A fine tenor saxophonist who was part of the long tradition of Texas tenors, Clay was born in Dallas. Although early on he mostly played r&b and blues-oriented music, he was an early associate of Ornette Coleman and was open to playing in freer settings. He spent ten years in the Ray Charles band. He moved up North in the mid-1950s and recorded with drummer Larance Marable in 1956.
In 1960, Clay made his greatest impact, leading two excellent albums for Riverside. “The Sound of the Wide Open Spaces,” teams him with David “Fathead” Newman (another Texas tenor), pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Arthur Taylor. The two tenors battle it out on a variety of tunes and the results are a tie for the saxophonists and a victory for the listeners. “A Double Dose of Soul,” has Clay utilizing Cannonball Adderley’s sidemen (cornetist Nat Adderley, vibraphonist Victor Feldman, Sam Jones, and drummer Louis Hayes) plus pianist Gene Harris in a bop-based program that features Clay doubling on flute.
Rather than building on this promising start, James Clay decided to move back to Texas and become an educator. Very little was heard from him on the national scene until cornetist Don Cherry persuaded Clay to record on his 1988 album “Art Deco.”
He recorded “Cookin’ at the Continental,” for Antilles in 1992 with an all star lineup of David Newman, Roy Hargrove, Kirk Lightsey, Christian McBride, and Winard Harper. On this date he is in fine form and his lighter sound blends well with Newman.
James Clay was still actively performing prior to his 1994 death.
I Still Believe
James Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been in a cave,
For forty days,
Only a spark,
To light my way.
I want to give out,
I want to give in,
This is our crime,
But I still believe
I still believe
Through the pain,
And through the grief,
Through the lives,
Through the storms,
Through the cries,
And through the wars.
Oh, I still believe!
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Flat on my back,
Out at sea,
Hopin' these waves,
Don't cover me.
I'm turned and tossed,
Upon the waves,
When the darkness comes,
I feel the grave.
But I still believe
I still believe
Through the cold,
And through heat,
Through the rain,
And through the tears.
Through the crowds,
And through the cheers.
Oh, I still believe!
Oh, oh, oh
Oh
I'll march this road,
I'll climb this hill,
Upon my knees if I have to
I'll take my place,
Up on this stage,
I'll wait till the end of time,
For you like everybody else.
I'm out on my own,
Walkin' the streets,
Look at the faces,
That I meet.
I feel like I
Like I want to go home.
What do I feel?
What do I know?
But I still believe.
I still believe.
Through the shame,
And through the grief.
Through the heartache,
Through the tears,
Through the waiting,
Through the years
For people like us,
In places like this
We need all the hope,
That we can get,
Oh, I still believe!
Oh, oh, oh oh
Oh, oh, oh
The song "I Still Believe" by James Clay delves into the power of belief and hope, despite hardships and challenges. The lyrics describe the internal struggles of the singer, who has been in a metaphorical cave for 40 days and is seeking a way out, a way to find light. The singer desires to give up but is also aware of the consequences of doing so. The second verse describes the feeling of being lost at sea, being turned and tossed around, surrounded by darkness, and feeling like the grave is near. However, the singer still believes and retains hope even in these dark times. The song also touches upon the concept of finding one's purpose and the journey that needs to be undertaken to reach it. The singer is willing to march the road, climb mountains, and wait for the end of time to achieve what they believe in.
The lyrics of the song resonate with anyone who has been met with difficulties and challenges in their lives. James Clay's song embodies the idea that even though life has its ups and downs, one should always hold onto hope and continue to believe that things will get better. The song encourages listeners to keep going, even when the going gets tough, because maintaining a steadfast belief in oneself is the key to overcoming adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, oh
Emotional outburst.
I've been in a cave,
I've been feeling isolated and alone.
For forty days,
For a long time now.
Only a spark,
Only a small glimmer of hope.
To light my way.
To give me direction and purpose.
I want to give out,
I want to share my emotions and express myself.
I want to give in,
I want to give up and surrender to my feelings.
This is our crime,
Our wrongdoing, mistake or sin.
This is our sin.
Our transgression or immoral act.
But I still believe
But I am still optimistic and hopeful.
Through the pain,
Through the physical or emotional suffering.
And through the grief,
And through the intense sorrow or distress.
Through the lives,
Through the experiences and existence of ourselves and others.
Through the storms,
Through the difficult and tumultuous times.
Through the cries,
Through the emotional expression of pain or sadness.
And through the wars.
And through the periods of prolonged conflict and strife.
Oh, I still believe!
Oh, I still have faith and confidence.
Flat on my back,
Lying down and helpless.
Out at sea,
Floating in the ocean of life.
Hopin' these waves,
Wishing that these challenges and obstacles won't overcome me.
Don't cover me.
Don't drown me in despair and hopelessness.
I'm turned and tossed,
I'm thrown about and unsettled.
Upon the waves,
On the surface of the ocean, symbolizing the ups and downs of life.
When the darkness comes,
When the times are tough and unpleasant.
I feel the grave.
I feel the looming presence of death and defeat.
Through the cold,
Through the physical or emotional coldness.
And through the heat,
And through the physical or emotional heat and intensity.
Through the rain,
Through the periods of sadness or adversity.
And through the tears.
And through the emotional expression of sadness or joy.
Through the crowds,
Through the large groups of people and their influence.
And through the cheers.
And through the expression of encouragement and support from those around me.
I'll march this road,
I'll keep going on this path.
I'll climb this hill,
I'll overcome this challenge or obstacle.
Upon my knees if I have to
Even if I have to be humble or suffer.
I'll take my place,
I'll find my position and purpose in life.
Up on this stage,
In the spotlight, where I can be seen and heard.
I'll wait till the end of time,
I'll persevere indefinitely.
For you like everybody else.
For the people I care about, just like everyone else does.
I'm out on my own,
I'm alone and independent.
Walkin' the streets,
Navigating life and its various challenges.
Look at the faces,
Observing the expressions of others.
That I meet.
That I come across in my life journey.
I feel like I
I have a sense of how I feel.
Like I want to go home.
Like I want to find comfort and familiarity.
What do I feel?
What exactly am I feeling?
What do I know?
What exactly do I understand and comprehend?
Through the shame,
Through the negative and humiliating feelings and experiences.
And through the grief.
And through the sorrow and sadness of loss or disappointment.
Through the heartache,
Through the emotional and painful experiences of life.
Through the tears,
Through the emotional expression of pain or joy.
Through the waiting,
Through the patient anticipation of what's to come.
Through the years,
Through the passage of time and the changes it brings.
For people like us,
For those who are similar to me or who share similar circumstances.
In places like this
In situations or environments like this one.
We need all the hope,
We require all the positive energy and optimistic outlook that can be mustered.
That we can get,
That which is available to us.
Oh, I still believe!
Oh, I still have faith and confidence.
Oh, oh, oh oh
Repeated emotional outburst.
Oh, oh, oh
Repeated emotional outburst.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANTONINA ARMATO, BEPPE CANTARELLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind