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
Here Come the Drums
Jaya the Cat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You best be resourceful
And me I'm just a dirtball
A righteous criminal
And if your daddy ain't rich
Ya gotta find some way to take it
So I'm out window shopping
With a brick at three in the morning
Cause we're the bad seeds, the unwilling
Crooked saints, straight dub villans
With raised glasses we'll grift your whole system
Man you better listen
Here come the drums
They say if you run to the rocks
The rocks will be melting
And if you run to the sea
The sea will be boiling
And if you ain't born privileged
You still got to survive kid
So you're out window shopping
With a crowbar at three in the morning
Cause we're the bad seeds, fully unwilling to give in
Straight dub villans
With raised glasses we'll grift your whole system
Man you better listen
Here come the drums
In "Here Come the Drums," Jaya the Cat is addressing themes of rebellion and making one's own way in a world that doesn't always reward those who are born without privilege. The lyrics acknowledge that not everyone is born into advantageous circumstances, but instead of wallowing in self-pity, the song urges its listeners to be resourceful and take matters into their own hands. The line "if you ain't born beautiful, you best be resourceful" suggests that beauty alone won't get you far in life, but that hard work and ingenuity can take you places.
The phrase "here come the drums" is repeated throughout the song, acting almost as a call to action or a rallying cry for those who feel like they don't have a voice in society. It suggests that a change is coming, and that those who are willing to take risks and challenge the status quo will be the ones leading the charge.
The song also touches on themes of criminality and rebellion, with lines like "me, I'm just a dirtball, a righteous criminal" and "crooked saints, straight dub villains." While it's not advocating for illegal behavior, the song does suggest that sometimes the only way to get ahead is to skirt the rules a bit and find your own path.
Overall, "Here Come the Drums" is a rallying cry for those who feel like they've been dealt a bad hand in life, encouraging them to be resourceful, take risks, and challenge the system in search of a better tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
They say if you ain't born beautiful
According to some people, if you don't have natural physical beauty, you need to be clever and resourceful to succeed
You best be resourceful
You need to be clever and find ways to get ahead in life
And me I'm just a dirtball
I consider myself to be a lower-class person without any special advantages
A righteous criminal
I may not always follow the law, but I have my own sense of justice and morality
And if your daddy ain't rich
If you weren't born into wealth or privilege
Ya gotta find some way to take it
You need to find a way to improve your own situation and gain advantages
So I'm out window shopping
I'm looking at all the things I can't afford and might want to steal
With a brick at three in the morning
I might resort to violence and theft to get what I want
Cause we're the bad seeds, the unwilling
We are seen as outsiders who don't fit in with society's expectations
Crooked saints, straight dub villains
We may have our own moral code, but we're not above breaking the law to survive or thrive
With raised glasses we'll grift your whole system
We celebrate our own cunning and ability to take what we want from society
Man you better listen
I'm telling you that you need to pay attention and take me seriously
Here come the drums
This is the beginning of something powerful or disruptive, possibly referring to social unrest or rebellion
They say if you run to the rocks
According to some people, there's no safe haven or escape from the problems of the world
The rocks will be melting
Even the most solid and stable things can be destroyed or broken down
And if you run to the sea
Trying to escape into nature or the wilderness won't necessarily solve your problems
The sea will be boiling
Even the natural world is unpredictable and can turn against you
And if you ain't born privileged
If you weren't born into wealth, power, or social status
You still got to survive kid
You still have to find a way to make a living and get by, regardless of your starting point
So you're out window shopping
You may not be able to afford the things you want, but that won't stop you from dreaming or trying to acquire them
With a crowbar at three in the morning
You might resort to less-than-legal means to get what you want, especially if you feel like you have no other options
Contributed by Austin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jamieden9671
Lyrics:
They say if you ain't born beautiful
You best be resourceful
And me I'm just a dirtball
A righteous criminal
And if your daddy ain't rich
Ya gotta find some way to take it
So I'm out window shopping
With a brick at three in the morning
Cause we're the bad seeds, the unwilling
Crooked saints, straight dub villans
With raised glasses we'll grift your whole system
Man you better listen
Here come the drums
They say if you run to the rocks
The rocks will be melting
And if you run to the sea
The sea will be boiling
And if you ain't born privileged
You still got to survive kid
So you're out window shopping
With a crowbar at three in the morning
Cause we're the bad seeds, fully unwilling to give in
Straight dub villans
With raised glasses we'll grift your whole system
Man you better listen
Here come the drums
@noaht3087
It's very possible this is the best song ever written. I can't think of anything I would change about it. Perfect narrative storytelling, precision instrument playing, and so much heart. So much heart. ♥️
@davidcopeland80
Couldn't agree more
@Hoffi22021979
and live they are even better !
@noaht3087
@@Hoffi22021979I can only imagine! I don't know if they ever came to Detroit but if they did... I missed it and don't want to hear about. 🤷♂️
@RustyVaperGameplay
@@Hoffi22021979 the band walks on stage Geoff walks up to the mic and says "My names Geoff and I'm tripping", 20 minute jam session ensues.
@heidihemore7812
This song just makes me wanna incite a ruckus!! All my neighbors must know this tune by ♥️ by now. It's played regularly with lots of volume in my house.
@totallynotdio1311
So earthlings. Basicly, eeemmm end of the world. HERE COME THE DRUMES!!!
@someoneelse4720
Knock knock
@holgergaus9179
Eine der besten Live Bands der Welt. I Love it!
@stanislavbettino4231
One of the everlasing reggae/ska/punk songs of all time. Immortal. On repeat & an absolute favourite! Party favourite! Well done boys - can't wait for that new album -C'mon!!! BOOM!👊