Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Keith spent his early years in Surrey and Berkshire where, during the early eighties, he performed hundreds of times in what was then a healthy circuit of wine bars. During that time he recorded four, now collectable, vinyl albums.
Throughout almost all of the 90s, Keith spent more time behind the mixing desk and in the studio, gaining a deserved reputation as a producer and sound engineer, using, as can be heard on many of his own recordings, multi-track analogue tape. Very much dedicated to the purpose of the "singer-songwriter", Keith has always assisted most of the artists in his studio in a much deeper and more hands-on capacity than just committing them to tape.
Keith is a prolific writer with a large catalogue of songs, including the CD albums "Tomorrow is Longer Than Yesterday" (1993), "Outsides" (2002), "The Songs of Nick Drake" (2003), "Postcards" (2005) and his most recent studio album "No.1 Paradise Road" (2006). A career spanning collection entitled "A Small Few Grains" is due for release in September 2006.
As an artist, Keith has toured all of the UK many times both in his own right and as support to larger names, in addition to performing across Europe and the Americas.
Now residing in Canterbury, he is currently putting the final touches to a new recording studio called 'Bare Wires'. Primarily set up to record his own new material, it is unlikely that Keith will produce work for other artists to any where near the degree that he has in the past. Nonetheless, it will almost certainly be available to others - watch this space.
Much of the last 3 years has seen Keith performing concerts of The Songs of Nick Drake. At the end of the 7th tour in Spring 2006, Keith & double bassist Rick Foot had made over 250 performances of these amazing songs with an unprecedented response.
And the future holds yet more treats in store. There are plans for Keith and Rick to take a careful selection of work by Spanish Poet Federico Garcia Lorca, set it to music and take it on tour. It is a project that they are both very excited about but will be extremely challenging, certain to come to fruition in Autumn 2007.
Keith James is also a twenty-two year old radio host originating from Victorville, California. He is half of the band duo known as Buttersweet.
Not My Day
Keith James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Damn I miss you
It's been crazy
I'll paint this picture
Dropped my pancakes on my mattress
Tried to pull off, tires flattening
Lost my celly
In my coffee
By miss bossy
If my luck doesn't change
I'll be out of my brain by tonight
When your head's out of place
You're behind in the race of life
Oh just not my day, not my day (not my day)
Not my day, naw
It's just not my day
Not my day, not my day (not my day)
Not my day, naw, it's just not my day
Jammed my finger in the stapler
Knocked my taco off the table
Had a ticket
When I left work
Then got caught up on, the social network
If my luck doesn't change
I'll be out of my brain by tonight
When your head's out of place
You're behind in the race of life
Sometimes it's just not my day, not my day
Not my day, naw
It's just not my day
Not my day, not my day
Not my day, naw, it's just not my day
Not my day, not my day
Not my day, naw, it's just not my day
Not my day, not my day
Not my day naw, it's just not my day
Oh oh oh
What you treasure is who you are
Go and get it
Oh oh oh
If it starts to fall apart
Give it all you got 'cause
Folks will hurt, and down your worth
Don't let them take you out
Maybe it's not their day
Not their day
Maybe its not their day
Not their day
(Won't let them hold me down)
Not my day, not my day
Not my day, naw
It's just not my day
Not my day
Not my day (sometimes its just not my day)
Not my day, naw
It' s just not my day (yeah)
Keith James's song "Not My Day" portrays a character who is having a terrible day. He starts by addressing his lover and expressing how much he misses them. He then proceeds to describe how the day has been terrible for him. He dropped his pancakes on his mattress, and while trying to move his car, his tire flattened. To add to his misfortunes, he loses his phone in his cup of coffee; he then gets admonished by his boss. Later, he jams his finger in the stapler and knocks off his taco while trying to have lunch.
The chorus repeats that it's just not his day. And the second verse continues in a similar vein. He leaves work with a ticket but gets caught up on social media. The day's frustrations appear to be just unbearable. However, in the bridge, Keith urges the listener to persevere. He reminds us that it's up to us to go out and get what we treasure. And when things begin to fall apart, we should give it all we've got. Despite the day's misfortunes, Keith refuses to let them get the best of him. He concludes by saying that it may not be his day or anyone else's; however, we won't let the troubles of life hold us down.
* "Not My Day" is a single in Keith's debut album, "A Little Bit of Me."
* The song was released in 2008 and was produced by Joe London and Mike Castonguay.
* The lead vocal was sung by Keith James, with backup vocals supplied by Roberta Harrison and Brittany McCray.
* The song was written by Keith and Joe London.
* The song's music video was directed by Jeremy Brock and stars Shanika Warren-Markland and Keith James.
* The song was featured in the soundtrack of two films: streetdance and Ugly Betty.
* Keith has written two other singles, "Headlines" and "Always There," in which he teamed up with different producers.
* Keith's debut album was well-received, and he embarked on a tour in support of the record after its release.
* Keith has cited Motown and Philadelphia Soul as his musical influences.
* Keith has released two other albums, "Merry Go Round" in 2012 and "Be Strong" in 2019.
Chords: Unfortunately, we do not have access to the chords at this time.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey there lover
Addressing a past lover, expressing nostalgia and longing.
Damn I miss you
Expressing a strong desire to have the person back in their life.
It's been crazy
Describing the general feeling of mental chaos and instability.
I'll paint this picture
Preparing the listener for a lyrical narrative about a rough day.
Dropped my pancakes on my mattress
Introducing the first of a series of unfortunate events that occurred.
Tried to pull off, tires flattening
Describing a frustrating attempt to leave home, resulting in more problems.
Lost my celly
Using slang to say the phone is missing or lost.
In my coffee
Continuing the previous line and indicating the phone may have been dropped in the drink.
Then got yelled at
Adding to the list of frustrations with an encounter with a bossy person.
By miss bossy
Further emphasizing the annoyance and disrespect felt from the aforementioned encounter.
If my luck doesn't change
Expressing the hopelessness of the situation.
I'll be out of my brain by tonight
Indicating the severity of a bad day and how it can mentally wear someone down.
When your head's out of place
Describing the negative mental state that often accompanies a string of bad luck.
You're behind in the race of life
Using a metaphor to illustrate the feeling of falling behind in life, especially when things aren't going as planned.
Jammed my finger in the stapler
Continuing with the story of a day gone wrong, including more examples.
Knocked my taco off the table
Sharing another frustrating incident that occurred while simply trying to eat.
Had a ticket
Referring to receiving a traffic citation or other type of legal penalty.
When I left work
Describing how issues can arise even when trying to leave the workplace and head home.
Then got caught up on, the social network
Adding another frustration to the list, highlighting how technology can often create more problems than it solves.
Oh oh oh
Transitioning to a new section of the song with an interlude.
What you treasure is who you are
Encouraging the listener to embrace their values and priorities.
Go and get it
Urging the listener to pursue what matters to them.
If it starts to fall apart
Recognizing that life can be unpredictable and things may not always go as planned.
Give it all you got 'cause
Encouraging the listener to persevere during challenging times.
Folks will hurt, and down your worth
Acknowledging that others may try to bring the listener down or make them feel unworthy.
Don't let them take you out
Encouraging the listener to not be defeated by others' negativity or criticism.
Maybe it's not their day
Suggesting that others may be having a bad day as well, and to try not to take their actions personally.
Not their day
Further emphasizing that others' negative behaviors may not have anything to do with the listener.
Won't let them hold me down
Demonstrating the artist's determination to not allow others' negativity to impact their mood or motivation.
Not my day, not my day
Reiterating the key theme of the song - that sometimes things just don't go as planned.
It's just not my day
Accepting that bad days happen, and it's important to move on and not dwell on them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: JAMES KEITH, THOMAS DECARLO CALLAWAY, MICK SCHULTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Camille
this song is the only thing keeping me sane right now
Keith James
+Camille Pinsonnault glad it can help!!!!
Aj Williams
Just heard your song for the first time this morning. Put an immediate smile on my face. Great song! I'll definitely be jamming to this all day
nika lu
Why dont we brought me here. Such an amazing song 😍
delia banda
04妮佳 meh too😂
A Fellow Limelight
Same
Macie Duggar
Omg yess the creating their playlist of their lives
nrks
Yasssss yeass same
Mary
Same lmao all of us limelights
Chris Acosta
I don't listen to pop music at all unless my clients do (I'm a personal trainer) but this really caught my attention. Straight up great song without the terrible pretentiousness of modern music.