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 …
I'd Do Anything
John Butler Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know you just say the word I'll be right there,
Yes I'll be right there at your feet
Because you know you rock girl yeah,
And I love how we roll
But I left you all alone,
All we got is the phone and it's never gonna be enough
A million miles away, man, I wish
They'd pad these walls, like an institution, man,
I'm going crazy because when I'm away from you girl, I lose
Myself, you know my train jumps off tracks and all
My pots fall off the shelf.
Oh, I'd do anything, yeah, just to be with you,
Oh, I'd do anything,
Oh just to be with you girl,
Be with you
It's a little girl's birthday and yeah, we are apart
Ain't gonna make a big deal out of it but it breaks my heart
You tell her "Papa loves her" yeah, and it won't be too long,
'Til we're all together again and yes you know we're all singing yes those songs.
I escape into my tv, yeah, I know you understand
Man they call that shit reality,
I'd like to see those fools in Afghanistan.
Living in this cold damn world,
Hell bent on self-destruction,
What I need right now is a little bit of love, a little bit of love and affection.
Oh, I'd do anything
Oh just to be with you,
Oh I'd do anything,
Oh just to be with you, girl
Just to be with you, just to be with you girl, Be with you
Tell me what you want girl, you tell me what you need.
You know you just say the word I'll be right there,
Yes I'll be right there at your feet
The lyrics of John Butler Trio's song I'd Do Anything describe a longing for someone who is far away. The singer wants to be with this person so desperately that they would do anything to make it happen. The first verse shows the singer's willingness to be there for their loved one whenever they need them, praising them for their rockin' nature. However, despite this declaration of devotion, the singer admits to leaving their loved one alone and feeling like the phone isn't enough to bridge the distance between them. The second verse describes how the singer is "living in this dug-out" and going crazy without their loved one. They use TV as a distraction from this pain but ultimately what they need is "a little bit of love and affection."
The chorus repeats the idea that the singer would do anything to be with their loved one, emphasizing the line "just to be with you" and using it as a refrain throughout. The third verse adds a layer of poignancy to the situation, as the singer mentions their absence on their child's birthday and how it breaks their heart. However, they hold onto the hope that they will all be together soon, singing songs and spreading love once again.
Overall, the lyrics of I'd Do Anything capture the pain of being separated from someone you love and the yearning to be reunited with them. The singer's vulnerability and honesty make for a powerful expression of these emotions, and the repeated chorus offers a simple but effective way to drive home the message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me what you want girl, you tell me what you need.
The singer is asking his partner to communicate her desires.
You know you just say the word I'll be right there,
The singer promises to be there for his partner when she needs him.
Yes I'll be right there at your feet
The singer emphasizes his willingness to be at his partner's service.
Because you know you rock girl yeah,
The singer admires and appreciates his partner's qualities.
And I love how we roll
The singer enjoys the dynamic of his relationship with his partner.
But I left you all alone,
The singer expresses regret for leaving his partner behind.
All we got is the phone and it's never gonna be enough
The singer recognizes that physical distance between him and his partner cannot be bridged by phone calls.
Living in this dug-out
The singer feels trapped and isolated.
A million miles away, man, I wish
The singer wishes he could be with his partner.
They'd pad these walls, like an institution, man,
The singer desires more comfort and security in his environment.
I'm going crazy because when I'm away from you girl, I lose
The singer experiences emotional instability when he is apart from his partner.
Myself, you know my train jumps off tracks and all
The singer's thoughts and emotions become disordered without his partner's presence.
My pots fall off the shelf.
The singer experiences physical disorientation without his partner's presence.
Oh, I'd do anything, yeah, just to be with you,
The singer expresses his extreme desire to be reunited with his partner.
It's a little girl's birthday and yeah, we are apart
The singer is unable to be with his daughter on her birthday.
Ain't gonna make a big deal out of it but it breaks my heart
The singer is saddened by his absence from his daughter's birthday, but tries to minimize the impact on his family.
You tell her 'Papa loves her' yeah, and it won't be too long,
The singer assures his partner that he loves their daughter and will be back soon.
'Til we're all together again and yes you know we're all singing yes those songs.
The singer looks forward to the joy of being reunited with his family and sharing music together.
I escape into my tv, yeah, I know you understand
The singer uses television as a form of distraction and escape from his loneliness.
Man they call that shit reality,
The singer criticizes the artificiality of reality TV.
I'd like to see those fools in Afghanistan.
The singer compares his own experiences of separation and loneliness to those of soldiers fighting in Afghanistan.
Living in this cold damn world,
The singer sees the world as harsh and unforgiving.
Hell bent on self-destruction,
The singer sees humanity as being on a path towards self-destruction.
What I need right now is a little bit of love, a little bit of love and affection.
The singer recognizes that he needs love and affection from his partner to cope with his current situation.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN CHARLES WILTSHIRE BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mel Staub
This is their best album in my opinion, the drums and vocals as well as guitar are mixed exceptionally, the lyrics are amazing as well, the emotion displayed on this record is outstanding.
Mitch King
great tune
Joe Brigui
you didn't say "First!!!!!11!!!1!1!1!111!!!!!!". congratulations
WookieLove1
Awesome
Melissa Mear
Damn let someone love me this much. I'm waiting. I've waited all my life.
James Sutton
You'll meet them when you least expect it and then this song will make your soul jump even higher.
Sean Greenwood
Your the best merry Christmas lots of love
woodvibes agent smot
all the feeeeels.