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.
Just Beacuse I Do
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And just because I do:
I'm writin' off a letter,
To keep from losin' you.
I saw it in a letter.
Every night you talk in disguise,
And girl that ain't like you.
I'm wishin' you'd get better,
I go blind, every night
And just because I do:
I'm hopin' you'll get better,
And I'll get rid of you.
Then I'll get rid of you.
The lyrics to "Just Because I Do" by My Morning Jacket are reflective of the singer's troubled relationship with someone who they care about deeply but who is struggling with addiction. The singer goes out every night and engages in behaviors that are not necessarily healthy, such as going "light" and getting "blind," but does so "just because I do." It's a way of coping with the situation and perhaps even trying to keep up with the person they care about who is struggling.
The song references a letter that the singer is writing in an attempt to "keep from losin' you." This could be a letter to the person they care about, trying to help them see that their behavior is hurting themselves and those around them. Alternatively, it could be a letter to themselves, a way of working through their own feelings and thoughts about the situation.
Throughout the song, the singer is wishing that the person they care about will "get better" and "save yourself some glue." This is likely a reference to drugs or some other addiction, and the singer recognizes that this is not a sustainable way of life. However, there is also a sense of resignation in the lyrics, as if the singer knows that change may not be possible or may come too late.
Overall, "Just Because I Do" is a poignant and honest exploration of the difficulties of watching someone you love struggle with addiction. It speaks to the feelings of helplessness and despair that can arise in such a situation, while also acknowledging the powerful bond that can exist between two people despite the challenges they face.
Line by Line Meaning
I go light, every night,
I try to live carefree and enjoy myself, without any burden or worries.
And just because I do:
It's just my way of living and I don't have any specific reason for it.
I'm writin' off a letter,
I am composing a letter to express my thoughts and feelings.
To keep from losin' you.
To prevent losing you from my life and our relationship ending.
I saw it in a letter.
I read something in a letter that made me concerned or worried.
Every night you talk in disguise,
You pretend to be someone or something you're not, especially during our conversations before bed.
And girl that ain't like you.
This behavior is not typical of your true personality or character.
I'm wishin' you'd get better,
I hope that you improve or change for the better, for your own good.
To save yourself some glue.
To avoid getting trapped or stuck in negative situations or relationships.
I go blind, every night
I am oblivious or unaware of certain things happening around me or in my relationship.
And just because I do:
I'm not intentionally ignoring anything, it's simply because of my lifestyle or habits.
I'm hopin' you'll get better,
I am still hopeful that you will change or improve in the future.
And I'll get rid of you.
And I can finally let go of our relationship if you don't change or improve.
Then I'll get rid of you.
I won't hesitate to move on if things don't improve between us.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JIM JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
cgarnet01
This is their best song. This is the song that truly sounds like it could have been heard on FM Radio during the golden age of rock and roll.
EdibleFox
This is my favorite MMJ song :D It's the first one I heard, I believe.
oldfriendofmine
My favourite MMJ song.
brandon242
I miss their old sound so much.
Luna Lovegood
I miss the old MMJ.. I still really like them, but At Dawn and It Still Moves were fantastic. I love Evil Urges and Z as well, but gahh, old MMJ...
chris a
Great record, check them out on the black cab sessions on you tube, they are the real deal.
Zaspor
Yeah man, that video is so awesome! They just play in the cab then had out xD
Harry Fisher Films
Is anyone getting a Grateful Dead vibe from this band? probably just me, lol
Carl Dorsey
They were underrated honestly. Mumford and sons and fuckin imagine dragons all that crap can’t hold a flame to MMJ sorry not sorry. Still are underrated disappointingly
Dan Frederiksen
eh this is... bad. how is this supposed to be their biggest hit