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.
Smokin' From Shootin'
My Morning Jacket Lyrics
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You never wanted to be treated like a woman
You maintained you was just a kid
Well at least you were of age my dear, these days kids they grow so fast
You never wanted to be committed to the present
You too busy be livin' in the past
Who then was your savior? Who then was your friend?
What is life in god? A perfect vision of the self?
I always thought we was a dealing with one thing
Now we are dealing with something else
Do you see my smokin' guns?
They're smokin' from shootin', smokin' from shootin'
Smokin' from shooting at nothing dear
Do you live your life on the run?
Losing out on lovin'
Asking for nothing
Running from something that isn't there
Who makes my decisions? Who reads all your thoughts?
What makes us how we are?
Faith can't prove what science won't resolve
Kumbaya my lord, c'mon row your boat ashore
The river's long, it is cold
It chills the body but not the soul
Do you see my smokin' guns?
They're smokin' from shootin', smokin' from shootin'
Smokin' from shooting at nothing dear
Do you live your life on the run?
Losing out on lovin'
Asking for nothing
Running from something that isn't there
Distance-coming or going? C'mon
What are you waiting for?
Distance-growing or closing in on?
Anyway?
The lyrics of My Morning Jacket's "Smokin' From Shootin'" are open to interpretation, but some common themes and ideas can be inferred. The first verse appears to be addressing someone who wanted to maintain their childhood identity and rebelled against adulthood. The chorus then asks whether the smoke from the guns is a metaphor for something more profound, perhaps the strife of life itself. The second verse then delves into the idea of the self and the soul, questioning what makes us who we are and whether science can provide an answer to this. The final chorus repeats the question of what the singer is running from.
The song seems to be heavily influenced by spirituality and existentialism. The reference to "Kumbiyah, my Lord" and "the river" could be interpreted as allusions to religious or spiritual themes. The questioning of what constitutes the self also links to existentialism and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.
Overall, the song seems to be about the struggles of life, particularly when it comes to the search for identity, spirituality, and purpose. The gun smoke imagery could be seen as a metaphor for the various trials and tribulations that one faces, and the need to confront them head-on rather than running from them.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you had enough excitement now
Are you satisfied with all the adventures you've had so far?
More than you ever did
Perhaps even more than you've wanted.
You never wanted to be treated like a woman
You didn't want to be treated differently just because you're female.
You maintained you was just a kid
You clung on to the idea that you're still young at heart.
Well at least you were of age my dear
But at least you were legally considered an adult, my dear.
These days kids they grow so fast
Children seem to mature much more quickly these days.
You never wanted to be committed to the present
You didn't want to be tied down to the present moment.
You're too busy believing in the past, oh
You're too preoccupied with what has already passed, oh.
Who then was your savior
Who saved you before?
Who then was your friend
Who was there for you in the past?
Who is now committed to the present
Who is living in the moment now?
Is it someone that exists?
Is it a person who really exists?
What is life in God?
What does life in God look like?
A perfect vision of the self?
Is it having a perfectly clear understanding of oneself?
I always thought we was a dealing with the one thing
I used to believe we were only dealing with one particular thing.
Now we are dealing with something else, oh
But now it seems like we're dealing with something completely different, oh.
Do you see my smoking guns
Can you see the guns I have in my hands, still smoking from the shots I fired?
They're smoking from a shootin'
The smoke is still billowing from the guns after the shooting.
Smoking from shootin'
These guns are still smoking from the recent shots fired.
Smokin' from shootin' at nothing here
But I was just shooting aimlessly - there was no target here at all.
Do you live your life on the road?
Do you spend your life always on the move or traveling?
Yeah loosing that I'm loving
Yeah, it's true, I'm losing things that I once loved.
Asking for nothing
I don't really want anything at this point.
Runnin' from something that isn't there, oh
I know it seems silly, but I feel like I'm running from something that doesn't even exist, oh.
And it's my decision (?)
And it's up to me to decide (?).
Erase all your thoughts (?)
Maybe I should just try to empty my mind of all thoughts (?).
What's makes up, how we are
What are the things that define who we are?
If we can prove science (?)
Can science help prove the things that make up who we are (?)
Kumbiyah, my Lord
Kumbiyah, my Lord
Row you boat ashore
Row your boat ashore
The river is on (?)
Maybe the river is running (?)
The heat is cold
Despite the warmth, the heat is somehow cold.
He choose the body and not the soul
He chose the physical self and nothing more.
What are your running from...running from?
What exactly are you trying to escape from...what are you running from?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: James Edward Olliges Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D Ringo
on Librarian
Fantastic song...simple song with a huge message