James emerged from their native Manchester in the mid-'80s playing a brand … Read Full Bio ↴James emerged from their native Manchester in the mid-'80s playing a brand of urgent, ringing guitar pop distinguished by Tim Booth's keening, insistent vocals. Booth's dramatic stylings and James' dedication to textured guitars earned the group the designation of "the next Smiths," a connection strengthened by Morrissey's endorsement of the band. By the dawn of the '90s, James shook off these comparisons by embracing acid house, the first of many adventurous left turns the band took over the decades. "Sit Down," an old open-hearted tune re-recorded for the age of "baggy," proved to be their breakthrough, reaching number two in the U.K. in 1991 and becoming an alternative rock hit in the U.S. With its singles "Sound" and "Born of Frustration," Seven consolidated that success in 1992, but it was 1993's Laid that established the group's mature sound. Working with Brian Eno, the group took aural risks that paid off artistically and commercially: the title track became their biggest American hit. From there, James had a flurry of activity in the late 1990s before entering a hiatus in 2001. The band regrouped in 2007, releasing Hey Ma the following year and then settling into a groove where they alternated tours with ambitious album projects such as 2010's two-part The Night Before and The Morning After, as well as 2021's pandemic journal All the Colours of You.

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/)

Summer Song
James Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Down the chute and out the door
I know that I've been here before
The blinding lights, the long white coat
Cut the cord before I choke

Oh, please sir, handle me gently
I've got nothing to protect me

This man in a mask stabbed me in the back
No sooner alive than I'm being attacked
If this is the planet earth
Oh please, mom, take me back in your sack

My keepers aren't too bad this time
The man's quiet, the woman's crying
When I arrive, what's hers is mine
I take and take it all the time

Oh please sir, do not tempt me
Those sweet things, they just destroy me

I always want more than I can get
My belly's full, but I'm not done yet
Need something to kill
The word is you¡.mine

It's true, it's true, it's true
You taught us how to be the same as you
If only you really knew
We wouldn't do what you do
It's true

As you poison the earth you poison our lives
This isn't living, but another disguise
Go looking for truth
As all of this is built on lies and lies etc.

Hey, hey, hey now you've found me
Everything's so clear

With your arms around and your song in my heart
There's simply nothing I can fear
Feel he inside burst through my head
Replacing my eyes

Please don't let me hide

Cut through my head
Replacing my eyes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to James's song Summer Song seem to be about the singer struggling with addiction and the repeated cycle of relapse and recovery. He has been through this before and knows what to expect, but he still feels overwhelmed and powerless to stop it from happening again. The first verse describes the experience of being admitted to a hospital or rehab clinic, feeling lost and vulnerable without any means of defense. The second verse talks about the destructive nature of addiction, how it can make a person selfish and greedy, always wanting more but never truly satisfied. The bridge of the song is a plea to stop the cycle and to find some truth and meaning in life beyond just self-destruction. The final lines of the song express a desire to break down the walls of denial and to truly see the world for what it is.

Interestingly, while the lyrics to Summer Song are somewhat bleak, the melody and instrumentation of the song are quite upbeat and lively, with a driving drumbeat and catchy guitar riffs. This contrast between the dark subject matter and the energetic music creates a sense of tension and conflict in the song that seems to reflect the singer's inner turmoil. Additionally, the song incorporates elements of funk and soul music that were not commonly heard in James's previous work, showcasing the band's versatility and willingness to experiment with different genres.

Line by Line Meaning

Down the chute and out the door
Leaving a place and starting a new journey

I know that I've been here before
Feeling a sense of deja vu

The blinding lights, the long white coat
Being in a hospital or medical environment

Cut the cord before I choke
Wanting to leave before feeling trapped or suffocated

Oh, please sir, handle me gently
Asking to be treated with care and kindness

I've got nothing to protect me
Feeling vulnerable and exposed

This man in a mask stabbed me in the back
Feeling betrayed by someone

No sooner alive than I'm being attacked
Feeling like problems arise as soon as things start to go well

If this is the planet earth
Questioning the nature of existence

Oh please, mom, take me back in your sack
Longing for the comfort and security of childhood

My keepers aren't too bad this time
Being in a situation that is not too difficult to handle

The man's quiet, the woman's crying
Observing the behavior of others in a situation

When I arrive, what's hers is mine
Taking advantage of others for personal gain

I take and take it all the time
Continuously taking and not giving back

Oh please sir, do not tempt me
Being tempted by destructive behaviors or substances

Those sweet things, they just destroy me
Knowing that indulging in harmful behaviors or substances will have negative consequences

I always want more than I can get
Having a constant desire for more than what is attainable or healthy

My belly's full, but I'm not done yet
Being unsatisfied despite having enough

Need something to kill
Having a desire to harm or destroy

The word is you¡.mine
Claiming ownership or control over someone or something

It's true, it's true, it's true
Acknowledging the validity of something

You taught us how to be the same as you
Learning harmful behaviors or beliefs from others

If only you really knew
Wishing that someone had a different perspective or understanding

We wouldn't do what you do
Choosing to act differently from harmful examples set by others

As you poison the earth you poison our lives
Recognizing the correlation between environmental harm and personal harm

This isn't living, but another disguise
Feeling like life is not authentic or fulfilling

Go looking for truth
Seeking knowledge or understanding

As all of this is built on lies and lies etc.
Acknowledging that there is a lot of deceit in the world

Hey, hey, hey now you've found me
Feeling found or discovered

Everything's so clear
Having a moment of clarity or understanding

With your arms around and your song in my heart
Feeling loved and comforted

There's simply nothing I can fear
Having a sense of safety and security

Feel he inside burst through my head
Experiencing a sudden rush of emotion or inspiration

Replacing my eyes
Changing one's perspective or mindset

Please don't let me hide
Asking not to be misunderstood or ignored

Cut through my head
Having one's thoughts or beliefs challenged

Replacing my eyes
Changing one's perspective or mindset

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TIMOTHY BOOTH, JAMES GLENNIE, LAWRENCE GOTT, GAVIN WHELAN, Tim Booth

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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