He started off learning to play the violin but soon switched to piano. From the age of 16 he played in bars, and won a scholarship to study musical composition at London's Royal Academy of Music. Jackson did not like the prospect of being a serious composer, and moved towards pop and rock.
His first band was Arms and Legs which collapsed after two unsuccessful singles. He then spent some time in the cabaret circuit to make money to record his own demos.
In 1978 a producer heard his tape, and got him signed to A&M Records. The album Look Sharp! was recorded straight away, and was released in 1979, quickly followed by I'm the Man and Beat Crazy in 1980. He also collaborated with Lincoln Thompson in reggae crossover.
The Joe Jackson Band was very successful and toured extensively. After the breakup of the band, Joe took a break and recorded an album of old-style swing and blues tunes, Jumpin' Jive, featuring songs of Cab Calloway, Lester Young, Glenn Miller, and most prominently, Louis Jordan. He went on to record Night and Day, an album that paid tribute to the wit and style of Cole Porter (and less directly, to New York City) and was his last album to hit the Top 10, peaking at #4.
He recorded another record that was heavily influenced by jazz, pop and jazz standards, and salsa, Body and Soul, which hit #20, containing the hit You Can't Get What You Want ('Til You Know What You Want).
Jackson followed with Big World, a three-sided double record (the fourth side consisted of a single centring groove and a label stating "there is no music on this side"). The instrumental Will Power set the stage for things to come later, but before he left pop behind he put out two more cerebral and celebratory albums, Blaze of Glory and Laughter and Lust. For some years he drifted away from the pop style, going on to be signed by Sony Classical in 1997, which released his Symphony No. 1 in 1999 for which he received a Grammy award.
Night and Day II in 2000 lacked strong pop hooks though, as usual with Jackson, displayed fine lyrics and some elegant songwriting. Volume 4 in 2003 reunited the original band and was well received. A promotional CD, bundled with the initial release, of the 'live' band playing some of Jackson's strongest material was widely admired.
Jackson is also an author, having written A Cure for Gravity, published in 1999, which Jackson has described as a "book about music, thinly disguised as a memoir". It traces his early musical life from childhood until his 24th birthday. Life as a pop star, he suggested, was hardly worth writing about.
In 2004 Jackson performed a cover of Common People with William Shatner for Shatner's album Has Been.
He has actively campaigned against smoking bans in both the USA and the UK, writing a 2005 pamphlet The Smoking Issue and issuing a satirical song (In 20-0-3) on the subject.
In 2008 the album Rain was released by Joe Jackson. Like its predecessor Volume 4, it featured members of the 'Joe Jackson Band', this time minus guitarist Gary Sanford.
Currently he lives in Kreuzberg, Germany.
Discography:
1979 - Look Sharp!
1979 - I'm The Man
1980 - Beat Crazy
1981 - Jumpin' Jive
1982 - Night and Day
1983 - Mike’s Murder, (Soundtrack)
1984 - Body and Soul
1986 - Big World
1987 - Will Power
1988 - Live 1980/86
1988 - Tucker, (Soundtrack)
1989 - Blaze of Glory
1991 - Laughter & Lust
1994 - Night Music
1997 - Heaven and Hell
1999 - Symphony No. 1
2000 - Summer in the City: Live in New York
2000 - Night and Day II
2002 - Two Rainy Nights, (Live)
2004 - Volume 4
2004 - Afterlife, (Live)
2008 - Rain
2011 - Live Music, (Live)
2012 - The Duke
Chrome
Joe Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The breath of air, the heap of fun
You always had a kind of light
That might dismay, or might delight
I thought about tall along
I used to doubt you
Guess I was wrong
Now you shine like chrome
You're a star and bold like chrome
And from Tokyo to Rome
We're all aware of you
Now you shine like chrome
Your so hard and cold like chrome
And I'd like to take you home
But I'm scared of you
It's nice to see you looking well
I know your age but I won't tell
You always had a kind of glow
You're luminous
But I guess you know
I see it clearly
You're gonna shine
I never really thought you'd be mine
Now you shine like chrome
You're a star and bold like chrome
And from Tokyo to Rome
We're all aware of you
Now you shine like chrome
Your so hard and cold like chrome
And I'd like to take you home
But I'm scared of you
In the first verse of Joe Jackson's "Chrome," the singer is describing a person who has always been unique and memorable. This individual possesses a quality, which could either cause concern or bring joy to the people who know them. The singer admits to having doubts about this person in the past but now recognizes that they were wrong. The second verse of the song is an acknowledgment of how well this person looks and their ability to shine. The singer notes their radiance and compares them to a star. Even though it is clear this person is now successful and important, the singer feels intimidated by them.
The chorus of "Chrome" repeats the phrase "now you shine like chrome" emphasizing the person's star-like quality. This person is hard and cold, like steel or chrome hence the metaphor stronger. The singer wants to take this individual home but is scared of them. The song, on the whole, describes a person who has risen to fame but still possesses an intimidating aura, which contributes to their success.
Line by Line Meaning
You always were the special one
You were always unique and stood out from the rest
The breath of air, the heap of fun
You brought joy and laughter wherever you went
You always had a kind of light
You had a radiance that could either inspire or intimidate
That might dismay, or might delight
Your presence could either make someone uncomfortable or ecstatic
I thought about tall along
I've always thought about you from a distance
I used to doubt you
I had reservations about you
Guess I was wrong
I realize now that my doubts were unfounded
Now you shine like chrome
You now stand out like polished metal/stars
You're a star and bold like chrome
You are conspicuous and confident like chrome
And from Tokyo to Rome
Your fame has spread across the world
We're all aware of you
Everyone knows who you are
Your so hard and cold like chrome
You now seem inaccessible and unfeeling
And I'd like to take you home
I would like to have you close to me
But I'm scared of you
But I am afraid of what you've become
It's nice to see you looking well
You look healthy and happy
I know your age but I won't tell
Even though I know how old you are, I won't bring it up
You always had a kind of glow
You've always had an inner beauty that lightens up the room
You're luminous
You emit light and shine brightly
But I guess you know
I presume you are aware of your own radiance and beauty
I see it clearly
I can now clearly see your potential and brightness
You're gonna shine
You will continue to excel and do great things
I never really thought you'd be mine
I never truly believed we would be together
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind