November 2015 saw th… Read Full Bio ↴New album TOON TOWN LULLABY released July 2020.
November 2015 saw the release of ALL THE HITS LIVE, an album recorded earlier that year at Perth's Astor Theatre. James released a brand new album THIRTEEN in March 2012, containing the singles English Girls, Capsize and Whatcha Gonna Do About It?
James Reyne came to recognition to the Australian public as lead singer of classic Australian band Australian Crawl in the 1970's. They had a number of hits including "Reckless", "Boys Light Up", "Beautiful People", "Shutdown", "Errol", "Oh No Not You Again" and "Downhearted"
After the band split in 1986, James spent some time in the United States and Europe, returning to Australia in 1987.
His first solo album, "JAMES REYNE" (1987) went triple platinum and included three top 10 singles: "Fall Of Rome", "Hammerhead" and "Motors Too Fast". Other singles from this album included "Always The Way" and "Ript It Up".
In the following years James released more solo albums, "HARD REYNE" (1989) which contaimed the Top 40 singles "House Of Cards", "One More River" and "Trouble In Paradise".
In 1991 James returned with his most successful Australian album "ELECTRIC DIGGER DANDY"(1991), which effortlessly mirrored the success of the first. This album contained the smash hits "Slave", "Any Day Above Ground" and "Some People'", plus a reworking of the Aussie Crawl song "Reckless".
James joined country music star James Blundell and recorded the classic Dingoes song "WAY OUT WEST" which exploded into the number 1 position on the Australian charts in 1992.
He next joined Daryl Braithwaite, Jef Scott and Simon Hussey on the very successful album "THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS" in 1993 which included the top 40 hits "Motor City", "Sweet Love" and "Daddy's Gonna Make You A Star".
James then returned to Los Angeles to record with renowned producer Stewart Levine, arriving back in 1994 with the critically acclaimed CD "THE WHIFF OF BEDLAM". The album was a departure in sound for James and featured a more organic sound, complete with brass section. The album spawned the hits "Red Light Avenue", "Day In The Sun" and the final single "It's Only Natural" in 1995.
While touring the album in Australia and overseas during this period, James released the energetic and profilic double Live album titled LIVE IN RIO, recorded in Brazil. A single "Oh No Not You Again" was featured from this CD.
Throughout his career James has appeared in several and varied theatrical, film and television productions and concert events, the more visible of these including "Return To Eden", "Tina; What's Love Got To Do With It?", television drama "State Coroner" and "The Little Shop Of Horrors" (1996)
While signing to Roadshow Music in 1997, James headed into the studio with famed producer and produced a single "Brand New Emperor's Clothes", to be featured on a forthcoming album.
In 1999 James recorded and released the CD "DESIGN FOR LIVING" with friends and brothers Scott and Brett Kingman. Arguably the most critically applauded album of his career, it further cemented his position as a unique, witty, thoughtful and challenging songwriter and singer. This album featured the singles "Wonderful Today", "Not Waving, Drowning" and the classic live favourite "Reno".
2004 saw the completion of "SPEEDBOATS FOR BREAKFAST", released on Liberation Records. It was a self funded project and saw James break free of the record company restrictions and allowed to him to be in control creatively. Radio-only singles "Bug" and "Rainbows Dead End" were featured on this CD.
Rainbows Dead End Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFaXnfZbBAs
As part of the Liberation Blue Accoustic series, James released two highly successgful accoustic albums in recent times. …"AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON"" which allowed James to revisit many of the above titles with little more than a lone acoustic guitar underpinning the most distinctive voice of his generation.
More reworkings of his solo and Australian Crawl material were sounded on "GHOST SHIP" released in 2007.
2007 saw the release of James 8th Studio album. "EVERY MAN A KING" closing a 30-year circle since James first led Australian Crawl into the front line of the Oz rock boom. His eye and pen grew sharper through a platinum-lined solo career, but never have his wit and poignancy been on more consistently solid musical ground than they are here. Stand-out tracks include "Little Man You've Had a Busy Day", "Light In The Tunnel" and "The Postman".
Following a live DVD release in late 2007, titled "One Night In Melbourne", a CD/DVD of the show was available in 2009. The show was filmed and recorded at Melbourne's Palais Theatre and saw James perform 30 songs from his vast catalogue.
One project, titled JAMES REYNE SINGS THE KING has James performing and re-interpreting 14 classic Elvis Presley songs. The album TCB was released in April 2010. A dedicated website has been set up to support the project. http://www.jamesreyneTCB.com
A new album, Thirteen was released in March 2012.
Drifting Away
James Reyne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They used to burn so bright
They staggered into love or sin one night
Turn down that light
All of their battles are happy
And all of their songs are sad
Burning clear and fade away
Confusion of slow novas
Drifting away drifting away
Their life is like no other
Their world is like no one
They wandered out to scream and shout and run
Forever young
Those boys are torn and tired
They used to burn so bright
They staggered into love or sin one night
Turn down that light
The James Reyne's song "Drifting Away" is a poignant reflection on youth and the strains and challenges that come with it. The opening lines, "These boys are torn and tired / They used to burn so bright," suggest a sense of disillusionment or exhaustion. The Boys are likely to be Reyne's contemporaries who have experienced the highs and lows of life that come with young adulthood.
As the song progresses, Reyne elaborates on the idea of contrasting emotions and experiences in life, with "All of their battles are happy / And all of their songs are sad." The confusion of the slow novas is a metaphor for the conflicts and confusions experienced in life. The boys' lives are unique and different, represented in the lines, "Their life is like no other / Their world is like no one."
The final lines of the song, "Those boys are torn and tired / They used to burn so bright / They staggered into love or sin one night / Turn down that light," imply a sense of nostalgia and a longing for simpler times. The image of turning down the light suggests a desire to slow down and reflect on the past. Overall, Reyne's lyrics speak to the universal experience of growing up and navigating the complexity of human emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
These boys are torn and tired
The boys in the song are exhausted and emotionally drained
They used to burn so bright
They used to have immense energy and passion for life
They staggered into love or sin one night
They made impulsive decisions in the past, leading them towards love or wrongdoing
Turn down that light
The boys want a change in their current state, and are possibly seeking solitude and darkness
All of their battles are happy
Despite facing challenges, they've had successful and fulfilling lives
And all of their songs are sad
Their music reflects their melancholy state and experiences
Confusion of slow novas
They feel lost and uncertain, like stars slowly fading away
Burning clear and fade away
Their lives were once bright and intense, but have now dimmed and weakened
Drifting away drifting away
The boys feel like they're slowly drifting away from their past and uncertain towards the future
Their life is like no other
Their experiences and emotions are unique and distinct from others
Their world is like no one
They feel disconnected from society and the world around them
They wandered out to scream and shout and run
They went on an adventure in search of excitement, fun, and freedom
Forever young
Despite growing older, they still maintain a youthful spirit and energy
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JAMES MICHAEL REYNE, SIMON CYRIL HUSSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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