The new album title April Uprising came from an incredible journey John undertook for the ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ TV series. He traces the Butler name through generations of hardship to a matriarch who sang for her survival and follows his Bulgarian ancestry to a forebear caught up in a violent revolt called the April Uprising.
The recording process for the new album (the first release from the JBT in 3 years) has been shared with avid JBT followers via a special studio sessions page on the band’s website: www.johnbutlertrio.com John Butler describes the first new track, One Way Road; “One Way Road is the combination of pretty much most of my musical influences; dancehall, roots & rock. Some how we found a way to bring all these feels in a way that sounds natural and not too contrived or cerebral. I’m really happy with how we captured the vibe of his song”.
With sold out performances over the past two years, not only on home turf but also worldwide, on the back of their highly acclaimed and 3 x platinum accredited ‘Grand National’ album, the John Butler Trio have reaffirmed their status as one of Australia’s leading artists. ‘APRIL UPRISING’, scheduled for release early in 2010, will unveil a whole new journey for the band.
John Butler comments on the forthcoming new album, “The whole rehearsal and recording process so far has been a lot of fun and very gratifying. I feel the sounds and general spirit and energy of this album are best summed up in the words – free, melodic, funky, phat and rocking. There’s definitely a certain attitude that comes across on the album. Perhaps there’s a conviction, in a song writing and production sense, that I haven’t tapped into so much on earlier works that seems to be more prevalent on April Uprising. There’s chemistry and language that Nicky, Byron and I have found that really compliments these songs in all their different facets”.
Album Discography;
Live at Lollapalooza 2009 iTunes Exclusive
One Small Step (Aus) 2008 / Twist and Shout ( USA) 2007 - solo live
Grand National 2007
Live at St. Gallen 2006
Sunrise Over Sea 2004
Living 2001 – 2002
Three 2000
John Butler 1998
Awards;
ARIA 2007 ; Best Indie, Best Blues and Roots, Best Performance
ARIA 2004; Best Male, Best Indie, Best Blues and Roots.
ARIA 2001; Best Indie
APRA Awards 2005; Song of the Year ‘Zebra’
APRA Awards 2008; Blues and Roots work of the year ‘Good Excuse’
Festivals Played;
Coachella, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, Fuji Rock Festival, Big Day Out, St.Gallen, Belfort, Isle Of Wight, Union Of Soul and many more.
Those who have influenced;
Bob Marley, Martin Luther King Jr, The Meters, Jeff Lang, De LA Soul, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Ainslie Roberts, Black Sabbath, Noam Chomsky, Buck Minster Fuller, Gillian Welch, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Kelly, Beastie Boys, Rage Against The Machine, G Love, Kev Carmody, Allen Watts, Banksy, Salvador Dali,Tracy Chapmen, Blue King Brown, Public Enemy, Jane’s Addiction …
Close To You
John Butler Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got to clear my mind, mind, mind
Out of this mundane god-forsaken 9-5 waste of my time.
I'm gonna tell the boss man
I'm never coming back, back, back
I'm just a one way crazy locomotive jumpin' off of my tracks.
'Cause I'm jacked up, sucked up, cut down,
Thrown around, discarded like a cigarette butt
Yes you know I got to pick myself up out of this rut,
But I want to be close to you, I want to be close to you, you.
I want to be close to you, I want to be close to you.
I don't know why we've never been told
That the life we're living it is made from gold
Work our whole damn lives just to make "it", it's sold
So boy don't worry don't worry don't worry
I got to get away man this moment it won't last, last, last
I got a chained up brumby in my head and it's kicking my ass
I'm roaming like a dog yeah
Looking for my bone, bone, bone
I got to hijack my body just to make it my own, my own, my own, my own
Because I'm jacked up, sucked up, cut down,
Thrown around, discarded like a cigarette butt
I'm just a no good excuse for a man yes you know
I've got to pick myself up out of this rut.
But I want to be close to you, I want to be close to you, you.
I want to be close to you, I want to be close to you, you.
I don't know why we've never been told
That the life we're living it is made from gold
Work our whole damn lives just to make "it", it's sold
So boy don't worry, don't worry, don't worry now
Don't worry.
The first stanza expresses the singer's frustration with his monotonous life. He feels trapped in his 9-5 routine, which seems meaningless and unfulfilling. He wants to break free from this prison and explore life beyond it. He plans to quit his job and embark on a journey of self-discovery. He acknowledges that he is a mess, that his life is in shambles, and that he is nothing but a failure. Despite this realization, he refuses to give up and wants to be close to someone he cherishes, possibly a lover, friend, or family member. He seeks comfort, solace, and support from this person, as he struggles to find himself.
The second stanza deals with the singer's insights on life. He wonders why human beings are fixated on money, success, and material possessions to feel happy and content. He believes that life is precious, and we should not waste it chasing illusions. He recognizes that our lives are made up of precious moments, and we should cherish them instead of selling them for trivial gains. He advises his listeners not to worry about their problems, as life has a knack of sorting things out in the end. The song advocates living life on one's terms and cherishing the people we care about, instead of conforming to society's norms and values.
Line by Line Meaning
I got to get away man,
I need to escape from my current situation.
Got to clear my mind, mind, mind
I need to free myself from the stress and noise in my head.
Out of this mundane god-forsaken 9-5 waste of my time.
I'm tired of the dull, soul-crushing monotony of my job.
I'm gonna tell the boss man
I'm going to quit my job.
I'm never coming back, back, back
I'm leaving for good.
I'm just a one way crazy locomotive jumpin' off of my tracks.
I'm taking a risk and breaking away from my routine.
'Cause I'm jacked up, sucked up, cut down,
I'm exhausted, depleted, and beaten down.
Thrown around, discarded like a cigarette butt
I feel neglected and undervalued.
I'm just a no good excuse for a man.
I feel worthless and incompetent.
Yes you know I got to pick myself up out of this rut,
I need to pull myself out of this negative cycle.
But I want to be close to you, I want to be close to you, you.
I want to be with someone who makes me feel happy and supported.
I don't know why we've never been told
We've never been told this before.
That the life we're living it is made from gold
Our lives are inherently valuable and precious.
Work our whole damn lives just to make "it", it's sold
We spend our lives chasing after something that ultimately doesn't fulfill us.
So boy don't worry don't worry don't worry
Don't stress and don't fret.
I got to get away man this moment it won't last, last, last
This urge to escape won't last forever.
I got a chained up brumby in my head and it's kicking my ass
I'm struggling with internal conflict that's holding me back.
I'm roaming like a dog yeah
I'm wandering aimlessly.
Looking for my bone, bone, bone
I'm searching for something to satisfy my desires.
I got to hijack my body just to make it my own, my own, my own, my own
I need to take control of my life and make my own decisions.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN CHARLES WILTSHIRE BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ghost Australia
What a fuckin gem of a song!
Rachael Nicholas
Love it
Rebecca Sharp
❤❤❤ I love your song
Samuel MacDonald
Fucking fantastic little ear worm