James Yuill, like many music lovers of his generation, has a passion for bo… Read Full Bio ↴James Yuill, like many music lovers of his generation, has a passion for both the emotional songwriting and atmospheres of artists such as Nick Drake, Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens & the visceral / dynamic beats of Justice, The Chemical Brothers & Richard David James (aka Aphex Twin). Unlike anyone else however, Yuill has fused these seemingly disparate influences into a magical sound of his very own, something that hasn't gone un-noticed; he is quickly becoming an influential part of London’s popular folktronica scene.

Since the UK release of Turning Down Water For Air this past October 2008 on revered independent label Moshi Moshi Records (Bloc Party, Hot Chip, Au Revoir Simone), Yuill has garnered a huge amount of critical attention, including features in NME, Dazed and Confused and Clash Magazine, who featured him as “Best Newcomer 2008.” UK radio also jumped on board, with DJs including Huw Stephens, Colin Murray, Zane Lowe and John Kennedy all championing him on air.

A hectic live schedule including SXSW, Radio One Big Weekend, Latitude Festival, Club NME and numerous sweaty, dark venues across the globe, has added to the tangible buzz around James Yuill. Seeing him live is a truly unique experience: one minute you're drawn in to the tender simplicity of his voice and acoustic guitar, the next minute your head's spinning and your feet are moving to the dazzling array of beats and effects pumped out by James's laptop and boxes of tricks - not bad for a one man show that fits neatly into a reconditioned guitar case.

Yuill is also a sought-after remixer, who has worked with artists like Au Revoir Simone, Tilly and the Wall, David Holmes, and fellow folktronica artist Rod Thomas, as well as some up-and-coming UK artists.

Sites: Discogs

Somehow
James Yuill Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Whenever I'm down
You're always around me
You sit on my shoulder
And point out where I went wrong

Whenever I cry
You're always close by me
And I try to hide it but you find me

I know you want me to hurt myself
I know you want me to hurt myself
Somehow, somehow

Whenever I'm lost
You're there with cross
To see how long it takes
For me to go and pray

I know you want me to hurt myself
I know you want me to hurt myself
Somehow, somehow

Go out and find me
And get off my back
And get off my back
And get off my back

Whenever I'm down
You're always around me
You sit on my shoulder
And point out where I went wrong

I know you want me to hurt myself

I know you want me to hurt myself
Somehow, somehow

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of James Yuill's song "Somehow" suggest a struggle with a malevolent force that the singer is trying to resist. The lyrics portray this force to be ever present, sitting on the singer's shoulder, pointing out his mistakes and waiting for him to hurt himself. The singer is crying and lost and he knows that this force wants him to hurt himself, but he is asking it to let him go and get off his back.

The song speaks to the universal human experience of dealing with inner demons and trying to overcome them. The malevolent presence in the song could be interpreted as being depression, anxiety, addiction or any other self-destructive aspect of the human psyche. The lyrics suggest that it is difficult to escape this force but the singer is actively trying to resist and overcome it.

Overall, the song's lyrics are a powerful portrayal of the struggle with inner demons that many people face. The song's melody and powerful message make it a moving and poignant piece of music.

Line by Line Meaning

Whenever I'm down
Whenever I'm feeling sad or depressed

You're always around me
You're always present in my life

You sit on my shoulder
You represent my inner demons

And point out where I went wrong
And you remind me of my mistakes

Whenever I cry
Whenever I'm upset and emotional

You're always close by me
You're always lurking near

And I try to hide it but you find me
And you always manage to find me even when I try to conceal my feelings

I know you want me to hurt myself
I know you want me to harm myself

Somehow, somehow
In some way, you want me to harm myself

Whenever I'm lost
Whenever I'm feeling directionless

You're there with cross
You're there with a cross, symbolizing religion and morality