Moving to New York City to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, he was mentored by and recorded with both the legendary drummer Chico Hamilton and the pianist Junior Mance. There he also met his first ensemble that would form the studio and international touring band for his 2008 debut album “The Dreamer” (Jan 2008, Brownswood).
A chance meeting in London with international tastemaker and DJ Gilles Peterson led to a record deal on Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label. Drawing upon diverse influences such as Freestyle Fellowship and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, “The Dreamer” was an international critical success, with José performing at venues such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, Billboard Live Tokyo, The Hermitage Museum, and Central Park Summerstage. “The Dreamer” was voted #21 Critic’s Pick of JazzTimes Top 50 Jazz Albums of 2008.
His sophomore release “BLACKMAGIC” (Feb 2010, Brownswood) explored the worldwide underground, featuring production from Flying Lotus, Moodymann, Taylor McFerrin, and DJ Mitsu the Beats. “BLACKMAGIC” also featured James’s live band in new territory, covering dubstep pioneer Benga’s “Emotions” and exploring a soul/hip-hop version of the R&B classic “Save Your Love For Me.” “BLACKMAGIC” toured in over 30 countries, at venues such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, Ancienne Belgique, Melkweg, and Lincoln Center. “Love Conversation” (produced by Taylor McFerrin), “Save Your Love for Me,” and “Desire” (from The Dreamer) were featured in Fox Searchlight Pictures 2010 “Our Family Wedding” starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, and Lance Gross.
Signing to Verve/Universal in 2010, James’s third studio album “For All We Know” (May 2010, Impulse!) was released on the legendary “Impulse!” label, home to many of John Coltrane’s masterworks. Largely recorded in a single day at the famed Galaxy Studios in Belguim, “For All We Know” is a deep and timeless duo album of jazz standards featuring Jef Neve on piano.
Winner of both the Edison Award and L’Académie du Jazz Grand Prix for best Vocal Jazz Album of 2010, “For All We Know” was James’s most intimate project to date, with performances in premiere concert halls such as L’Olympia, Royal Festival Hall, and De Roma, as well venues such as the Umbria Jazz Festival, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola and Cotton Club Tokyo.
The collaboration between James and Jef Neve continued with an ambitious ongoing live project “Facing East: The Music of John Coltrane.” Conceived and directed by James “Facing East” made its worldwide debut at Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, and continued on to venues such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, New Morning, and Ronnie Scott’s.
As a featured guest José has recorded albums with Junior Mance, Chico Hamilton, Nicola Conte, Bassment Jaxx, Jazzanova, Toshio Matsuura, J.A.M., DJ Mitsu the Beats, Timo Lassy, Taylor McFerrin, and Flying Lotus.
Recent projects include guest performances with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s “A Tribute to Billy Strayhorn” at Rose Theater, as well as touring internationally with McCoy Tyner’s “The Music of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.”
He was recently voted 2011 DownBeat Critics Poll “Rising Star Best Male Vocalist” and is currently working on his fourth studio album “No Beginning, No End.”
http://josejamesmusic.com/
Lay You Down
José James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up
Girl the way you move your body
Fills my heart beyond compare
When you tell me that you love me
Baby I'm gon' take you there
Higher higher by the day
To the place where I am roaming
Feel your body as it sways
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Now's the time for us to realize
Life don't give love but one chance to grow
Now's the time for you to touch my face
With your fingers, never let me go
In the quiet of this special place
In this moment in this space and time
Ain't a competition anyways
Baby you're my funny valentine
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lick your lips and come and taste mine
See my body in the candle glow
Moving closer take me inside
Day to day it's on the radio
Know I love to make my girl smile
Know I love it when you look at me
Know I want to make your world mine
Know tonight is just the first scene
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you up and
Lay you down and lift you lift you up and
Lay you down
Jose James's song "Lay You Down" is a sensual and romantic tune about a man expressing his love for his partner. The song begins with the chorus, which repeats the phrase "Lay you down and lift you up" multiple times, creating a hypnotic and rhythmic melody. The lyrics paint a picture of a couple deeply in love, with the man admiring the way his partner moves her body and feeling his heart filled with love when she tells him she loves him. The chorus represents the physical and emotional connection between the two, with the man wanting to "lay her down" and "lift her up" in every way possible to express his love and desire for her.
The verses delve deeper into the emotions and thoughts of the man, highlighting the idea that the time for love is now and that they should not waste it. He wants his partner to touch his face and never let him go, emphasizing the importance of their relationship and the desire to stay together. The lyrics also mention that there is no competition, brushing aside any negativity or outside pressures on their relationship. The song builds up to the final verse, where the man wants to taste his partner's lips and bring her closer to him, creating a passionate and intimate moment.
Overall, "Lay You Down" is a beautiful and romantic song that highlights the connection and love between two people, both physically and emotionally.
Line by Line Meaning
Lay you down and lift you up and
Repeating this action portrays a cycle of intimacy and emotional connection the singer shares with their lover
Girl the way you move your body
The singer admires their lover's physical beauty and is attracted to them
Fills my heart beyond compare
The singer is overwhelmed with positive emotions when they see their lover's movements
When you tell me that you love me
The singer feels even more connected to their lover when they express love verbally
Baby I'm gon' take you there
The singer promises to take their lover to a special place where they can both connect intimately
To the place where love is growing
The singer imagines a location where their love can blossom and grow stronger
Higher higher by the day
The love between the two is getting stronger each passing day
To the place where I am roaming
The singer wishes to be with their lover at all times
Feel your body as it sways
The singer savors the physical sensation of their lover's body as it moves in rhythm
Now's the time for us to realize
The singer urges their lover to understand the importance of seizing the moment and living in the present
Life don't give love but one chance to grow
The singer believes love is a precious thing that should be cherished and nurtured
Now's the time for you to touch my face
The singer wants their lover to be with them fully in each moment, both physically and emotionally
With your fingers, never let me go
The singer hopes their lover will hold on to them and stay with them in their journey through life
In the quiet of this special place
The singer imagines a peaceful location where they can be alone with their lover
In this moment in this space and time
The singer emphasizes their focus on the present moment where they are together
Ain't a competition anyways
The singer is not interested in comparing their love to anyone else's and is content with their relationship as it is
Baby you're my funny valentine
The singer thinks of their lover as special and unique
Lick your lips and come and taste mine
The singer invites their lover to engage in a physical act of intimacy
See my body in the candle glow
The singer sets a romantic atmosphere with an intimate setting
Moving closer take me inside
The singer urges their lover to close the distance between them and fully immerse themselves in their relationship
Day to day it's on the radio
The singer associates their love with a constant presence in their daily lives, like a recurring song on the radio
Know I love to make my girl smile
The singer finds pleasure in making their lover happy
Know I love it when you look at me
The singer enjoys the feeling of being admired by their lover
Know I want to make your world mine
The singer wishes to take an active role in their lover's life and to make them a part of their own
Know tonight is just the first scene
The singer is confident that there are many more special moments to come in their relationship
Writer(s): Jose James
Contributed by Evan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yumyumtravel-5591
Seoul city in da house, this song is too 🔥🔥
@paultysall790
This guy has such s unique sound
I've only discovered him in past six months but he's s HUGE talent
@drina94124
I saw him in concert a few yrs in Oakland. Sooo talented!
@DavinciSP94
Love...LOVE... LOOOOVE
@SuperT713
Dope! Jazzy & Smooth...
@avuzwantshongwana4990
lay you down & pick you up Yeah🙌😍
@mariaruvalcaba5473
wooooooooooooo!
@maariane19
amo esse som
@megpolo2817
killer!!
@ebonyeyez404
Good neosoul