Her solo career began in earnest in 2002, when a demo version of the song "Finally Woken" was played on the LA radio station, KCRW. The track became one of the most listener-requested songs at the station, landing her in their top 5 played artists, and all prior to any record label being attached. As a result, she signed to Dave Matthews' ATO Records label.
Along with electronic producer Guy Sigsworth (Björk, Frou Frou), she wrote the song Nothing Fails, which was later reworked by Madonna and appeared on her 2003 album, American Life.
Jem released the moderately successful EP It All Starts Here in autumn 2003, followed by the debut album Finally Woken in March 2004. The first single They became her most successful single to date, peaking at #6 on UK Singles Charts.
Her second album Down to Earth was released on 16 September 2008, preceded by the single It's Amazing.
Jem's music featured on various movies (Closer, Eragon, Sex and the City, Monster-in-Law, The Prince and Me), trailers (Ultraviolet, Closer), ads (Lexus), and TV series (The OC, Six Feet Under, Gossip Girl, Smallville, 90210).
Aciiid!
Jem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Move to the right
Up, down, round now
Hands to the side
Shake it to the left
Shake it to the right
Let me see you move girl
Dance all night
Stop and stare
Watch you move your body
Girl you dance on air
Do what you want, yeah
My style is flash
If you don't like it you can
Kiss my ass
That's right
Get ready
Aciiid!
Jump to the left
Jump to the right
Up, down, round now
Head to the side
Circle to the left
Circle to the right
Lose your inhibitions girl,
Dance all night
Dance like a pro
Like a millionaire
Rich in your body cause
You dare to dare
We're all unique, yeah
My style if flash
If you don't like it you can
Kiss my ass
That's right
Get ready
A get ready
Aciiid!
The lyrics to Jem's song "Aciiid!" are a celebration of dancing without inhibition and embracing individuality. The song's upbeat tempo and repetitive lyrics encourage movement, as Jem instructs listeners to "move to the left, move to the right, up, down, round now". The song seems to be encouraging listeners to let go of their insecurities and dance freely, without worrying about what others may think. Jem sings that dancers should "lose your inhibitions" and "dance like a pro, like a millionaire", fully embracing the freedom and confidence that comes with moving one's body to music.
Despite the song's title referencing a drug, there is no explicit mention of drugs in the lyrics themselves. Instead, "Aciiid!" seems to be a metaphor for the feeling of freedom and euphoria that comes with dancing and self-expression. The repetition of the chorus, "Aciiid!", creates a sort of chant that feels almost religious in nature, as if Jem is leading her listeners in a dance-fueled worship of individuality and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Move to the left
Shift your body towards the left
Move to the right
Shift your body towards the right
Up, down, round now
Move your body in all directions
Hands to the side
Place your hands on the side of your body
Shake it to the left
Make your body shake towards the left
Shake it to the right
Make your body shake towards the right
Let me see you move girl
Show me your moves, girl
Dance all night
Keep dancing throughout the night
Clock all the men they
All the men notice you
Stop and stare
Stop what they are doing and look at you
Watch you move your body
Observe how your body moves
Girl you dance on air
You seem to be dancing effortlessly
Do what you want, yeah
Do whatever you feel like doing
My style is flash
My style is bold and attention-grabbing
If you don't like it you can
If you don't like my style then you can
Kiss my ass
Show your disagreement by kissing my backside
That's right
Absolutely correct
Get ready
Prepare yourself
Aciiid!
Let's party!
Jump to the left
Jump towards the left
Jump to the right
Jump towards the right
Head to the side
Turn your head to the side
Circle to the left
Make circular movements towards the left
Circle to the right
Make circular movements towards the right
Lose your inhibitions girl,
Don't hold yourself back, girl
Dance like a pro
Dance like a professional
Like a millionaire
In a manner that's rich and lavish
Rich in your body cause
Feeling abundantly wealthy because of your body
You dare to dare
You have the audacity to take risks
We're all unique, yeah
Each of us is special in our own way
A get ready
And prepare yourself
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEM GRIFFITHS, GREG KURSTIN, GREGORY KURSTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind