry
And I treat you rough
Sometimes I get stupid
And I fuck up
But you come back every time
And I want you to know
That I'm caught up in your glow
Sometimes
James's song "Sometimes" is a beautiful love ballad that expresses the singer's overwhelming feelings of love and adoration for their partner. The song starts off with the singer looking into their partner's eyes and experiencing the feeling of being surrounded by the vastness of the ocean. This metaphorical comparison signifie that his partner is expansive, while his heart swells like the tide. The imagery helps convey the depth and magnitude of his love.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about various moments and experiences that he shares with his partner. The simple act of hearing their voice feels like a symphony to him, and even their touch and taste has an intense emotional effect on him. The singer also opens up about how his partner has the power to make him feel free and ease his worries. The song captures the highs and lows of every relationship, the feeling of coming back home when you're with someone you love and the challenges of loving and being loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes
At times
When I look into your eyes
Upon gazing into your eyes
I'm greeted by the ocean
I'm met with a similar vastness and depth as that of the ocean
My heart swells like the tide
It evokes a feeling of my heart expanding, like the tide rising
When I hear your voice
When I listen to the sound of your voice
I'm greeted by a symphony
It feels like listening to a beautiful symphony
You're my favorite song
You are my most cherished and beloved melody
When your lips touch mine
When your lips meet with mine
You taste like a memory
It reminds me of a past memory or experience
That grows sweeter over time
And becomes more pleasant and endearing with the passage of time
When I take you in my arms
When I embrace you closely
I can feel my bleeding heart
I am acutely aware of the intense emotions I experience, which can be both joyful and painful
Leap right out my chest
My heart feels like it's bursting out of my chest
When I see your smile
When I witness the sight of your smile
It fills me with butterflies
I am overcome with a feeling of butterflies in my stomach
They last for a while
These sensations persist for some time
When you pull me close
When you draw me near to you
It feels like I'm coming home
It gives me a sense of returning to a place of belonging
Deep in my bones
The feeling is strongly rooted within me
When I make you laugh
When I cause you to laugh
I can feel you coming back
I sense a renewed connection between us
From the edges of your past
From the farthest reaches of your past experiences
When you call my name
When you utter my name
You can ease my worried mind
You have the ability to relieve my anxieties
You free me from the pain
You liberate me from the sorrowful experiences
Sometimes when you touch me
Occasionally, when you touch me
I turn to stone
It leaves me feeling frozen, almost numb to the moment
Sometimes when you leave me
At times, when you depart from me
I just wanna go home
I yearn for a sense of comfort and belonging
Sometimes I get angry
At times, I become upset or volatile
And I treat you rough
I act harshly or unkindly towards you
Sometimes I get stupid
Occasionally, I do foolish things
And I fuck up
I make mistakes or cause harm to our relationship
But you come back every time
Yet you consistently return to me, despite my failings
And I want you to know
And I need you to understand
That I'm caught up in your glow
That I am enraptured by your presence and influence
Sometimes
At times
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Codey Albers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheSlimJim
There's a storm outside
And the gap between crack and thunder
Crack and thunder
Is closing in
Is closing in
The rain floods gutters
And makes a great sound on concrete
On a flat roof, there's a boy
Leaning against a wall of rain
Aerial held high
Calling "Come on thunder
Come on thunder!"
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
It's a monsoon
And the rain lifts lids off cars
Spinning buses like toys
Stripping them to chrome
Across the bay, the waves are something else
Picking up fishing boats and spewing them on the shore
The boy's hit
Lit up against the sky
Like a sign
Like a neon sign
Then he crumples
Drops into the gutter
Cut strings
Legs twitching
The flood swells his clothes
Delivers him on
Delivers him on
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
There's four new colors in the rainbow
An old man's taking Polaroids
But all he catches
Is endless rain
Endless rain
Endless rain
Endless rain
He says, "Listen!"
Takes my head
Puts my ear to his
And I swear I can hear the sea
Sometimes (sometimes), I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
(I can reach your soul)
Sometimes (sometimes), I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
(I can touch your soul)
Sometimes, I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
(I can hear your soul)
Sometimes (sometimes), I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
Sometimes, I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
Dean Hatch
<3
There's a storm outside, and the gap between crack and thunder
Crack and thunder, is closing in, is closing in
The rain floods gutters and makes a great sound on concrete
On a flat roof, there's a boy leaning against the wall of rain
Aerial held high, calling, "Come on thunder, come on thunder"
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes
I swear I can see your soul
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes
I swear I can see your soul
It's a monsoon and the rain lifts lids off cars
Spinning buses like toys, stripping them to chrome
Across the bay, the waves are turning into something else
Picking up fishing boats and spewing them on the shore
The boy is hit, lit up against the sky, like a sign, like a neon sign
And he crumples, drops into the gutter, cuts strange, legs twitching
The flood swells his clothes and delivers him on, delivers him on
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes
I swear I can see your soul
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes
I swear I can see your soul
There's four new colors in the rainbow an old man's taking Polaroids
But all he captures is endless rain, endless rain, endless rain
He says listen, takes my head and puts my ear to his
And I swear I can hear the sea
Sometimes, when I look in your eyes
I can see your soul, I can reach your soul
Sometimes, when I look in your eyes
I can see your soul, I can touch your soul
Sometimes, when I look in your eyes
I can see your soul, I can hear your soul
Michalis Potamias
Mark my words: some movie will use this in a key scene and the song will chart to the top, 30 years post release. World did not have a chance to appreciate this masterpiece and it’s still fresh as it was in the 90s.
Rubery Gurnt
We can only hope. I heard this song through my dad, and it’s still IMO my favourite song ever written. There’s something very surreal about it that everyone I have shared it with has just not gotten in the say way I have
sexymonkeyflymuthazu
Fresh as a daisy?
E D
You're so right! I absolutely loved this song when it came out and knew it was good, and others liked James but not to the level they should have, thinking back on it now. They are still so relevant and so much better than a lot of what's played now. People just have to be introduced somehow and they will be hooked 😊
E N
This song inspired me to go on a SOLO travel in the USA and i'm writing a screenplay about it!
NJK BAD
I'd have it at the end (the Where is My Mind slot) as the camera spirals distantly upwards as our protagonist breathes his last. Delivers him on......Delivers him on.
José António
Duas vezes ao vivo. Os melhores concertos da minha vida
Thomas
The 90s we're incredible and this song was a part of that. Social media wasn't a thing back then and we just worked our arses off all week to party at the weekends to get on it and listen to tunes like this with our friends❤
TheSlimJim
There's a storm outside
And the gap between crack and thunder
Crack and thunder
Is closing in
Is closing in
The rain floods gutters
And makes a great sound on concrete
On a flat roof, there's a boy
Leaning against a wall of rain
Aerial held high
Calling "Come on thunder
Come on thunder!"
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
It's a monsoon
And the rain lifts lids off cars
Spinning buses like toys
Stripping them to chrome
Across the bay, the waves are something else
Picking up fishing boats and spewing them on the shore
The boy's hit
Lit up against the sky
Like a sign
Like a neon sign
Then he crumples
Drops into the gutter
Cut strings
Legs twitching
The flood swells his clothes
Delivers him on
Delivers him on
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul
There's four new colors in the rainbow
An old man's taking Polaroids
But all he catches
Is endless rain
Endless rain
Endless rain
Endless rain
He says, "Listen!"
Takes my head
Puts my ear to his
And I swear I can hear the sea
Sometimes (sometimes), I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
(I can reach your soul)
Sometimes (sometimes), I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
(I can touch your soul)
Sometimes, I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
(I can hear your soul)
Sometimes (sometimes), I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
Sometimes, I look in your eyes, I can see your soul
Zlatko Americano
Have you heard the orchestral version of this song? It's sublime. A masterpiece.