Sturmer and Roger Manning formed Jellyfish after the break-up of their previous band, Beatnik Beatch led by bassist / singer Chris Ketner. Prior to joining, Falkner had written and performed on songs from acclaimed Paisley Underground band The Three O'Clock's major-label debut, Vermillion. Roger had met Falkner a while back even before Beatnik Beatch just looking for someone to jam with and Jason was the only person in the classifieds to mention XTC as a reference. Both found the meeting interesting but it ultimately amounted to nothing. In the search for a guitarist before Jellyfish recorded the final tracks Roger gave Jason a call.
Jellyfish released their debut album Bellybutton in 1990. The album contained the band's biggest hit "Baby's Coming Back" which peaked at No. 62 on Billboards Hot 100 Chart. As well as the singles "That Is Why", "I Wanna Stay Home", "Now She Knows She's Wrong" and "The King Is Half-Undressed" (the video for which was nominated for Best Art Direction at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards).
Frustrated with simply being the guitar player, Jason Falkner left the band after the tour of their debut album. Chris Manning also left the band after the first album but unlike Falkner it was because he just didn't like the touring rock star life style. Andy and Roger recruited Tim Smith and a small handful of studio musicians (including Jon Brion) to fill the void and set forth recording their second album, Spilt Milk, an album far more lush than Bellybutton, incorporating a significant amount of overdubbing and many new instruments.
Increasing creative differences between Sturmer and Manning caused the abrupt end to Jellyfish. Andy Sturmer stayed quiet for a number of years, but has since become legendary for writing catchy pop music|pop songs for Japanese pop phenomenon Puffy Amiyumi and soloist YUKI (formerly front woman and vocalist of the Japanese rock band Judy and Mary). Roger Joseph Manning Jr. immediately joined up with Jellyfish live band member Eric Dover in a project called Imperial Drag; worked with Brian Kehew in a band they called The Moog Cookbook and in 2005 he released in Japan his first solo CD called Solid State Warrior retitled, resequenced with some different songs, and released in the U.S. in 2007 as The Land Of Pure Imagination. He also played keyboards for Beck, participating in several records and also remixed some songs for French duo Air. His brother Chris shows up occasionally as a sound engineer.
After leaving Jellyfish, Jason Falkner joined with other disillusioned pop musicians Jon Brion, Buddy Judge and Dan McCarroll (the latter three best known for their work with Aimee Mann) in a band called The Grays. Falkner has gone on to have a successful solo career. Roger Manning and Jason Falkner have recently reunited (along with ex Redd Kross member Brian Reitzell) in a new-wave inspired band called TV Eyes. Reitzell and Manning also joined forces for composing two tracks for the Lost in Translation soundtrack.
There is an alternate tag for ＪｅｌｌｙＦｉｓｈ, a visual kei band from Indonesia.
ARIA (vocals)
BIO (guitar)
Taku (guitar)
Riyo (keyboards)
IRU (bass)
Tian (drums).
Jellyfish name was adopted from a Japanese band, it means jellyfish, unique animals in the ocean that has different colors but typical. Jelly Fish hopes his music is more colorful and can be enjoyed by listeners of various genres.
In accordance with their young age, Jellyfish presents the work of the independent music and the young at heart. They mix the music becomes more beautiful with lyrics that have a positive message. Jellyfish style performance while wearing a Japanese costume and everything smelled of Japan starting from hairstyles to accessories.
Jellyfish also continue to strive to evolve and better in music for the future, and improve the quality of his best music for the more advanced in the world music scene Indonesia and Universal in the future.
The Man I Used To Be
Jellyfish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wearing a sailor cap and dirty nails
To you I'm just a picture on your mother's mantlepiece
Who chose to fight the good fight in time to fail
Into battle
And in your shadow
Your daddy loves you still
I never thought it'd be so hard to see you grow so fast
And turn into the man I used to be
But I hope you have more sense than I in matters such as these
Medals don't mean shit when a family is lost at sea
I save every moment I've reached out and almost touched you
But they all fade away must be a bad memory
The song "The Man I Used to Be" by Jellyfish is a touching tribute to a father's love for his son. The lyrics depict the singer reflecting on his past as a father and how he failed to balance his duty as a parent and his personal ambition. The lines "I was your daddy once, wearing a sailor cap and dirty nails" suggest that the singer used to be a more present and involved father. However, the phrase "who chose to fight the good fight in time to fail" implies that the singer had to choose between pursuing his dreams and being there for his family, and he chose the former. Now, the singer realizes the gravity of his decision as he watches his son grow up and become the man he used to be.
The lines "But I hope you have more sense than I in matters such as these, medals don't mean shit when a family is lost at sea" convey the message that the singer wants his son to learn from his mistakes and prioritize his family over personal gain. The metaphor "medals don't mean shit" implies that success and recognition in one's career or passion are insignificant compared to familial love and support. The phrase "a family is lost at sea" suggests that neglecting one's family can lead to irreparable damage and loss.
Overall, "The Man I Used to Be" is a poignant and introspective song about a father's regret and admiration for his son. It highlights the importance of balancing personal ambition and familial responsibility, and the everlasting love between a parent and child.
Line by Line Meaning
I was your daddy once
I used to be the father figure in your life
Wearing a sailor cap and dirty nails
I had a rough exterior, and looked like a sailor or a worker
To you I'm just a picture on your mother's mantlepiece
To you, I'm just a memory, a photo on your mother's shelf
Who chose to fight the good fight in time to fail
Despite trying to do the right thing, I failed in some way
Into battle
I faced and fought against some kind of challenge, possibly a personal one
And in your shadow
I was always present in your life, even if you didn't always notice
Your daddy loves you still
I still love you, even if we aren't as close anymore
Yes I do
I want to reiterate how much I love you
I never thought it'd be so hard to see you grow so fast
It's difficult for me to see how much you've grown and changed in what feels like a short amount of time
And turn into the man I used to be
You've become like me in some way, and I have mixed feelings about that
But I hope you have more sense than I in matters such as these
I hope you can learn from my mistakes and make better choices than I did in similar situations
Medals don't mean shit when a family is lost at sea
Some things, like family, are more important than any material possessions or achievements
I save every moment I've reached out and almost touched you
I remember every moment where I almost had a real, close connection with you
But they all fade away must be a bad memory
Unfortunately, those memories have faded and are now painful to remember
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANDY STURMER, ROGER MANNING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Retro Roadshow
Crazy to think this was the opening track on the debut album by an unknown band with relatively little buzz or record-label backing. It's like they emerged from the proverbial womb fully matured and ready to create amazing music. I've had their two albums on repeat for a couple years now and I keep discovering new things - a clever turn of phrase, or an innovative musical structure, or a subtle harmony buried in the background. Just astonishing what they accomplished before they broke up!
Forum
Huxley Dunsany God damn. I wonder what they would create if they had survived longer as a band. If they made this in the very beginning, I doubt they wouldn’t be making music that was absolutely great in a few years.
onezitman
mtv darlings
Fullofpies
The music of this band catapults me back in time to my teenage years. I fucking love them.
Jeff Lamb
Never heard these guys before today. this is the first track ive heard. and its fucking awesome!
RonaldReaganRocks1
Life changing music.
JimmyGarrison'sChin
What a wild track to pick to be the opener of your debut album, eh?
Ric Standing Cloud
Found these guys in a library rack last century. I learned how to play this song on guitar. It was always a hit at parties. Made my BIG native cousin tear up. As Johnny Carson said, "Good stuff".Red Lake StandingCloud says Chee-Migwetch
(Big-Thank You) Jellyfish!
Ven Tarfield
Oh my goodness... The further I look the more I find. These guys are just amazing.
Susan Case
Ven Tarfield seriously this bellybutton album is the soundtrack of all that defined everything I had been thru at 20 as a young alt student/Grinder in biz/Hooked on Love SF music gal on her own in early 90s when I used to see jellyfish live at clubs and they changed my life.