The band's moniker comes from a discarded coat James saw while walking through the remains of his favorite bar the morning after it burned down. The coat had the letters "MMJ" embroided on it. The band has released seven albums so far: "The Tennessee Fire" (1999), "At Dawn" (2001), "It Still Moves" (2003), "Z" (2005), "Evil Urges" (2008), "Circuital" (2011) & "The Waterfall" (2015). The band's breakthrough came when their 2003 single "One Big Holiday" became one of the most played songs on college radio that year. 2008's "I'm Amazed" was also a sizable hit, peaking at #6 on Billboard's Triple A (adult album alternative) Singles chart.
The Circuital songfacts reports that "Circuital" was recorded inside a church’s converted gymnasium in the band's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Said frontman Jim James: “I hate the phrase ‘going back to our roots’, but for this record we came home and made it in Kentucky. And it just felt a lot like it did when we were first starting out.”
James co-produced the record with Tucker Martine. The pair first worked together when James appeared on Laura Veirs ' album "July Flame" in 2010, which Martine, Veirs’ husband, also produced.
My Morning Jacket guest stared in the American Dad Episode "My Morning Straitjacket" where Stan Smith becomes obsessed with them and decides to become a groupie. The edisode was first aired November 22 2009.
Death Is the Easy Way
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I think they're right
'Cause nights tick, by like a long week
Except when you stop by
And I know that tryin' gets nothing done
And I see you're about dry
'Cause nothin' gets you high
And alcohol it only makes you tired
But seein' you feels good
And it's always understood
That anything much sweeter
Would make me die
The lyrics of "Death Is the Easy Way" by My Morning Jacket seem to be about the concept of death and how some people view it as an easy way out of life's struggles. The first line "Some say, death is the easy way, and I think they're right" implies the singer agrees with this idea. The following lyrics talk about the monotony of life and how it can weigh heavily on someone. The line "nights tick by like a long week" suggests that time can feel slow and uneventful. However, the singer finds solace in the company of a particular individual, indicated by the line "except when you stop by."
The next few lines delve deeper into the singer's thoughts on the futility of trying, as it seems to bring no results. The word "trying" here could refer to any kind of effort someone may put into their life, whether it be in their job, relationships, or personal endeavors. However, the singer seems to sympathize with the individual they are speaking to, as they say "I see you're about dry" and "nothing gets you high." It implies that this person is struggling with something that makes them feel empty or unsatisfied. The line "alcohol it only makes you tired" suggests that this person may be turning to substance abuse as a way to cope.
Despite the struggles and the hardships, the singer finds happiness in seeing this person, saying "seeing you feels good, and it's always understood." They recognize that anything better than this relationship may not be worth the cost, as it would make them die. This could be interpreted as death being a metaphor for losing this relationship or any potential future relationship that may not be as fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
Some say, death is the easy way
People believe that dying is a simpler solution to life's problems
And I think they're right.
The singer agrees with this statement
'Cause nights tick, by like a long week
Time drags on slowly, making each night feel like an entire week
Except when you stop by.
When the person the artist enjoys being with is present, time feels better
And I know that tryin' gets nothing done
The artist realizes that putting in effort yields no results
And I see you're about dry.
The person the singer is with is struggling and nearing the end of their rope
'Cause nothin' gets you high,
The person can no longer find joy in anything
You're poor the day you die,
No matter how much wealth a person has, they leave this world with nothing
And alcohol it only makes you tired.
Drinking does not bring relief or happiness, only exhaustion
But seein' you feels good,
Being with the person the artist enjoys being with offers comfort
And it's always understood.
This is something that is universally known and shared between them
That anything much sweeter
Anything that is too good to be true
Would make me die.
This level of happiness would be overwhelming and possibly lead to death
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Jim James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AcademyAwardsPerson
I didn't think it was possible for a song to make me consistently cry every time I listen to it.
Steve Weiman
Me too.... so touching......
LivingCheese
Crying makes you feel more human than always having a fake laugh.
Darjan Daneski
Probably the most beautiful song in the world.
Marshall Bice
This is one of the best videos i've ever seen. Brings the pathos of people who -- with a few exceptions -- are all passed away. So fits the song but puts a different spin on the literal meaning. So cool. Kudos to the creators.Oh and MMJ too.
Tony N
Ah haven't heard this song in over 4 years, felt so good to experience it again after so long.
jaime martinez
every song by this band is amazing and beautiful
Michael Hinson
Love your use of the archive footage, your song selections, and how you put all this together. Thank you for sharing all this and keep up the good works.
Jeffrey Kipp
What an incredible song! And I love the video footage. I am guessing it is from the 1930's or 40's. For some reason it really works for me. I am a huge fan of old footage like this anyway so the song seems to support the sweet nostalgia of the footage. I really love what you did with this. Thx for putting it together and posting. I can't stop listening and watching it.
Bocky Ralboa
This is one of my favorite songs ! Just love it !