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.
I Just Wanted to Say
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just wanted to be your friend
Even though there's no happy endings
I just wanted it to end
Even though I was really friendly
I just wanted to be your friend
Even though there's no happy endings
Gone, I've had enough
Gone, I've had enough
Gone, I've had enough
Gone, I've had enough
Even though I was really friendly
I just wanted to be your friend
Even though there's no happy endings
I just wanted it to end
Even though I was really friendly
I just wanted to be your friend
I just wanted to be your friend
Gone, I've had enough
Gone, I've had enough
Gone, gone, gone
Gone, gone, gone
My Morning Jacket's song 'I Just Wanted to Be Your Friend' is a melancholic piece exploring the emotions of an individual who has been rejected by someone they wanted to be friends with. The lyrics express the need for connection and companionship in the face of loneliness and isolation. Despite being kind and friendly, the singer experiences rejection and feels that there is no hope for a happy ending to their situation. The repetition of 'Gone, I've had enough' towards the end of the song serves as a declaration of the singer's emotional exhaustion and resignation.
The theme of longing for friendship and companionship is further conveyed through the repetition of 'Even though I was really friendly, I just wanted to be your friend'. The repetition emphasizes the singer's sincerity in desiring a relationship with the other person, emphasizing the pain of rejection. The line 'Even though there's no happy endings, I just wanted it to end' highlights the singer's hopeless perspective, indicating a desire to distance themselves from the situation even though they may still crave connection.
Overall, 'I Just Wanted to Be Your Friend' is a poignant song that captures the essence of loneliness and rejection, while acknowledging the need for human connection and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
Even though I was really friendly
Despite my friendliness, my intentions were solely for a platonic relationship
I just wanted to be your friend
I desired a non-romantic and non-sexual relationship with you
Even though there's no happy endings
I am aware that not all relationships will result in contentment or closure
I just wanted it to end
I want the uncertainty and unresolved feelings to come to a conclusion
Gone, I've had enough
I have reached the limit with this situation and need to move on
Gone, gone, gone
I am emphasizing my need to leave this situation behind
I just wanted to be your friend
Reiterating my desire for a platonic relationship
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JIM JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D Ringo
on Librarian
Fantastic song...simple song with a huge message