In June this year, John Butler proudly announced the new line up of the eve… Read Full Bio ↴In June this year, John Butler proudly announced the new line up of the ever evolving John Butler Trio. Prominent Melbourne musician Nicky Bomba (drums and percussion) of ‘Bomba’ fame and principal drummer on ‘Sunrise Over Sea’ joined the band and bass player Byron Luiters from Sydney outfit Ray Mann Three completed the new line up. Having spent the past few months bunkered down in his Fremantle studio with his new band mates putting down tracks for their forthcoming fifth studio album entitled ‘APRIL UPRISING’, John Butler is pleased to announce fans will get their long awaited live JBT hit when the band perform throughout the world early in 2010.

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 …

Valley
John Butler Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So have you been to the valley lately?
Have you noticed that the shepherd is gone?
So walk gently lady
As you walk along
'Cause I once fought for his forces
But that cross bears nothing now
I've seen all but your Crusades succeed
And it's growing sour

Gonna be a long time waitin
Things are always looking little better when you're on the back
Side of them

And then you know all that you think you might need to know
But even then, my little wing, you'll have to grow
You'll have to grow

So have you been to your God lately?
No Jesus Christ, he ain't nowhere to be seen
He is not there matey
He has never been

So have you been to your church lately
No cannot find the key to your home

There is no support for you now my friend
They got problems of their own

Overall Meaning

In the opening lines of John Butler Trio's song "Valley," the singer poses a question: "Have you been to the valley lately?" This line immediately sets the tone for what is to come-- a sense of foreboding that tells us we are not in a happy place. To compound the eerie atmosphere, the singer notes that "the shepherd is gone," a phrase that carries biblical connotations-- Jesus Christ is often referred to as "the good shepherd." He implores the listener to "walk gently" as they move through this valley, because things are not as they seem here.

The second verse of the song continues to evoke a sense of displacement and disorientation. The singer describes how he "once fought for [the shepherd's] forces," but that now "that cross bears nothing." The implication is that the singer is no longer connected to his faith in the way that he used to be. The song takes on a somewhat political tone in the following lines, as the singer notes that he has "seen all but your Crusades succeed." This line could refer to a variety of conflicts, from religious wars to more general struggles for power and control.

Line by Line Meaning

So have you been to the valley lately?
Have you been in a difficult and trying situation recently?

Have you noticed that the shepherd is gone?
Have you realized that the one who is supposed to guide and protect is absent?

So walk gently lady As you walk along
Be careful and considerate as you navigate through this challenging time

'Cause I once fought for his forces But that cross bears nothing now
I used to believe in and support the cause, but now it holds no value to me

I've seen all but your Crusades succeed And it's growing sour
I have observed all of your attempts to achieve success but they have left a bitter taste

Gonna be a long time waitin Things are always looking little better when you're on the back Side of them
Waiting for things to improve will take a while and it always seems easier when you're not dealing with them directly

And then you know all that you think you might need to know But even then, my little wing, you'll have to grow You'll have to grow
Even when you think you have learned all you need to, you still have room to grow and learn more

So have you been to your God lately? No Jesus Christ, he ain't nowhere to be seen He is not there matey He has never been
Have you recently searched for comfort or guidance from a higher power? There's no sign of Jesus or any divine help

So have you been to your church lately No cannot find the key to your home There is no support for you now my friend They got problems of their own
Have you sought help from your community or religious group? They are not available to aid you at this moment, as they have their own issues to deal with

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN CHARLES WILTSHIRE BUTLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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