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
You Can't Get What You Want
Joe Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then you'll find it's all been in your mind
Sometimes you think someone is the one and only
Can't you see, it could be you and me?
But if there's any doubt
Then I think I'll leave it out
[Chorus]
You can't get what you want
Till you know what you want
Said you can't get what you want
Till you know what you want
Sometimes you keep busy reaching out for something
You don't care, there's always something there
Sometimes you can't see that all you need is one thing
If it's right, you could sleep at night
But it can take some time
But at least I'm here in line
[Chorus]
Sometimes you can't see that all you need is one thing
If it's right, you could sleep at night
But it can take some time
But at least I'm here in line
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Joe Jackson's song "You Can't Get What You Want" convey a message about the importance of clarity in knowing what one wants in life. The first verse introduces the idea of feeling lost and alone, but realizing that the feeling is only in one's mind. Similarly, the second verse suggests that sometimes one may believe that someone else is the answer to their happiness, but the truth is that it could be anyone, even themselves. However, if one has doubts, it may be better to leave it out.
The chorus reiterates the idea that one cannot get what they want until they know what they want. Sometimes, people may keep themselves busy and reach out for things without knowing what they truly want. This can lead to a sense of dissatisfaction, as there is always something missing. But if one knows what they want and it is the right thing, they can sleep soundly at night. It may take some time to figure out what one wants, but at least they are in line and on the right track.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes you start feelin' so lost and lonely
There are times in life when one feels disconnected and alone
Then you'll find it's all been in your mind
Often, this feeling is a construct of our own negative thinking
Sometimes you think someone is the one and only
There are times we believe someone is our soulmate
Can't you see, it could be you and me?
Implicitly, the relationship might be worth pursuing with right communication
But if there's any doubt
When there's hesitance about someone, either their genuineness or compatibility
Then I think I'll leave it out
It is always prudent to take a step back if something feels unsettling or unsure
Cause I'll tell you one thing
The singer gives advice to the listener
You can't get what you want
One can not obtain the desired outcomes in life
Till you know what you want
Unless one is clear about their aspirations, it is impossible to achieve them
Sometimes you keep busy reaching out for something
At times, people can get carried away and strive for something just to keep themselves engaged
You don't care, there's always something there
The individual might not realize, but this behavior can land them in a vicious cycle that revolves around the quest for the next achievement
Sometimes you can't see that all you need is one thing
At times one is blind to the things that they might need the most
If it's right, you could sleep at night
The right thing can put one's mind at peace, a feeling of contentment
But it can take some time
However, identifying that thing can be a time-consuming process
But at least I'm here in line
It is better to wait patiently for something worth having than trying everything in haste
Cause I'll tell you one thing
The singer gives advice to the listener
You can't get what you want
One can not obtain the desired outcomes in life
Till you know what you want
Unless one is clear about their aspirations, it is impossible to achieve them
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOE JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Choose Carefully
@Matt Loughran Cross could have benefited from one thing: having clips of his live performances shown. He had some stage presence & dynamism that couldn't show up on video.
"Run Like The Wind" had a guitar solo that gets cut off on the studio fade-out for instance that he could extend on stage. He was a big football linesman kind of guy, & even if he never got the women in masses, Rush has shown that you can fill stadiums even when your fan base is 90% or more male.
It could have been done, turning him into a larger success. Quite easily in fact. But like most of the population, record execs are mentally lazy. For instance, the '80s had about a dozen Canadian bands that could easily have had hits on the U.S. charts, but their record labels simply refused to promote them anywhere but Canada.
Even before the internet age, one has to wonder at their thinking. It's the same language, & had they been British or American, would have gotten this. Plus the record company itself benefits from selling more records. Literally nothing was stopping them except some bizarre mindset that made no sense whatever.
There was a song by some group called "Sheriff" that went to #1 after some radio DJ who knew of a group called Frozen Ghost, who wasn't allowed to play their music by his station, found when he searched for any songs they'd recorded earlier. He started playing it on some 'blasts from the past' segment on his new radio station & with no video (as it was recorded before videos were mandatory & the band had already split up) & it went to #1.
That's what record companies & their execs do, shoot themselves in the pocketbook. Gowan, Saga, Chalk Circle & Corey Hart all would have been smashes for at least the '80s (with Corey Hart & Gowan at least having the looks). Darby Phyllis Mills of the Headpins (stupid name) was the next Janis Joplin as was & possibly still is Sass Jordan.
Does anyone think One Person would have refused to buy their CD or go to their concert because they were Canadian? Do the names Joni Mitchell & Neil Young mean nothing to anyone? It's not only in politics, idiots dominate everywhere.
Joe had already built a following before the video age, even if it was just before, & by gaining a good reputation for his live performance. For Cross, it was almost certainly record companies looking at him & deciding not to shell out $ to produce his records without that advance following that I guess he never amassed.
Sad. & yeah, Joe's likely had some work done out of necessity because, well, look at Tears for Fears. They came out with something earlier this year & ALL the comments were about how they looked.
So, yeah, Joe might have been meeting fans who gave him "that look" & possibly decided to do it based on that. Who knows?
Do you really care?
Gynotai
Without question, Joe Jackson is one of the most underrated musicians ever. He is a master at almost every aspect of music. Quite the rarity. This piece is wonderful!
Cara Dickler
his problem was his looks. Came of age in video era
edward brown
@Cara Dickler elton john was a strange looking fella and he seemed to be in the top 10 artists of the 70s and 80s
Choose Carefully
@edward brown It's a strange case where you're both right. Every study of human behavior shows that looks are hugely important to most people. I've listened to females (of varying ages) get outraged at Duran Duran for having Andy Taylor as their guitarist. As if he has a more pleasant face in storage somewhere but chooses the one we see to offend them.
I'm not saying men are necessarily better, but they kind of try to imagine female musicians that they enjoy to be more attractive than they really are. I can't give examples without potentially offending everyone on the planet though. 😬 But check out Dan Ariely's presentations to see some of this & how it affects things in the real world.
Matt Loughran
I've heard Christopher Cross remains bitter about being a talented musician in the MTV era who didn't look the part. Perhaps. Joe Jackson, one of my favorites ever (maybe my favorite ever) was/is a far better musician than Cross was. However, he might have some issues of his own as he has had a lot of plastic surgery and/or botox in recent years. Nevertheless, he was awesome this past June in Atlanta!
Choose Carefully
@Matt Loughran Cross could have benefited from one thing: having clips of his live performances shown. He had some stage presence & dynamism that couldn't show up on video.
"Run Like The Wind" had a guitar solo that gets cut off on the studio fade-out for instance that he could extend on stage. He was a big football linesman kind of guy, & even if he never got the women in masses, Rush has shown that you can fill stadiums even when your fan base is 90% or more male.
It could have been done, turning him into a larger success. Quite easily in fact. But like most of the population, record execs are mentally lazy. For instance, the '80s had about a dozen Canadian bands that could easily have had hits on the U.S. charts, but their record labels simply refused to promote them anywhere but Canada.
Even before the internet age, one has to wonder at their thinking. It's the same language, & had they been British or American, would have gotten this. Plus the record company itself benefits from selling more records. Literally nothing was stopping them except some bizarre mindset that made no sense whatever.
There was a song by some group called "Sheriff" that went to #1 after some radio DJ who knew of a group called Frozen Ghost, who wasn't allowed to play their music by his station, found when he searched for any songs they'd recorded earlier. He started playing it on some 'blasts from the past' segment on his new radio station & with no video (as it was recorded before videos were mandatory & the band had already split up) & it went to #1.
That's what record companies & their execs do, shoot themselves in the pocketbook. Gowan, Saga, Chalk Circle & Corey Hart all would have been smashes for at least the '80s (with Corey Hart & Gowan at least having the looks). Darby Phyllis Mills of the Headpins (stupid name) was the next Janis Joplin as was & possibly still is Sass Jordan.
Does anyone think One Person would have refused to buy their CD or go to their concert because they were Canadian? Do the names Joni Mitchell & Neil Young mean nothing to anyone? It's not only in politics, idiots dominate everywhere.
Joe had already built a following before the video age, even if it was just before, & by gaining a good reputation for his live performance. For Cross, it was almost certainly record companies looking at him & deciding not to shell out $ to produce his records without that advance following that I guess he never amassed.
Sad. & yeah, Joe's likely had some work done out of necessity because, well, look at Tears for Fears. They came out with something earlier this year & ALL the comments were about how they looked.
So, yeah, Joe might have been meeting fans who gave him "that look" & possibly decided to do it based on that. Who knows?
Do you really care?
Manual Ramirez
I remember dancing with my wife at a outdoor event in Waikiki back in the 80's to this classic, man to be that young again.but not to worry we have been living a wonderful life together ❤️
Javonne Hall
Finally an artist who sounds the same live as they do on a studio album. This was amazing to hear.
Wil
Better !
Reggie "PP" Lee
Those were the days...