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/)
Waterfall
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking glass, fall back to the ground
I feel the waterfall now
Moving fast, look back and I'll drown
Should I fall through?
I kinda want to
What have I come to?
Don't wanna confront you
Disregard everyone
All bottled up, but really, you're just the empty one
I can't stop coming back to you
Got too much here for me to lose
I keep believing in your ruse
My fate's not mine for me to choose
I see the water fall down
Looking glass, fall back to the ground
I feel the waterfall now
Moving fast, look back and I'll drown
Every look you give shows what you're living with
Just know I feel it too
It's not defining you
Only you can choose how you shine through
Shine through
I have to break away before I'm stuck
Before the flood starts to catch up
And I don't wanna see you falling down
I don't wanna see you falling down
I don't wanna see you falling down
Down, no
I see the water fall down
Looking glass, fall back to the ground
I feel the waterfall now
Moving fast, look back and I'll drown
I see the water fall down
Looking glass, fall back to the ground
I feel the waterfall now
Moving fast, look back and I'll drown
And I don't wanna see you falling down
I don't wanna see you falling down
I don't wanna see you falling down
Yeah
The lyrics to James's song Waterfall paint a picture of someone who is struggling with a toxic relationship. The waterfall imagery is used as a metaphor for the overwhelming emotions that come with trying to navigate this tumultuous relationship. The singer is unsure of what to do - they know that they should probably walk away, but they don't want to let go of what they have invested in the relationship. The opening lines, "I see the water fall down / Looking glass, fall back to the ground" describe a moment of reflection where the singer realizes that they are too deep in the relationship and are in danger of getting hurt. Despite this, they are drawn back to the relationship and are afraid of confronting the person.
The line "All bottled up, but really, you're just the empty one" indicates that the singer is aware that the other person is the one with the problem and that they are projecting their issues onto the singer. However, they are still undecided about what to do next. They see that the other person is struggling too, and they empathize with them, but they know that they need to break away before they get pulled down with them. The chorus is a plea to the other person, begging them not to fall down - the singer still cares about them and doesn't want to see them hurt, but they cannot sacrifice themselves anymore. The song ends on a haunting note, with the repeated refrain "And I don't wanna see you falling down" leaving the listener wondering what will happen next.
Line by Line Meaning
I see the water fall down
I am witnessing the waterfall descending from its origin
Looking glass, fall back to the ground
The reflection of the waterfall is falling back to the earth
I feel the waterfall now
I am currently experiencing the sensation of the waterfall
Moving fast, look back and I'll drown
The waterfall is descending at a rapid pace and if I turn my head, I may get swept away
Should I fall through?
Am I considering the possibility of falling through the waterfall?
I kinda want to
I feel an urge or desire to go through the waterfall
What have I come to?
I am questioning my current state or actions
Don't wanna confront you
I do not desire a confrontation with you
I hate what you've become
I have negative feelings towards the change you have undergone
Disregard everyone
I am not taking into account anyone else's opinions or feelings
All bottled up, but really, you're just the empty one
You may seem contained, but you are actually lacking fulfillment
I can't stop coming back to you
I cannot break away from you or our relationship
Got too much here for me to lose
I have invested too much into this situation to give up on it
I keep believing in your ruse
I continue to trust in your deception or false trapping
My fate's not mine for me to choose
I do not have control over what will happen to me
Every look you give shows what you're living with
Your appearance or actions reveal what you are dealing with
Just know I feel it too
I can empathize with your struggles
It's not defining you
Your current situation does not solely define your identity
Only you can choose how you shine through
You have the power to define how you portray yourself to the world
I have to break away before I'm stuck
I must move on before I become trapped in this situation
Before the flood starts to catch up
Before the overwhelming forces start to overtake me
And I don't wanna see you falling down
I do not want to witness your struggle or failure
Down, no
I do not want to see you go down or fail
Yeah
An exclamation of agreement or affirmation
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: James Lightner, Sommer Nichols
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Segi gise
one of the more important songs, albums and bands in my life - this, hey ma, james! <3
"Watching too much TV
I'm an actor in a puppet show
There's so much stuff in my life
No room for me to grow
One day I'm going to break from my life
Due south down to Mexico
I'm going to burn down my house
It's the only way to let it go "
UNDER THE WATERFAAAAAAAAALLL
bully ruf
Easily one of their best songs, from quite possibly their best album. What a band
Not Available
This is probably one of their 5 best songs ever.
Jerry Lehky
Another outstanding offering from the prodidgously talented Tim Booth & James -
One of their finest efforts -&that's saying something!
Gobsmackingly Good!!!
"Lang may their Lum Reek!
🍒 BloodRed.🍒
Cheryl Anderton
Could listen to this again and again and again. Nice work James! :)
BigAlFiGala
Only just rediscovered James after 15 yrs, how could i forget these class tunes? Brings back some great memories
insjen
An actual masterpiece, still.
UNKNOWN
Before 3 yrs I watched the show for 6 times and now the number is 15 time .
HIMYM 🖤
Mark Morris
Great vocal content profound words
Stefano De Rosa
Run your hands ‘cross the flanks of a horse
Feel the pulse of blood the heat and the force
It's an antidote to a life spent on the beat
The beat of concrete
The beat of machines
Of mobile phones and plasma screens
How much junk in my life do I really need
Segi gise
one of the more important songs, albums and bands in my life - this, hey ma, james! <3
"Watching too much TV
I'm an actor in a puppet show
There's so much stuff in my life
No room for me to grow
One day I'm going to break from my life
Due south down to Mexico
I'm going to burn down my house
It's the only way to let it go "
UNDER THE WATERFAAAAAAAAALLL