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/)
The Promised Land
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Straddled that Greyhound and rode it into Raleigh and on across Caroline.
We stopped in Charlotte but we bypassed Rockhill, we never was a minute late.
We were ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown rolling out of Georgia state.
Had some motor trouble that turned into a struggle half way across Alabam.
That hound broke and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham.
So right away I bought me a through train ticket right across Mississippi clean,
And I was on that Special Flyer out of Birmingham smoking into New Orleans.
There's an uncle there who cares a little about me and he won't let the poor boy down.
Sure as you're born, he bought me a silk suit, put some luggage in my hand.
And I woke up high over Albuquerque on a jet to the Promised Land.
Working on a T-Bone steak, a la carte, flying over to the Golden State.
When the pilot told us that in thirteen minutes he would have us at the terminal gate.
Swing down chariot, come down easy, taxi to the terminal dome.
Cut your engines and cool your wings and let me make it to the telephone.
Los Angeles give me Norfolk, Virginia, tidewater four-ten-O-nine.
Tell the folks back home this is the Promised Land calling,
And the poor boy is on the line.
The lyrics of James Taylor's "Promised Land" tell the story of a man who leaves his home in Norfolk, Virginia and embarks on a journey to California, the land of opportunity that he has always dreamed of. The man travels by Greyhound bus, encountering various setbacks on the way, including motor trouble and being stranded in downtown Birmingham. However, his luck turns when he meets his uncle in Houston, who buys him a silk suit and helps him to fly to the promised land of California.
On a deeper level, the song can be seen as a reflection of the American dream and the desire for a better life that drives people to take risks and make sacrifices. The journey to California can be seen as a metaphor for the journey towards success, with the singer facing obstacles and setbacks but ultimately reaching his goal.
There is also a sense of nostalgia and a longing for home in the lyrics. The singer calls his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia from Los Angeles, telling his loved ones that he has reached the promised land but still thinks of home.
Overall, "Promised Land" is a story of a journey, both physical and metaphorical, towards a better life, with all the trials and tribulations that come along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Left my home in Norfolk, Virginia, California on my mind.
I left my hometown of Norfolk, Virginia, with a burning desire to make it to California.
Straddled that Greyhound and rode it into Raleigh and on across Caroline.
I got on a Greyhound bus and traveled through Raleigh and Caroline.
We stopped in Charlotte but we bypassed Rockhill, we never was a minute late.
We took a pit stop in Charlotte, but we didn't linger too long as we had a tight schedule to keep.
We were ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown rolling out of Georgia state.
We left Georgia and had traveled 90 miles out of Atlanta by sundown.
Had some motor trouble that turned into a struggle half way across Alabam.
We had some car trouble that turned out to be a real pain to deal with halfway across Alabama.
That hound broke and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham.
Our vehicle broke down and left us stranded in downtown Birmingham.
So right away I bought me a through train ticket right across Mississippi clean,
I immediately bought myself a train ticket that would take me all the way through Mississippi.
And I was on that Special Flyer out of Birmingham smoking into New Orleans.
I took a Special Flyer out of Birmingham and was smoking my way down to New Orleans.
Someone's got to help me get out of Louisiana, just to help me get to Houston town.
I needed someone to help me get out of Louisiana so I could make it to Houston.
There's an uncle there who cares a little about me and he won't let the poor boy down.
I had an uncle in Houston who cared about me and would not let me down.
Sure as you're born, he bought me a silk suit, put some luggage in my hand.
Without a doubt, my uncle bought me a silk suit and gave me some luggage.
And I woke up high over Albuquerque on a jet to the Promised Land.
When I woke up, I was high above Albuquerque on a plane bound for the Promised Land.
Working on a T-Bone steak, a la carte, flying over to the Golden State.
I was enjoying a delicious T-Bone steak while flying over to the Golden State.
When the pilot told us that in thirteen minutes he would have us at the terminal gate.
The pilot informed us that we would be arriving at the terminal gate in just 13 minutes.
Swing down chariot, come down easy, taxi to the terminal dome.
I was impatiently waiting for the plane to land so I could get off and make my way to the terminal.
Cut your engines and cool your wings and let me make it to the telephone.
I wanted the plane to cut its engines and let me make it to the telephone without any delays.
Los Angeles give me Norfolk, Virginia, tidewater four-ten-O-nine.
I was calling Norfolk, Virginia from Los Angeles and needed to connect to the Tidewater 410-0-9.
Tell the folks back home this is the Promised Land calling,
I wanted my family and friends back home to know that I had finally made it to the Promised Land.
And the poor boy is on the line.
This poor boy is on the phone and he made it to the Promised Land.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chuck Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind