Raised in the blues-rich south side of Chicago, he studied the methods of B.B. King and Johnny Smith. He fashioned his finger-picking guitar technique after the great Chet Atkins. James continued to perfect his talent and soon was playing in many of Chicago's more well-known clubs. It was while perfoming here that he was asked to join a band known as The Exceptions, originally founded by Kal David, Marty Grebb and Pete Cetera. They soon became one of the most in demand club acts in town. The Exceptions reached their pinnacle when they toured with Otis Redding.
Cetera later left to pursue other avenues, eventually winding up as the lead singer for Chicago. Vincent's talents were much in demand as a studio musician, laying down tracks for Minnie Ripperton, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and many notable Chess Records recording artists.
Along the way Vincent met rock promoter Bill Graham, who at the time was managing a band called H.P. Lovecraft. The band needed a guitar player and Vincent needed a change, so he took the job and moved to San Francisco. Through that project he met Howard Wales & Jerry Garcia, who had just recorded a now cult classic lp called "Hooter Roll" which was well stocked with talented musicians.
Vincent toured with them for a brief time and liked Garcia's laid-back style, but what he really liked was the work of the guitarist for Hooter Roll's opening band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra featuring John McLaughlin. Their fusion style inspired Vincent and once again he found himself spinning in a new direction.
Vincent later signed with Columbia/Caribou Records and recorded four albums, the most successful being Space Traveler with Harvey Mason on drums, Verdine and Freddy White from Earth, Wind and Fire, Ron Stockert on keyboards and Pete Cetera on background vocals. Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire offered Vincent a position with the band while chatting together on a flight back from England. Though flattered, Vincent declined the offer due to his heavy schedule with his solo career and special projects, such as recording an instrumental album with Rufus, recording and touring with the Latin band Azteca, featuring Sheila E. and Neal Schon (later of Journey fame), and performing with Santana, Tom Scott and the L.A. Express and Etta James band featuring Gregg Allman, to name a few.
-- from James Vincent's official website
-- RJM
Alone
James Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Anything you want to
Drag me along
Now I'm never losing
Tell me a lie
Anything you want to
Anything you want to
Anything you want
Everyone's so busy now
And I find myself at the beginning
So afraid of missing out
I convinced myself that I was winning
Grab at my throat
Until my heart is freezing
I'm in a canyon
So I can't tell the season change
When you're alone
Do you still believe it?
Do you still believe it?
Do you still believe?
I hope when it hurts you feel it
I hope when it cuts you bleed
And I hope when it reaches you that
We are alone together
I hope when it hurts you feel it
I hope when it cuts you bleed
And I hope when it reaches you that
We are alone together
Kick it down
Like it can only fall so far
We were wrong
There is no limit to the floor
So kick it down
There's no limit to it
There's no limit to it
There's no limit to it
Everyone's so busy now
So when you find yourself at the beginning
So afraid of missing out
You'll convince yourself that you are winning
Everyone's so busy now
And the truth is when you call if all I hear it
So afraid of missing out
I'll be on my way in several pieces
I hope when it hurts you feel it
I hope when it cuts you bleed
And I hope when it reaches you that
We are alone together
I hope when it hurts you feel it
I hope when it cuts you bleed
And I hope when it reaches you that
We are alone together
I hope when it hurts you feel it
I hope when it cuts you bleed
And I hope when it reaches you that
We are alone together
I hope when it hurts you feel it
I hope when it cuts you bleed
And I hope when it reaches you that
We are alone together
We are alone together
We are alone together
The lyrics of James Vincent McMorrow's song "Alone" seem to talk about feelings of loneliness, as well as the desire for human connection. The song begins with the singer asking for someone to "throw me a line, anything you want to," in a seemingly desperate attempt to feel connected to someone else. However, the repetition of "anything you want to" almost sounds like the singer is willing to accept anything, including lies, just to avoid feeling alone. The feeling of loneliness is further emphasized with the line "everyone's so busy now, and I find myself at the beginning," which suggests the singer feels left behind as everyone else moves forward with their lives.
The chorus of the song includes the lyrics "I hope when it hurts you feel it, I hope when it cuts you bleed, and I hope when it reaches you that we are alone together." These lines seem to suggest that while pain and suffering are universal experiences, it's possible to find comfort in knowing that others are going through the same thing. McMorrow seems to be telling the listener that they're not completely alone in their feelings of loneliness and isolation, and there is some hope in finding connection with others.
The verse "Grab at my throat, until my heart is freezing, I'm in a canyon, so I can't tell the season change" depicts the intensity of the feeling of being alone. The metaphors used in this verse suggest that the singer feels suffocated and trapped, and there's a sense of hopelessness in being unable to tell time or season change due to this isolation. On a brighter note, the repetition of the phrase "there's no limit to it" in the bridge of the song suggests that there may be a limitless potential for human connection, despite the feeling of loneliness.
Overall, the song seems to be an ode to the human desire for connection and the pain of feeling alone in a crowded world. At the same time, James Vincent McMorrow suggests that these feelings are not unique, and there may be hope in finding solace in the shared human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Throw me a line
Give me a lifeline, anything that can hold me and keep me from drowning in my loneliness.
Anything you want to
I will take any form of connection or attention, even if it means accepting lies and unhealthy relationships.
Drag me along
I am willing to be pulled along by anyone who can give me some sense of direction or purpose in life.
Now I'm never losing
I feel like I am finally winning something in this world, even if it is just the temporary high of someone's attention or affection.
Tell me a lie
If it makes me feel better, I am willing to believe in any kind of falsehood, no matter how destructive it may be to my self-esteem or well-being.
Everyone's so busy now
In the fast-paced world we live in, everyone seems to be preoccupied with their own lives and goals, leaving me feeling left out and alone.
And I find myself at the beginning
I am stuck in the starting line of life, unsure of where to go or what to do next, while others seem to have already gotten ahead.
So afraid of missing out
I am constantly anxious about being excluded from opportunities or experiences that others seem to be enjoying without me.
I convinced myself that I was winning
To cope with my feelings of loneliness and insecurity, I tricked myself into believing that any form of attention or validation must mean that I am succeeding in life.
Grab at my throat
I am suffocating in my feelings of fear and desperation, unable to breathe on my own or find my way out of this trap of loneliness.
Until my heart is freezing
I have become numb to my emotions and disconnected from others, as my isolation has turned my heart cold and lifeless.
I'm in a canyon
My isolation has turned me into a small and insignificant presence in this vast and lonely world, confined to a narrow and dark place with no escape.
So I can't tell the season change
I have lost touch with the natural beauty and rhythm of the world, unable to feel the passing of time or the changing of the seasons.
When you're alone
Being alone can be a terrifying and isolating experience, where one's own thoughts and fears can become overwhelming.
Do you still believe it?
Despite my doubts and fears, I still want to believe that there is hope and connection to be found in this world, even if it feels distant and uncertain.
I hope when it hurts you feel it
I want to experience the raw and unfiltered emotions of life, even if it means confronting pain and heartbreak head-on.
I hope when it cuts you bleed
I want to feel alive and human, even if it means exposing myself to vulnerability and suffering.
And I hope when it reaches you that
I want others to understand my struggles and to feel connected to me on a deeper level, even if it means exposing my most painful and personal experiences.
We are alone together
Despite our individual struggles and experiences of loneliness, we are all united on this journey of life and can find strength and solidarity in our shared humanity.
Kick it down
To overcome my fears and restrictions, I need to break through the boundaries that hold me back and take control of my own destiny.
Like it can only fall so far
I have a mistaken belief that there are limits to what I can achieve, and that my ambitions should be tempered by a sense of practicality or realism.
We were wrong
Our preconceived notions of what is possible in life are often misguided and overly restrictive, limiting the potential of our own success and happiness.
There is no limit to the floor
In reality, our potential is limitless and we should aim high without fear of failure or falling down.
There's no limit to it
We should embrace life with a limitless mentality, believing that we can achieve greatness and success beyond our wildest dreams.
So when you find yourself at the beginning
Whenever we feel stuck or lost in life, we should remember that the beginning is just one part of the journey, and that there are always opportunities for growth and change ahead.
You'll convince yourself that you are winning
Even when we face challenges and obstacles, we should maintain a positive attitude and believe that we have what it takes to overcome them and achieve our goals.
And the truth is when you call if all I hear it
Even when someone reaches out to me for help, I may be too consumed by my own struggles and fears to truly hear their plea for connection or support.
I'll be on my way in several pieces
Despite my own struggles and limitations, I am willing to show up for others and be there in whatever way I can, even if it means sacrificing my own well-being to do so.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CONOR GERARD ADAMS, JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW, LAURENCE MATTHEW JOHN KAYE, MATT SCHWARTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind