Famed for his largely improvised shows, that see Jamie constructing his tracks live, voicing and layering right in front of your eyes, effortlessly whipping them out of the air and forging them into clanking electro riffs and deathprod funk grooves.
Likened to Sly Stone, Prince and Little Richard, he is Britain's voice of soul for the new era.
Jamie is/was half of the Super_collider project. He has also helped write and produce on the albums of Mocky, who in return drums in his live band.
Big Drift
Jamie Lidell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No bones can keep their shape
No water and no flames
But smoke as black as lace
Go down ironsides
Go down golden ghost
So long, battle bones
No black only gray
We come or come what may
Break out of harms way
Pink washed the skies away
Beaches combing for the ring
Reaches bones and copper string
All that's left from all you bring
Keeps me searching through your things
In the song "Big Drift" by Jamie Lidell, the lyrics refer to the vast emptiness of space, where bones and flames cannot exist, only smoke. The first stanza refers to this vacuum-like emptiness which is further reinforced by the idea of dust. The lines "No bones can keep their shape, No water and no flames, But smoke as black as lace" describe the state of nothingness that brings a sense of hopelessness, almost as if there is no purpose in existence. The following lines, "Go down ironsides, Go down golden ghost, So long, battle bones, I've seen it come to only dust" convey a sense of resignation and acceptance of the inevitability of life's end, where even the strongest beings must succumb to the entropic nature of the universe. The lyrics here may allude to the mystical realm of death, where the singer bids farewell to the fighting spirit within themselves that has faded away.
Moving on to the second stanza, "No black only gray, We come or come what may, Break out of harm's way, Pink washed the skies away," represents a glimmer of hope amidst the emptiness. Though the situation may be gray and hopeless, it is better than complete darkness, and the idea of moving forward, regardless of one's fate, is present. The mention of "Pink washed the skies away" alludes to the beauty of the universe, and speaks of the hope and possibility of starting anew. Finally, the last lines "Beaches combing for the ring, Reaches bones and copper string, All that's left from all you bring, Keeps me searching through your things" may allude to the idea of lost love and remnants of a past relationship. The singer searches through the remnants of the relationship, hoping to find something that may reignite old flames.
Line by Line Meaning
Caverns of empty space
The place is filled with open spaces with nothing residing inside.
No bones can keep their shape
There is nothing substantial that can be found here.
No water and no flames
There is neither water to quench your thirst nor fire to warm your bones.
But smoke as black as lace
There is nothing but darkness here, like a cloud of black smoke.
Go down ironsides
Move forward resolutely.
Go down golden ghost
Move ahead confidently.
So long, battle bones
Farewell to those who dared to fight here before.
I've seen it come to only dust
The place has been reduced to ruins and nothingness.
No black only gray
There is a lifeless and dull grayness all around.
We come or come what may
We arrive here no matter what.
Break out of harms way
Get away from danger and destruction.
Pink washed the skies away
The beautiful pastel-colored sky has vanished.
Beaches combing for the ring
People searching for something valuable.
Reaches bones and copper string
Pieces of evidence that remain after everything else has come to ruin.
All that's left from all you bring
What you bring in may be destroyed, but some remains.
Keeps me searching through your things
I continue to look for something valuable amidst the ruins.
Contributed by Gavin O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.