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/)
White Boy
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stock markets free fall, dreams shattered
Lost cause, pulled up, a sure winner
Made a few bob, in a new job as a serial killer
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, boy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
Every night microwaved, TV dinners
Mobile phones make her brain shimmer
Don't say the see word she got the all clear
That jokes bad taste and so dog eared
My mum says I look like Yul Brynner
Too old for Hamlet, too young for Lear
Got a shaved head, lost weight, fakir
Got a pierced lip 'cause it's still hip to appear queer
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, boy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
And I'm all mashed up
Mum's droning on and on, and on, and on
And I'm all mashed up
Mum's droning on and on, and on, and on
She wants this, she wants that
She wants bling, she wants tat
She wants creams that can cover the cracks
Wedded bliss, cancer scans
She wants family man
Self esteem and her old body back
She says
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, boy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
The song "White Boy" by the British band James, released in 1990, is a reflection on the anxieties and struggles of modern life, particularly for individuals who feel marginalized or misunderstood. The lyrics depict the mental and emotional turmoil of the singer, who is grappling with financial instability, social pressures, and family expectations. The opening lines, "Five nights, no sleep, my mind's battered/ Stock markets free fall, dreams shattered," indicate the sense of helplessness and hopelessness that many people experience amid economic uncertainty and political upheaval. The reference to a "serial killer" may be an allusion to the violence and aggression that can emerge as a result of societal pressures and stresses.
The chorus, "You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man/ You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, boy, man/ You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man," suggests a feeling of isolation or alienation, as the singer is being addressed as a "whiteboy" and is being singled out for his race or ethnicity. This may reflect the experience of people who feel marginalized or discriminated against based on their identity, and may also speak to the larger theme of social division and conflict. The rest of the lyrics touch on various topics, from technology and consumerism ("Mobile phones make her brain shimmer/ Don't say the see word she got the all clear") to body image and gender identity ("Got a shaved head, lost weight, fakir/ Got a pierced lip 'cause it's still hip to appear queer").
Line by Line Meaning
Five nights, no sleep, my mind's battered
I haven't slept for five nights and my mind is exhausted
Stock markets free fall, dreams shattered
The stock market has crashed and my dreams have been destroyed
Lost cause, pulled up, a sure winner
I was a lost cause but I managed to turn it around and become a sure winner
Made a few bob, in a new job as a serial killer
I have made some money in my new job as a serial killer
Every night microwaved, TV dinners
Every night I eat microwaved TV dinners
Mobile phones make her brain shimmer
Mobile phones affect her brain and make it shimmer
Don't say the see word she got the all clear
She doesn't want to hear the word 'cancer' because she has been given the all clear
That jokes bad taste and so dog eared
That joke is in bad taste and overused
My mum says I look like Yul Brynner
My mum says I look like Yul Brynner
Too old for Hamlet, too young for Lear
I am too old for Hamlet and too young for Lear
Got a shaved head, lost weight, fakir
I have shaved my head, lost weight, and look like a fakir
Got a pierced lip 'cause it's still hip to appear queer
I have a pierced lip because it is trendy to appear queer
And I'm all mashed up
I am all mixed up and confused
Mum's droning on and on, and on, and on
My mum keeps talking non-stop
She wants this, she wants that
My mum wants everything and anything
She wants bling, she wants tat
My mum wants expensive things and cheap things
She wants creams that can cover the cracks
My mum wants creams that can hide wrinkles and imperfections
Wedded bliss, cancer scans
My mum wants me to have a happy marriage and regular cancer scans
She wants family man
My mum wants me to settle down and have a family
Self esteem and her old body back
My mum wants to regain her self esteem and her old body
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
You want to talk to me, whiteboy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, boy, man
You want to talk to me, whiteboy, boy, man
You wanna talk to me, whiteboy, man
You want to talk to me, whiteboy, man
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: TIMOTHY BOOTH, JAMES PATRICK GLENNIE, JAMES LAWRENCE GOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jennifer Hope
Love it ❤
Jim shelley
Love this track.
1WeeBiff
Totally luv this,it's defo 1 of my fav 's..It's also my son's track for me as he jests/sings the bit were Tim's singing "mum's droning on & on & on & on "..
Mark Persad
Outstanding!
Jennifer Hope
Brilliant ❤❤❤❤
amaranta arcadia castillo gómez
A woman shout to me in the supermarket, I almost react with anger and suddenly I remember this wonderful song and think, ah ah ah ah ah ah... and laugh :)
James Johnson
THANK CHRIST THIS WAS POSTED
James H
Thumbs up from me. Bateman likes James
TheVimtoMoustache
Reminds me a lot of Beatles only a northern song.
(The trumpet bit anyway!)
Tomo Rrow
Uh... The Beatles were northern :)