Founded through a mutual love of 60’s and 70’s dub and punk by three friends namely Geoff Lagadec - (vocals / guitar) ; Dave Smith - (guitar / vocals) and Ben Murphy - (bass).
Jaya The Cat create songs ranging from booze fueled anthems to chilled out dance tracks to outright political commentary.
With a current line up including Jordi ‘Pockets’ Nieuwenburg on guitar, Jeroen Kok on bass, and Onverwagt on keyboards.
Following the 2001 release of their debut album Basement Style ( Gold Circle Records ), Jaya The Cat were joined by ex-Shadows Fall drummer David ‘The Germ’ Germain and began a steady touring schedule of stages across the United States and Europe, playing major clubs and festivals such as Lowlands in Holland, Pukkelpop in Belgium, and the Warped Tour in the US. Their music has also been featured in numerous skate, surf and snowboard videos.
Summer 2003 saw their sophomore release, First Beer of a New Day ‘’ (4tune Records).
Although both albums met with positive critical success and they had gathered a loyal worldwide following, personal differences saw the departure of Smith and Murphy that fall, which effectively left the band in limbo. After a freezing music-less winter working shitty jobs in Boston, Lagadec and Germain met up and decided to look for new members. Temporarily joined for a spring European tour by dutch musicians Jan Jaap Onverwagt (Green Lizard) and Alejandro Londoño, they took a 3 month sublet on an apartment in Amsterdam with the plan of regrouping and figuring out what the hell to do with themselves. Three months turned into three years.
In the interim, the band has continued to grow, playing hundreds of live shows to an ever expanding audience, as well as adding keyboards, samples, percussion and a tiki bar to their onstage act. An average Jaya the Cat concert usually becomes more of a party than a performance, with the audience singing, dancing and drinking right along with the band.
September 7th 2007, saw the European release of their third studio album entitled More Late Night Transmissions with... on I Scream Records. Drawing on their experiences, More Late Night Transmissions with... delivers 13 tracks filled with seedy bars, cheap hotels, dysfunctional love affairs and political disillusionment. Punk rock, reggae, ska and pop, glued in their own unique style.
More Late Night Transmissions with... was released on the 10th of May in the US by I Scream Records USA.
Discography:
* CD ‘Basement Style’ (Gold Circle Records 2000)
* CD ‘First ‘Beer Of A New Day’ (4Tune Records 2002)
* CD/LP ‘Ernesto’s Burning’ (Music Machine Records 2004)
* CD More Late Night Transmissions with... (I Scream Records 2007)
* CD Single ‘Closing Time’ (I Scream Records 2007)
* CD Single 'Good Morning' (I Scream Records 2008)
* CD More Late Night Transmissions with... (I Scream Records 2009)
Web links:
Jaya The Cat Official Site
Facebook Fan Page
Myspace page
Purevolume
Borrowed Time
Jaya the Cat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An American passport, Portorican rum
And your just running from a war no one ever won
Your shoes are worn and your money, is gone
And you, don't even know what's going on
It's hard to say how long you've been gone
And your, skin is peeling in the sun
And you're never going back
Well the, weed is brown and so are the girls
You always feel like you were lost in this world
Until you step off that plane into the trade winds
Turn your back on a world of confusion
And you, feel like you're running on borrowed time
Victim of a victimless crime
And they say, God helps those who help themselves
But he forgot about you, so you had to work it out for yourself
Alright
And you, feel like you're running on borrowed time
Victim of a victimless crime
And they say, God helps those who help themselves
But he forgot about you, so you had to work it out for yourself
The song "Borrowed Time" by Jaya The Cat describes the journey of a person who is trying to escape from a war that nobody ever won. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is tired, has worn-out shoes, and has no money left. They feel lost in the world until they arrive at a place with palm trees and Portorican rum. There is a sense of relief as they step off the plane into the trade winds, leaving the confusion of the world behind them. However, there is also a feeling of being lost and running out of time.
The lyrics suggest that this person is a victim of a victimless crime. They are running on borrowed time and are struggling to find their place in the world. The chorus repeats the idea that God helps those who help themselves, but in this case, the person feels forgotten by God and has to work things out for themselves.
The song is a poignant commentary on the struggles of people who have been displaced by war or other conflicts. It is a reminder that for some, life can be a constant battle, and that despite the challenges, they must keep moving forward. The song is ultimately about hope and resilience, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, we can find a way through.
Line by Line Meaning
Palm trees in the burning sun
The setting of the song is in a tropical place where palm trees stand under the scorching heat of the sun.
An American passport, Portorican rum
The main character possess an American passport and has been consuming rum from Puerto Rico.
And your just running from a war no one ever won
The person is trying to escape a conflict that no one was victorious in.
Your shoes are worn and your money, is gone
The subject is practically penniless and so are his shoes.
And you, don't even know what's going on
The artist is unaware of his current situation.
It's hard to say how long you've been gone
It's uncertain how much time has elapsed since the person departed from his home country.
And your, skin is peeling in the sun
The detrimental effects of staying in the sun for extended periods can be seen on the skin of the character.
And you're never going back
The character accepts that he cannot go back to his previous life.
Ooh you're never going back
The statement is reiterated to accentuate its significance.
Well the, weed is brown and so are the girls
The color brown dominates the landscape of the place referenced in the song, from drug to people
You always feel like you were lost in this world
The person has always felt out of place.
Until you step off that plane into the trade winds
Once the airplane touched down, the warm winds encircled the character which had a calming effect.
Turn your back on a world of confusion
Leaving chaos behind was a conscious decision made by the main party.
And you, feel like you're running on borrowed time
The character believes they are on limited time and has to make the most of their remaining days.
Victim of a victimless crime
Even though the person was not directly involved in any wrongdoing; their precarious situation is a result of a chaotic society.
And they say, God helps those who help themselves
The maxim 'God helps those who can help themselves' is mentioned.
But he forgot about you, so you had to work it out for yourself
The main party believes that they have been forgotten by the divine power, and must solve their problems unaccompanied.
Alright
This exclamation denotes that the situation is accepted as it is.
And you, feel like you're running on borrowed time
The statement is reiterated to exhibit its importance.
Victim of a victimless crime
The second repetition accentuates that the character is not guilty but a victim none the less.
And they say, God helps those who help themselves
The third repetition brings attention to the quote again.
But he forgot about you, so you had to work it out for yourself
This part is said again a final time to portray the unshakable fact that the person has no choice but to fix their issues on their own.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind