1) James Ray (born Jam… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) James Ray (born James Ray Raymond in Washington, D.C. in 1941, died c. 1964) was an African American R&B singer of the early 1960s.
A resident of Washington, the diminutive, 5-foot (1.5-meter) singer was discovered in 1961 while destitute and living on a rooftop, and began recording as James Ray for Caprice Records. His best-known hit was "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody", which reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962 and was also a top 10 R&B hit. The single was issued in the UK in 1962 as well, and was performed by The Beatles before it was discovered by Freddie and the Dreamers who took it into the UK top 5 the year after.
In the U.S., Ray's single was followed by an eponymous album, which contained the follow up single "Itty Bitty Pieces", which reached #41 on the Hot 100, as well as a song called "Got My Mind Set On You". A severely edited version of this was released later in the year as a single on the Dynamic Sound label and reached #22.
Many of Ray's songs were written by Rudy Clark, later to become famous for "The Shoop Shoop Song" and others.
James Ray is thought to have died in 1964, due to a drug overdose.
The Beatles' George Harrison purchased a copy of Ray's album in 1963 when he went to the United States to visit his sister. Over two decades later he revived "Got My Mind Set On You" and took it to #1 in early 1988.
John Lennon was also a fan and included "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" on his jukebox, the contents of which were issued as a double CD in 2004 after the jukebox itself was purchased at an auction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ray_%28singer%29
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2) James Ray is a rock singer and band-leader, best known as a member of Andrew Eldritch's side-project The Sisterhood.
He was a founding member of "James Ray And The Performance", a rock band with ties to goth rock. James Ray has also formed the bands "James Rays Gangwar", "The MK Ultra", "4080peru" and his current band 25men
James Ray And The Performance
The Performance was a band started by James Ray and Carl Harrison. An early demo of tracks such as "Mexico Sundown Blues", "Dance" and "Edie Sedgwick" (the latter named after the actress) was sent to The Sisters of Mercy's record label, Merciful Release. The band were signed, and after Ray's contribution to The Sisterhood project "Gift", Merciful released the Mexico Sundown Blues single in July 1986. The singles "Texas" and "Dust Boat" were also released on Merciful, followed by the compilation A New Kind Of Assassin.
James Rays Gangwar
After The Performance, Ray formed James Rays Gangwar. The band were still contracted to Merciful for an album, so the band recorded the Dios Esta De Nuestro Lado LP, a more aggressive sounding album, still with the southern American influence, and a cover of Alvin Stardust's "[My] Coo Ca Choo" closing the album. The opening track, Rev Rev Lowrider was released as a single. Other non-album tracks were released as singles, "Fuel", "Another Million Dollars" and "Without Conscience".
After this, Gangwar released the Third Generation LP on Surgery Records, a much more techno-based album, with fewer guitars, and a more trance-like feel. The song "Fuelled Up" draws heavily from the earlier song "Fuel," which in turn borrows heavily from the melody of Knock on Wood.
The final Gangwar album was 'Psychodalek', combining the techno feel of Third Generation and their traditioanal overdriven guitar sounds. The album aslo featured a new recording of Edie Sedgewick, entitled only Edie, featuring These Crimson Dreams singer, Tamsin.
The MK Ultra
After the release of Third Generation, Ray formed the project "The MK Ultra", a solo effort, again releasing on Merciful Release. The first LP This Is This had a more dance-like feel than Third Generation, continuing to incorporate samples and Ray's own deep voice against the female backing vocals and techno rhythms. The first track, "Regeneration" is a remix of the title track from Third Generation. After This Is This, Ray released Beluga Pop, a collection of ambient techno pieces, far removed from much of his earlier work. The MK Ultra did not release any singles. Ray later wrote a novella entitled "Psychodalek" under the James Ray's Gangwar moniker, and released an album of the same name as a soundtrack to accompany the book. Both the novella and the album are currently available to download from his website.
Present day
In recent years, Gangwar have reformed, to play a handful of concerts, such as Wave-Gotik-Treffen. A further ambient project, 4080Peru was formed, writing long soundscapes. 4080Peru have also performed these tracks live. Ray is also currently working with the band 25men, and still keeping up with Speedy Dave.
25men
25men consists of various transient musicians and artists from around the world who contribute to 25men. Designed and directed by James Ray, 25men present an amalgamation of musical and artistic ideas resulting in a sound that takes the sound of Gangwar and 4080peru to another dimension.
Itty Bitty Pieces
James Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't mean maybe
It's too late)...
Little itty bitty pieces, baby
First, you promise me your love
And then you don't stick to it
When I'm floating on a cloud
Then you say you're gonna thrill me
And you just don't do it
Let me tell you about my mind reactin' to it
(Chorus)
I'm about to...
Go to pieces, go to pieces
Go to pieces, wooooo
You're breaking me up
And I don't mean maybe
Into little itty bitty pieces, baby
When your kisses start to gettin' good
That's when you end it
When you know how much on you, my dear
My love depended
Now I've got to take some pills
With tranquilizers in it
That is what my family doctor recommended
(Repeat Chorus)
Today you want my love
Tomorrow you don't want it
When you know I'm mad about you
And you play upon it
It's been a long, long time
Since I waited on it
Don't you know how much I need you
Dog gone it
(Repeat Chorus)
James Ray's song "Itty Bitty Pieces" is a heartrending tale of lost love and broken promises that leaves him shattered into tiny, little pieces. The song depicts the frustration and disappointment one feels when they have a partner who is inconsistent in their affections, leaving them adrift on a sea of emotions that they cannot control or contain. The lyrics express a jarring contrast between the happiness and love that James Ray felt initially and the betrayal and eventual heartbreak that he felt as things fell apart. The broken promises, the failed attempts at reconciliation, the sense of hopelessness that percolates through the song are all palpable, creating a poignant and deeply relatable piece of music.
The chorus of "Itty Bitty Pieces" is the song's centerpiece, as James Ray croons his pain and desperation, reaching a fever pitch as he contemplates his shattered state of mind. He is on the verge of going to pieces, and the slow, mournful tempo of the song mirrors his heartache and despair. The second verse is equally powerful, as Ray describes the way his lover teases and tantalizes him with fleeting moments of passion before dashing his hopes with indifference and neglect. The final verse is a plea for redemption, as Ray begs for his lover to see the depth of his need and return to him, but the desperation in his voice suggests that he knows the odds are against him.
Line by Line Meaning
You're breaking me up
You are causing me to fall apart emotionally and mentally
And I don't mean maybe
And I am not exaggerating about how upsetting this is
It's too late
It is past the point of repairing the damage you have caused
Little itty bitty pieces, baby
My emotional state is now shattered into tiny fragments
First, you promise me your love
Initially, you agreed to love and commit to me
And then you don't stick to it
But you fail to follow through on that promise
When I'm floating on a cloud
When I am experiencing a great sense of joy and happiness
You put a hole right through it
You instantly ruin that sense of joy and happiness
Then you say you're gonna thrill me
You make new promises to excite me
And you just don't do it
But again, you fail to keep your word and live up to your promises
Let me tell you about my mind reactin' to it
My mind is struggling to cope with the negative impact of your actions
I'm about to...
I am reaching my limit
Go to pieces, go to pieces
I feel like I am falling apart
You're breaking me up
You are causing me to break down
And I don't mean maybe
And this is not an overstatement
Into little itty bitty pieces, baby
My emotional state is slowly deteriorating into small and insignificant fragments
When your kisses start to gettin' good
When we start getting physically intimate
That's when you end it
You suddenly stop the physical intimacy
When you know how much on you, my dear
When you know how much I depend on you emotionally
My love depended
My sense of love and connection is tied to you
Now I've got to take some pills
Now I need medication to cope with my emotional distress
With tranquilizers in it
Medication that helps me to calm down and relax
That is what my family doctor recommended
That is what my medical professional advised for my mental health
Today you want my love
Today you express a desire for my love and affection
Tomorrow you don't want it
But tomorrow, you might retract that desire
When you know I'm mad about you
When you know how much I care for you
And you play upon it
And you use my feelings for you to manipulate me emotionally
It's been a long, long time
I have been struggling with this issue for a significant length of time
Since I waited on it
Since I have been anticipating a positive change in our relationship
Don't you know how much I need you
Do you not realize how important you are to me
Dog gone it
Expressing frustration and annoyance with the situation
Contributed by Skyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Robert De Lasalle
Great r&b song from 1962.I dare anybody not to tap their feet while listening.
pinchold pinch
been in love with this for about 50 years. Thanks for posting.
Rufus Brown
James Ray was a great singer, sounded. A lot like Little Willie John, he left us to soon
Sharpzilla
I found this song after hearing it on American Gods
Steven Lee
me too
ALAIN DEWAELE
top track kev fox !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Al The C
Follow up to If You Gotta Make a Fool
Zev Feldman
pretty