Philadelphia Grand Jury (The Philly Jays) are an Australian trio from Sydne… Read Full Bio ↴Philadelphia Grand Jury (The Philly Jays) are an Australian trio from Sydney, New South Wales. The band's line up consists of Joel "MC Bad Genius" Beeson on bass, keyboard and guitar, Simon "Berkfinger" Berckelman on vocals and guitar and Dan "Dan W. Sweat" Williams drums. They play a mix of indie, punk and soul.

Beeson originally formed a band called Johnson in 2001 with his friend Berckelman, before creating the indie band label Motherlovin' Records in 2004. Subsequent bands included Malcolm X & the Black Auditorium and Berkfinger and The Sweats, the latter combining to form Philadelphia Grand Jury in early 2008. Dan Williams (aka Dan W. Sweat) was the band's original drummer before departing from the group in September 2009 to focus on performing with Art vs. Science. He rejoined the band in 2013 as a part of the band's reunion.

In May 2009, the band signed a joint venture deal with Boomtown Records to release their records, on their own label, Normal People Making Hits, with distribution through Shock Records.

In June 2009, the band released "Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night)" as a 7" vinyl EP. The EP was self-recorded, produced and released. "Going to the Casino" received significant airplay on Triple J and featured on the television mini-series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, also appearing on the soundtrack album. The band's debut album, Hope Is for Hopers, was released on 25 September 2009, reaching #34 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

At the fourth annual AIR Awards, held on 22 November 2009, Philadelphia Grand Jury won an award for 'Best Independent Single or EP'. The video for "The Good News" was filmed in North Sydney and at Parsley Bay, Rowe Street-Bondi Junction & Lighthouse Reserve-Vaucluse.

In October 2010, the band announced that they had Welch had left the band, as the 'rigours of the road have proved too arduous for the 55-year-old drummer'. Welch's replacement was Berlin-based, Brisbane-born Susanna "Susie Dreamboat" Patten (formerly of I Heart Hiroshima), who performed with the band on their tour of the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Patten finished touring with the band in January 2011.

In March 2011, news surfaced that the band had abandoned work on the follow up to Hope is for Hopers. When FasterLouder sought a follow-up, they were met with the following statement in regards to the band's current status.

Philadelphia Grand Jury are on something of a hiatus. No need to make it a bigger deal than it is. Creative individuals tend to have more than one project and Philadelphia Grand Jury is just one of Berkfinger’s musical personas. Berkfinger is currently focusing on other projects, including moving his recording gear to Berlin to finish the recordings that he has been working on in the various incarnations of studios that he has built over the years.

On 2 November 2011 the band posted on their Facebook page that the band had broken up.

Beeson moved onto production and remix work under the moniker of Boyhood, while Berckelman relocated to Berlin and began working on a solo project entitled Feelings. In 2013, Berckelman assembled Beeson and Williams to join him on tour in Australia under the Feelings moniker. The three playing together for the first time in nearly four years immediately sparked rumours of a reunion, which were confirmed with a midnight performance by the band at the 2013 BIGSOUND Festival in Brisbane.

I'm Going To Kill You
Philadelphia Grand Jury Lyrics

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Down in the graveyard out of sight
I've got to hold my head and say my prayers
And hope to get my feelings right
Tonight's the night

I don't feel sorry, feel detached
Girl if you took me back
You know that I would let you go without a scratch

Hey, there's a catch

I'm going to kill you
I'm going to kill you dead, ha
I'm going to kill you dead

I had a strategy, made a move, oh
But you screamed so loud
I don't know how you think that someone's saving you
There ain't no use

I had a weapon, it's a knife
And now I'm standing right above you
I'll still love you on the other side my future wife

I'm going to kill you

I'm going to kill you dead, ha
I'm going to kill you dead

Overall Meaning

The song "I'm Going To Kill You" by Philadelphia Grand Jury is a controversial and provocative piece of music that deals with the theme of domestic violence. The lyrics describe the singer's desire to harm his former lover, who left him for someone else. The opening lines set the scene in a graveyard, suggesting that the singer is in a dark and brooding state of mind. He is trying to come to terms with his feelings and reconcile himself to the fact that he will soon take action against his ex.

The second verse reveals the singer's detached and unemotional state of mind. He claims that he does not feel sorry for what he is about to do, and that he would let his ex go without a scratch if she took him back. However, he adds that there is a catch, implying that he will only spare her life if she reconsiders her decision and returns to him. The chorus is the most disturbing part of the song, as the singer declares his intention to murder his ex.

The final verse indicates that the singer has a weapon, a knife, and is standing over his ex with the intention of killing her. He professes his love for her, even in death, and seems to be justifying his actions as an act of passion. The song is a powerful and disturbing commentary on the issue of domestic violence and the tragic consequences that arise when love and jealousy turn to violence.

Line by Line Meaning

Down in the graveyard out of sight
I am planning to murder you, and will bring you to a hidden location to do so.

I've got to hold my head and say my prayers
I am trying to reconcile my emotions before carrying out this act of violence.

And hope to get my feelings right
I am hoping that by praying, I will come to terms with what I am about to do and not feel guilty.

Tonight's the night
I have chosen this evening as the time to carry out my plan.

I don't feel sorry, feel detached
I feel no remorse or compassion for what I'm about to do, and I am emotionally disconnected from you.

Girl if you took me back
If you were to give me another chance in our relationship, but it's too late for that now.

You know that I would let you go without a scratch
If we were still together, I would not intentionally harm you.

Hey, there's a catch
However, since I am no longer in a relationship with you and have chosen to kill you, there is a caveat to my feelings toward you.

I'm going to kill you
I will take your life in a violent manner.

I'm going to kill you dead, ha
I will ensure that you are not just hurt, but that you are dead and cannot be revived.

I had a strategy, made a move, oh
I have carefully planned out this murder, and have now made the first move.

But you screamed so loud
You resisted my attempt to murder you and made noise while doing so.

I don't know how you think that someone's saving you
You seem to have the idea that someone will come to rescue you from me, but that is not going to happen.

There ain't no use
Your efforts to resist me and call for help are futile, as I am determined to complete this act of violence.

I had a weapon, it's a knife
I have brought a weapon with me to kill you, and it is a sharp object used to inflict harm.

And now I'm standing right above you
I have successfully overpowered you and am now positioned directly over your body.

I'll still love you on the other side my future wife
Despite having murdered you, I have deluded myself into thinking that we will be reunited in the afterlife, and you will be my wife.

I'm going to kill you
I will take your life in a violent manner.

I'm going to kill you dead, ha
I will ensure that you are not just hurt, but that you are dead and cannot be revived.

Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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