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.
Golden *
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miles of light explode
Driftin' off a thing
I'd never done before
Watchin' a crowd roll in
Out go the lights it begins
A feelin' in my bones
I never felt before...
Mmm...people always told me
That bars are dark and lonely
And talk is often cheap
And filled with air
Sure, sometimes they thrill me
But nothin' could ever chill me
Like the way they make
The time just disappear
Feelin' you are here again
Hot on my skin again.
Feelin' good's a thing
I'd never known before
What does it mean to feel?
Millions of dreams come real
A feelin' in my soul
I'd never felt before...mmmm
And you always told me.
No matter how long it holds me
If it falls apart
Or makes us millonaires
You'll be right here forever
We'll go through this thing together
And on heaven's golden shore
We'll lay our heads
The opening verses of "Golden" describe a sense of being in a completely new and unfamiliar situation, one that "I'd never done before" and "a feelin' in my bones / I never felt before." This feeling is physical as well as emotional. The singer is watching a road and a crowd rolling in, and then something happens that changes everything. The line "watchin' a crowd roll in / out go the lights it begins" could refer to a musical performance or a party, with the crowd signaling the start of something exciting. The second verse is addressed to someone who has warned the singer about the potential loneliness and emptiness of bars, but also acknowledges their power to make time disappear. However, the singer has now discovered a feeling that is more profound and fulfilling than anything experienced before. The third and final verse features the same person being addressed, with the promise that they will "go through this thing together" and eventually end up on "heaven's golden shore."
The song is open to multiple interpretations, but it seems to be about the feeling of being caught up in the moment and experiencing something new and transformative. There is a suggestion that this feeling is brought about by a communal experience, whether that is a musical performance or simply being in the company of other people. In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that this feeling is often superficial and fleeting, whereas the feeling described in the third verse is characterized by a deeper sense of connection and promise of something lasting. Overall, "Golden" is a celebration of being alive and present in a moment of profound joy and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Watchin' a stretch of road,
Observing a long and winding stretch of road,
Miles of light explode
An explosion of bright and vibrant lights illuminating the way,
Driftin' off a thing
Lost in thought about something unfamiliar,
I'd never done before
An experience that is novel and untested,
Watchin' a crowd roll in
Witnessing a mass of people arrive,
Out go the lights it begins
The lights dim, signaling the start of something great,
A feelin' in my bones
A deep sensation that resonates within my body,
I never felt before...
An emotion that is entirely new and exciting,
Mmm...people always told me
Others have always warned me,
That bars are dark and lonely
Bars are dimly lit and evoke feelings of isolation,
And talk is often cheap
Conversations are frequently shallow and unfulfilling,
And filled with air
Words that are empty and meaningless,
Sure, sometimes they thrill me
Admittedly, these situations can be exciting,
But nothin' could ever chill me
However, nothing could ever cool me down,
Like the way they make
As much as the feeling they elicit,
The time just disappear
Time seems to fly by unnoticeably fast,
Feelin' you are here again
Sensing that you are present once more,
Hot on my skin again.
That familiar sensation of warmth on my body,
Feelin' good's a thing
Experiencing happiness is a sensation,
I'd never known before
A feeling that I have never before experienced,
What does it mean to feel?
Contemplating the truth behind what it means to experience emotion,
Millions of dreams come real
Countless dreams become a reality,
A feelin' in my soul
A profound emotion that resonates deeply within me,
I'd never felt before...mmmm
A sensation that is entirely new and unknown to me,
And you always told me.
You have always advised me,
No matter how long it holds me
Regardless of how long it persists,
If it falls apart
Even if things fall apart,
Or makes us millonaires
Or if we become millionaires,
You'll be right here forever
You will always be by my side,
We'll go through this thing together
We will face this challenge as a team,
And on heaven's golden shore
In an idyllic and perfect location,
We'll lay our heads
We will rest and find peace,
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MATT NOLEN, TOMMY LEE JAMES, EMILY MARIE SHACKELTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D Ringo
on Librarian
Fantastic song...simple song with a huge message