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.
Rollin Back
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While I was sittin' here
Time I don't think I waste it
It just seems to disappear
Sippin' the wine you got me
While eyes were rollin' back long hours and hard hard things
Just bring heart attacks
Oh oh oh you had me
Wrapped up in your mystery
When the light vanished from on high
Oh I'll never say I knew you, but my heart cant wait
To meet you on the other side
When I think about the story
One thing seems pretty clear
The warm things you left behind they still want you here
But only in time you find
That all things come back around
And just like the frown, we'll turn them upside down
Oh oh oh you had me. Wrapped up in your mystery
When the light vanished from on high
Oh I'll never say I knew you
But my heart cant wait
To meet you on the other side
In "Rollin Back," My Morning Jacket (MMJ) explores the impact of time, love, and loss on the human experience. The song opens with an acknowledgment of the fleeting nature of time and the desire to make the most of it, as represented by the imagery of "sippin' the wine" and the rollin' back of eyes. The chorus, "you had me wrapped up in your mystery," highlights the intoxicating lure of love and the embrace of the unknown. However, the uncertainty of love is also present in the lines "I'll never say I knew you," suggesting that even the most profound connection between two individuals can be elusive and impossible to fully understand.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that there has been a painful separation between the singer and the "you" addressed in the lyrics. The use of the phrase "the other side" creates a sense of finality, implying that the separation was due to death. Despite this loss, the singer finds solace in the memories of warmth and love left behind by the departed. The song concludes on a note of hope, with the recognition that even the darkest moments in life inevitably turn into light in time. The upbeat tone of the song and the repetition of "oh oh oh you had me" suggests a celebration of the joyful moments shared with the lost loved one rather than dwelling on the pain of their absence.
Overall, "Rollin Back" is a poignant reflection on the pivotal role that time, love, and loss play in shaping our lives. The song reminds us to cherish the moments we have with others and to hold onto the warmth and love they leave behind, even in the face of inevitable separation.
Line by Line Meaning
Just in the nick of time you got me
You saved me from something just in the nick of time.
While I was sittin' here
I was just sitting there when you saved me.
Time I don't think I waste it
I don’t think I waste time, but it still seems to disappear.
It just seems to disappear
Time disappears without my knowing it.
Sippin' the wine you got me
I am drinking the wine you gave me.
While eyes were rollin' back long hours and hard hard things
Despite the hard times, I am still drinking the wine you gave me.
Just bring heart attacks
The hard times can be so difficult that they can bring heart attacks.
Oh oh oh you had me
You had me under your spell.
Wrapped up in your mystery
I was completely wrapped up in your mystery.
When the light vanished from on high
When everything good disappeared.
Oh I'll never say I knew you, but my heart cant wait
I do not claim to know you, but I am excited to meet you on the other side.
To meet you on the other side
I look forward to meeting you after I die.
When I think about the story
When I consider what has happened.
One thing seems pretty clear
One thing is clear to me.
The warm things you left behind they still want you here
The good things you did in life still make people want you to be here.
But only in time you find
With time, you realize that.
That all things come back around
Everything happens in cycles.
And just like the frown, we'll turn them upside down
Everything bad can turn around and become good.
Oh oh oh you had me. Wrapped up in your mystery
You had me under your spell, wrapped up in your mystery.
Oh I'll never say I knew you
I cannot say that I ever fully understood you.
But my heart cant wait
But I am excited to meet you on the other side.
To meet you on the other side
I look forward to meeting you after I die.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Jim Edward Olliges Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D Ringo
on Librarian
Fantastic song...simple song with a huge message