On his second album, Build Me This, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed The Sun is Always Brighter, produced by industry veteran Shannon Edgar, James expands his musical palette to foreboding doom-laden hard rock. Progressing from folkish harmonies, to country twang, world beats and southern home rock while further exploring themes of spiritual searching and heartbreaking loss. Possessing a whispery and intimate vocal style that works its way into the ear peacefully and directly, Joshua James is pitched midway between seminal influences like Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
“I find solace and beauty in darkness and depression,” admits James, who grew up in his native Lincoln, Nebraska, skateboarding and sneaking listens to music his parents banned, like classic rockers Jim Morrison and The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd, “But there are contrasts to everything. You have to combine the sweet and salty, the ugly and beautiful. Music is very therapeutic for me. It’s all about making a connection with humanity, with the audience, in ways that I normally wouldn’t be able to.”
Over the past three years, James has been doing just that. His debut was the #1 Folk Album on iTunes, and “FM Radio,” a song about a childhood friend coping with the death of his father, amassed more than 150,000 downloads as part of an iTunes promotion. In addition to performances at Sundance, SXSW and CMJ, James has toured with John Mayer, David Gray and Ani DiFranco, winning legions of fans along the way. His new album, Build Me This, has already attracted major–label interest. “I feel strongly about the things I sing about,” nods Joshua. “I want people to know how I feel, which sounds kind of dumb, because who cares how I feel? If someone feels similarly, though, that’s what I’m looking for. That’s the most important thing. If
you can relate to what I’m going through, then I’ve achieved my goal.”
The album title, Build Me This, refers to his dream of salvation. “It’s my way of asking God to show himself,” declares James. “To prove he exists. Do something. Give me a sign. It’s a call to whatever or whoever is out there. I don’t want him to strike me down or paralyze me, just give me something to believe.”
Aside from the spiritual, Build Me This is also about the difficulties of everyday relationships, the inadvertent hurt we cause to those we love. “Magazine” deals with the pain of separation (“Go take your bags to New York City, call me when your plane arrives/I’ll feed the children, wash the dishes, I’ll keep the house lookin’ nice/Well don’t you worry, everything’s gonna be all right.”), while “In the Middle” laments a shattered romance (“You’ve tried so hard to forget me/You burnt the letters I’d made/Though my memory has been dyin’/I hope the feeling still remains”).
On the stage, though, is where Joshua James’ music comes alive and reveals its true intent, which is about drawing people into his insular universe, a sense of mystic that only the truly great ones can communicate.
“Perhaps the darkness comes out a little more often that I’d like,” he offers “but that’s just where I gravitate to when I’m writing. I don’t usually try to tackle specific subjects; it’s usually about what I’m feeling at the time. Things start to come out, then they form a story and a reason, and that’s how things evolve. I’m influenced by everything… by life, by love, by hate, by music.”
Daniel
Joshua James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on down, the winds are getting cold
They found your brother naked, alone crying out in the storm
Screaming God, God, my God, God, I'm coming home
Tell my mother I'm buried down in the sand
Tell my father I made it to the Promised Land
Tell my brother Danny to forgive me if he can
So you, so you say you never wanted war
So you, so you say that's what love is for
So you, so you say you never wanted war
What the, Lord what the hell is all our fighting for?
Fighting for, fighting for
Well, come on down from that tree, little Daniel
Just come on down, the winds are getting cold
They found your brother naked, alone crying out in the storm
Screaming God, God, my God, God, I'm coming home
So you, so you say you never wanted war
So you, so you say that's what love is for
So you, so you say you never wanted war
What the, Lord what the hell is all our fighting for?
Fighting for, fighting for
Joshua James's song "Daniel" is a powerful and thought-provoking commentary on the senselessness of war, and the lasting impact it has on families and communities. The song opens with a plea to Daniel, who is up in a tree, to come down as the winds are getting cold. It is not clear whether Daniel is a real person or a symbolic representation for the horrors of war. This ambiguity adds to the song's power and allows for multiple interpretations.
The second verse refers to Daniel's brother, who was found naked and alone crying out during a storm, screaming for God. This image is suggestive of the profound mental and emotional trauma that war inflicts on those who fight it, and on their families. The chorus repeats the refrain, "So you say you never wanted war, what the hell is all our fighting for?", which is a rhetorical question that underscores the futility of militancy and violence as a means of solving conflicts. The song's final plea to Daniel to come down from the tree is a metaphor for the need for humanity to come together and seek peace and understanding.
Overall, "Daniel" is a hauntingly beautiful song that tackles a difficult subject with raw emotion and honesty. It is a call to action and a reminder of the terrible cost of war.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on down from that tree, little Daniel
Encouragement for Daniel to come down from the tree, possibly representing his isolation or separation from others.
Come on down, the winds are getting cold
Further encouragement for Daniel to come down from the tree due to the worsening weather conditions.
They found your brother naked, alone crying out in the storm
Someone close to Daniel, likely his brother, is in distress and vulnerable.
Screaming God, God, my God, God, I'm coming home
The distressed person is calling out to a higher power, possibly indicating a feeling of hopelessness or impending death.
Tell my mother I'm buried down in the sand
A final message to be conveyed to Daniel's mother, indicating that he has died and been buried in a specific location.
Tell my father I made it to the Promised Land
A final message to be conveyed to Daniel's father, indicating that he has achieved some kind of success or goal.
Tell my brother Danny to forgive me if he can
A final message to be conveyed to Daniel's brother, potentially indicating that Daniel feels guilty for something he has done or said.
For claiming war, war, war, that war makes you a man
Explanation for Daniel's potential guilt, stating that he had previously acted or spoken in a way that glorified war or violence.
So you, so you say you never wanted war
Questioning whether someone else has claimed to not want war or violence.
So you, so you say that's what love is for
Questioning whether someone else has claimed that love or compassion can prevent war or violence.
What the, Lord what the hell is all our fighting for?
Expressing frustration and confusion over the motivations behind conflict and violence.
Fighting for, fighting for
Repeating the idea of fighting, potentially referencing the cycles of violence that occur.
Contributed by Gavin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alice Goatfish
LYRICS:
Come on down from that tree, little Daniel
Come on down, the winds are getting cold
They found your brother naked, alone crying out in the storm
Screaming God, God, my God, God, I'm coming home
Tell my mother I'm buried down in the sand
Tell my father I made it to the Promised Land
Tell my brother Danny to forgive me if he can
For claiming war, war, war, that war makes you a man
So you, so you say you never wanted war
So you, so you say that's what love is for
So you, so you say you never wanted war
What the, Lord what the hell is all our fighting for?
Fighting for, fighting for
Well, come on down from that tree, little Daniel
Just come on down, the winds are getting cold
They found your brother naked, alone crying out in the storm
Screaming God, God, my God, God, I'm coming home
So you, so you say you never wanted war
So you, so you say that's what love is for
So you, so you say you never wanted war
What the, Lord what the hell is all our fighting for?
Fighting for, fighting for
Kayla Anderson
I get so frozen every time I hear this song... chills rush down my spine and creep along my skin. It's such an amazing song. He has such a way with words combined with an exquisite voice.
Alice Goatfish
LYRICS:
Come on down from that tree, little Daniel
Come on down, the winds are getting cold
They found your brother naked, alone crying out in the storm
Screaming God, God, my God, God, I'm coming home
Tell my mother I'm buried down in the sand
Tell my father I made it to the Promised Land
Tell my brother Danny to forgive me if he can
For claiming war, war, war, that war makes you a man
So you, so you say you never wanted war
So you, so you say that's what love is for
So you, so you say you never wanted war
What the, Lord what the hell is all our fighting for?
Fighting for, fighting for
Well, come on down from that tree, little Daniel
Just come on down, the winds are getting cold
They found your brother naked, alone crying out in the storm
Screaming God, God, my God, God, I'm coming home
So you, so you say you never wanted war
So you, so you say that's what love is for
So you, so you say you never wanted war
What the, Lord what the hell is all our fighting for?
Fighting for, fighting for
JC
omg I'm in love. This is the first time I've heard anything by Joshua James. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this song.
Kanze
1)Daniel 2)Kitchen tile 3)Wilted daisies 4)benediction 5)sister 6)ghost in the town 7)another love song
Harmrae
One of his best. For sure. Amazing Artist.
Kenny Foldenauer
BRILLIANT!!!!!!! Diamond in the rough for sure!
Lesko🏆🏆Brandon
if you like this one... listen to Mystic! JJ is such a good artist. the words in Mystic are out of this WORLD!!! A brilliant mind indeed!!!
revrend2
Cant. Stop. Listening.
justintox619
His best song i think, so good.
LiliumCruorem
This is amazing, but I was hoping for a Lior Cover... because Joshua singing Lior's Daniel would be a fucking eargasm.