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
Cosmopolitan
Joe Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why remember when it wasn't this way
See my home, see my car
And the beach always used to seem so far
[Chorus]
And no one touches me
Unless it's the way I want it to be
I'm cosmopolitan
And I don't look back
I'm alright, sleep at night
Used to lie awake listening to cats fight
See my hair, see my shoes
And I used to be scared of the dark too
[Chorus]
Cosmopolitan
[Chorus]
The song "Cosmopolitan" by Joe Jackson is a commentary on the culture of consumerism, the influence of the media in shaping our identities, and the idea of "keeping up with the Joneses." The opening lyrics "I'm okay, you're okay, why remember when it wasn't this way" suggest a complacency with the status quo, a disregard for any past struggles or hardships. The following line "see my home, see my car, and the beach always used to seem so far" highlights the superficiality of material possessions and how they can be used to convey a facade of success and happiness.
The chorus lyrics "And no one touches me unless it's the way I want it to be, I know I read the right magazines, I'm cosmopolitan and I don't look back" further emphasize the idea of being in control and having agency over one's own life. However, this is juxtaposed with the idea of being influenced by externally curated forms of media such as magazines, which can create a narrow and superficial view of the world.
Overall, the song critiques the idea of the "cosmopolitan" lifestyle as being one devoid of authentic human connection and reliant on materialistic displays of wealth and success.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm okay, you're okay
I am content with myself and do not seek to judge or compete with others.
Why remember when it wasn't this way
Reflecting on the past when times were difficult or non-gratifying is a waste.
See my home, see my car
Viewing material possessions as a means to feeling accomplished and secure.
And the beach always used to seem so far
In the past, simple pleasures and enjoyment seemed out of reach and unattainable.
And no one touches me
Having control over one's physical and emotional boundaries in interpersonal relationships.
Unless it's the way I want it to be
Only allowing intimacy or socialization with others based on personal preference and comfort level.
I know I read the right magazines
Being informed and knowledgeable about current trends and pop culture, cultivating a sense of sophistication.
I'm cosmopolitan
Exuding a sense of global sensibility and familiarity with various cultures and lifestyles.
And I don't look back
Being forward-thinking and embracing of new experiences and opportunities, as opposed to dwelling in the past.
I'm alright, sleep at night
Living a life of peace and mental clarity, allowing for restful and rejuvenating sleep.
Used to lie awake listening to cats fight
Recalling a time of anxiety and restlessness that has since been overcome.
See my hair, see my shoes
Taking pride in one's appearance and style, viewing fashion as a means of self-expression.
And I used to be scared of the dark too
Acknowledging a prior fear or weakness and accepting personal growth and development.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind