Jones settled in LA at the age of nineteen, doing the classic waiting tables stuff until she landed a recording contract with Warners. Her self-titled debut album in 1979 was a big success, as was the single, Chuck E.'s in Love, about her musician friend Chuck E. Weiss. At the 1980 Grammy Awards, she won a Grammy for Best New Artist, and also received four more nominations: for Record of the Year; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female; Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female; and Song of the Year (for "Chuck E.'s in Love"). While none of her subsequent recordings achieved the same level of commercial success, Jones has continued releasing critically acclaimed albums that have explored a variety of sonic terrain from jazz standards to trip hop influenced works.
Jones' pursuit of jazz standards led to the recording of "The Moon Is Made of Gold" and "Autumn Leaves" for Rob Wasserman's album Duets in 1985. The latter track earned her another Grammy nomination. And in 1990, her duet with Dr. John, a cover of "Makin' Whoopee", earned the artist her second Grammy Award, this time in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.
At the time of recording her debut album, Jones was in a romantic relationship with Tom Waits; she is the girl draped over the car on the cover of his 1978 album Blue Valentine.
Early in her career, Jones was known for her drinking and substance abuse. She eventually tempered those demons, and came to terms with herself, and her own uncertain spirituality, and has maintained respect of her musical peers.
She's devoted to her talents, beyond music, one of which is raising her teenage daughter, and has even run her own political website and made music critiquing the Bush administration. She is involved in left-wing politics and community activism, partly through her web community, Furniture for the People (http://www.furnitureforthepeople.com/).
A greatest hits collection on Rhino called The Duchess of Coolsville was released in 2005.
In 2007 she signed to New West Records releasing The Sermon On Exposition Blvd, a record exploring lyrical territory inspired by Lee Cantelon's 1991 book The Words, which attempted to translate Christ's teachings into a more accessible contemporary format. Cantelon's friend, Guitarist Peter Atanasoff was instrumental in the creation of the eventual record.
Discography
1979: Rickie Lee Jones – Warner Bros.
1981: Pirates – Warner Bros.
1983: Girl at Her Volcano (EP) – Warner Bros.
1984: The Magazine – Warner Bros.
1989: Flying Cowboys - Geffen
1991: Pop Pop - Geffen
1993: Traffic From Paradise - Geffen
1995: Naked Songs - Reprise
1997: Ghostyhead – Warner Bros.
2000: It's Like This - Artemis
2001: Live at Red Rocks - Artemis
2003: The Evening of My Best Day – V2
2005: Duchess of Coolsville - Rhino
2007: Sermon On Exposition Boulevard - New West
2009: Balm in Gilead
I was There
Rickie Lee Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It doesn't get easier watching the golden orbs floating out of the bars
And into space there's Frank Sinatra on the Juke box
Pause in the ketchup your face in the reflection in the mirror
He walked through the rocks, you know
He walked through the scorpion dust
He walks on the beach and now he walks
Every generation watches the princes of their nation
File away until the Son of Man every, every Madonna means so little to the next one
We ran together down the Santa Monica Boulevard oh baby
You look so hard, so fine
And my second-hand capella all that night I said oh ho
I said oh ho oh ho
There you are in your write dress shirt most of all I think I loved your hands
I loved them so much that it hurt and all the bartenders knew your name
And all the pimps knew your car and we lay by the Nazz
And we were blessed yes, we are
You tell them I was there hey I was there man I was there
When Jesus walked I was there when Jesus walked
Now I don't know what happened, what happened was Babylon and that little Sheba
With her siren song and the planets swirling
Where no one's ugly and everyone's square no one's ugly and everyone's square
There's no such place I heard such peach when he played those traps
I heard such peace when He looked out at the map
And it ran through me and echoed into another time and space and place
And it ran through me way on back in time way on up is fine
Way one back in time was on up is fine way on back in time
Take my advice and go throw it away it's gonna
Do you no good until you blow for good
Cause you are there man you are there don't you know
You are there where Jesus walked, every generation,
Yeah the princes of their nation
Well, I'm ugly, too.
No, no you're not beautiful,
No, you're ugly too
Cause you've been traveling in so many universes and you manifest here
It's difficult to see who you are
Brother I didn't realize that you were talking to me
Until you broke that bread and I saw that you were
Where have you been that you don't know what's been going on here in Jerusalem
Haven't you heard, haven't you heard about the Nazarene, you know
We thought we were gonna set Israel free
The lyrics to Rickie Lee Jones's "I Was There" are a mix of personal recollections, religious commentary, and philosophical rumination. Jones begins by urging the listener to take her advice that "it doesn't get easier watching the golden orbs floating out of the bars." This line seems to suggest the passing of time and how it can bring about a sense of loss or sadness. Jones then references Frank Sinatra on the Jukebox and invites the listener to look at their own reflection in the mirror. Perhaps this is a moment of self-reflection, a chance to take stock of one's life amidst the passing of time.
The song then shifts to a biblical reference, with Jones singing about Jesus walking through the scorpion dust, on the beach, and out of reach. She comments on how every generation watches the princes of their nation file away until the Son of Man comes, and how every Madonna means so little to the next one. This line could be interpreted in a few different ways - perhaps Jones is commenting on the fleeting nature of fame or how the icons of one era become irrelevant in the next.
The final section of the song is a conversation between two people. They discuss the listener's travels through multiple universes and the difficulties that come with manifesting in this reality. There is also a reference to Jerusalem and the Nazarene, which could be a nod to the biblical theme running throughout the song.
Overall, "I Was There" seems to be a reflection on time, impermanence, and the passing of generations. It weaves together personal memories with religious imagery to create a complex and thought-provoking piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Take my advice
I have some wisdom to share with you
It doesn't get easier watching the golden orbs floating out of the bars
Seeing the bright streetlights disappear as you leave the bar is a difficult reminder of reality
And into space there's Frank Sinatra on the Juke box
You can hear Frank Sinatra's music playing in the background
Pause in the ketchup your face in the reflection in the mirror
Take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror as you adjust your condiments
He walked through the rocks, you know
A person walked through a rocky area
He walked through the scorpion dust
He walked through an area that has scorpions and dust
He walks on the beach and now he walks
He has walked before and continues to walk, currently on a beach
And he keeps walking 'til he's out of reach
The person continuous walking until they are out of sight
Every generation watches the princes of their nation
In every era, citizens pay attention to their leaders
File away until the Son of Man every, every Madonna means so little to the next one
As time passes, even the biggest stars of one era will fade away into obscurity in the future
We ran together down the Santa Monica Boulevard oh baby
We sprinted through a street called Santa Monica Boulevard
You look so hard, so fine
You looked amazing
And my second-hand capella all that night I said oh ho
I sang along with a second-hand car stereo all through the night exclaiming 'oh ho'
There you are in your write dress shirt most of all I think I loved your hands
I noticed you in a sharp dress shirt, and what stood out most were your hands
I loved them so much that it hurt and all the bartenders knew your name
I had a strong admiration for your hands to the point of pain and even the bartenders knew your name
And all the pimps knew your car and we lay by the Nazz
Even the pimps knew your car, and we spent time together near the Nazareth
And we were blessed yes, we are
We felt grateful and fortunate to have each other
You tell them I was there hey I was there man I was there
Inform others that I was present, and emphasize my presence
When Jesus walked I was there when Jesus walked
I was present during Jesus' presence on Earth
Now I don't know what happened, what happened was Babylon and that little Sheba
I do not understand what had occurred, but it was a state of chaos similar to the story of Babylon and Sheba
With her siren song and the planets swirling
The chaotic state was accompanied by a bewitching song and the sight of the planets in motion
Where no one's ugly and everyone's square no one's ugly and everyone's square
This chaotic state was a world where everyone was equal and unremarkable
There's no such place I heard such peach when he played those traps
This world does not exist, and I felt at ease when the musician played the drums
I heard such peace when He looked out at the map
I heard tranquility when the musician looked out at the map
And it ran through me and echoed into another time and space and place
This sense of peace strongly impacted me, and it extended beyond the physical space and time
And it ran through me way on back in time way on up is fine
This sense of peace was so profound that it carried me far back into time, and I was perfectly content with it
Way one back in time was on up is fine way on back in time
Even though it carried me far back into time, I was still at peace
Take my advice and go throw it away it's gonna
I suggest that you toss away my advice since it may not have value
Do you no good until you blow for good
It will not benefit you until you excel completely
Cause you are there man you are there don't you know
You are present in the present, and you should be aware of it
You are there where Jesus walked, every generation,
Every generation is present where Jesus walked, including this one
Yeah the princes of their nation
The leaders of each society
Well, I'm ugly, too.
I am not an aesthetically pleasing person either.
No, no you're not beautiful,
You are not physically attractive
No, you're ugly too
You are also not an aesthetically pleasing person
Cause you've been traveling in so many universes and you manifest here
You have experienced many different worlds, and you are currently present in this one
It's difficult to see who you are
It is a bit challenging to grasp your identity
Brother I didn't realize that you were talking to me
I am sorry I did not recognize that you were addressing me earlier
Until you broke that bread and I saw that you were
I realized it was you when you began to break the bread
Where have you been that you don't know what's been going on here in Jerusalem
Where have you been that you missed the events happening in Jerusalem
Haven't you heard, haven't you heard about the Nazarene, you know
Do you not know about the Nazarene and what occurred with him
We thought we were gonna set Israel free
We believed that we would liberate Israel
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICKIE LEE JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ed cachianes
Beautifully stated.
CygnusRays
I love your commentary stevieray56, almost as much as the song