Led by the gifted songwriting, impeccable playing, and honeyed harmonies of vocalists/guitarists Gary Louris and Mark Olson, the Jayhawks' shimmering blend of country, folk, and bar band rock made them one of the most widely acclaimed artists to emerge from the alternative country scene. The group sprung up in 1985 out of the fertile Minneapolis, Minnesota, musical community, where Olson had been playing standup bass in a rockabilly band called Stagger Lee until his desire to write and perform his own country-folk material prompted him to begin a solo career. He enlisted Marc Perlman, the guitarist for a local band called the Neglecters, whom Olson then convinced to take up the bass; after the addition of drummer Norm Rogers, the group first played in front of a crowd of less than a dozen people. One of those patrons, however, was Gary Louris, a veteran of the local bands Safety Last and Schnauzer; after the show, he and Olson began talking, and by the end of the evening Louris, a guitarist famed locally for his innovative, pedal steel-like sound, had become a member of the group, eventually named the Jayhawks.
Drawing on influences like Gram Parsons, the Louvin Brothers, Tim Hardin, and Nashville Skyline-era Bob Dylan, the Jayhawks quickly became a local favorite, honing their sound in Twin Cities clubs before releasing their eponymous debut in 1986. Issued in a pressing of just a few thousand copies, the album was well received by those who heard it; a major recording deal did not follow, however, so the band continued to polish their craft live, with more and more of their songs bearing writing credits belonging to both Olson and Louris. In October 1988, after a lineup change which saw the departure of Rogers (who joined Cows) followed by the addition of drummer Thad Spencer, Louris was nearly killed in an auto accident, and the Jayhawks went on hiatus. At much the same time, however, executives at the Minneapolis independent label Twin/Tone decided to issue the demos the group had been stockpiling over the past few years, and after some overdubbing and remixing, Blue Earth appeared in 1989. Richer in sound and more complex in its themes and concerns, the record's release brought the group considerable attention, and also brought Louris back into the fold. After another drummer switch (Spencer for Ken Callahan), the band hit the road for a national tour.
The Jayhawks were signed to major label American Records after producer George Drakoulias heard The Blue Earth playing in the background during a phone call to Twin/Tone's offices. With Drakoulias in the producer's seat, the band recorded its breakthrough album, Hollywood Town Hall, in 1991; a mainstay of critics' annual "best of" lists, the album generated the alternative radio hits "Waiting for the Sun," "Take Me With You (When You Go)," and "Settled Down Like Rain." After a tour which saw the permanent addition of Minneapolis pianist Karen Grotberg, the individual bandmembers guested on albums from Counting Crows, Soul Asylum, Maria McKee, Joe Henry, and others. Before recording the fourth Jayhawks album, Callahan departed, and was replaced by session drummer Don Heffington. The resulting record, 1995's Tomorrow the Green Grass, is a beautiful collection of songs led off by the elegiac single "Blue," the recipient of significant airplay. A tour followed, but after some months on the road, Olson announced he was quitting the band. In 1997, the Jayhawks — now consisting of Louris, Perlman, Grotberg, and drummer Tim O'Reagan — released the album Sound of Lies. Grotberg left the band in early 2000, and was replaced by ex-DAG keyboardist Jen Gunderman for the band's sixth album, Smile. A move to a new label (Lost Highway) in 2002 brought about more changes in the band's ever evolving lineup, leaving Louris, Perlman, and O' Reagan (assisted by newcomer Stephen McCarthy on guitar) to craft 2003's rootsier Rainy Day Music.
After a hiatus from 2005-9, the band reunited and, in 2011, recorded a new album. The lineup consists of Mark Olson, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Karen Grotberg, and Tim O'Reagan. The album, Mockingbird Time, was released on 20 September 2011. In September 2015, the same line-up, minus Mark Olson, began recording a new album 'Paging Mr Proust', produced by Peter Buck and Tucker Martine for release on the band's own Sham label in April 2016.
The Jayhawks featured on two albums by English rock musician Ray Davies, best known as lead singer-songwriter for The Kinks: Americana, released in April 2017, and Our Country: Americana Act II which appeared in June 2018.
The following month, the 'Paging Mr Proust' line-up was augmented by John Jackson (mandolin, violin, acoustic guitar) for the album Back Roads and Abandoned Motels. Recorded in two sessions in 2017, it comprises nine songs co-written by Gary Louris with other artists, alongside two of his recent compositions.
Norm Rogers (August 1, 1956 - February 19, 2018) original drummer and founding member, died in 2018.
http://www.jayhawksofficial.com
There is another band with the same name:
2. The Jayhawks (Jay Hawks, Jay-Hawks) were an American doo-wop group from Los Angeles, California that had a hit in 1956 with "Stranded in the Jungle". Their track "The Creature (From Outer Space)" can be found on various Halloween themed rock & roll compilations. During this time they also recorded as The Classics, After a few line-up changes they renamed themselves The Vibrations in 1960, but also had a hit with "Peanut Butter" under the name The Marathons.
Clouds
The Jayhawks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you're standing there
With that hurry home looks in your eyes
And flowers on the table
Sometimes I see too much
Sometimes I see too little
Sometimes shadows fall, darken all
Every time that I see your face
It's like cool, cool water running down my back
Cool, cool water running down my back
Sometimes I see my memories
Like a film that never stops
Although I know how it ends
Still I can't help but watch
There's a break in the clouds
As I feel myself shiver
Still there's no light coming through
No reflection on the river
Every time that I see your face
It's like cool, cool water running down my back
Cool, cool water running down my back
Every time that I see your face
It's like cool, cool water running down my back
Cool, cool water running down my back
In "Clouds" by The Jayhawks, the singer is reflecting on their memories of someone they once loved. The lyrics suggest that this person is no longer in their life, as the singer wants to "remember you" as they were before. The imagery of "flowers on the table" and "hurry home looks in your eyes" indicates a domestic setting, and the singer seems to have fond memories of their time together. However, the melancholy tone of the song hints at a painful loss or separation.
The chorus, with its repeated line "Every time that I see your face, it's like cool, cool water running down my back," reinforces the idea that the singer finds a sense of relief or comfort in remembering this person. The metaphor of water suggests cleansing or renewal, but also hints at the possibility of tears. The final verse adds another layer of sadness, with the singer describing a "break in the clouds" but no "light coming through." This could be a metaphor for the singer's life without this person, which lacks the brightness and joy they once brought.
Overall, "Clouds" is a poignant and emotional reflection on loss and memory. The singer holds onto the past and finds solace in it, but also acknowledges the pain of letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
I just want to remember you
The singer wants to hold into the memory of the person they love
The way you're standing there
The singer remembers the way the person they love stood
With that hurry home looks in your eyes
The singer notices the person they love looks eager to get home
And flowers on the table
The artist remembers the flowers on the table when they were together
Sometimes I see too much
The artist has a tendency to overanalyze things
Sometimes I see too little
The singer sometimes fails to notice important details
Sometimes shadows fall, darken all
The singer sometimes gets lost in negative feelings
And cover up the fable
These negative feelings cover up the beautiful story of their love
Every time that I see your face
The artist is reminded of their love when they see the person's face
It's like cool, cool water running down my back
The feeling of being reminded of their love is refreshing, like a cool refreshing drink of water
Sometimes I see my memories
The singer often reflects on their memories of their love
Like a film that never stops
The memories are vivid and replay in the artist's mind like a never-ending movie
Although I know how it ends
The singer knows their relationship came to an end
Still I can't help but watch
Despite knowing how their love story ended, the singer can't help but remember and hold on to those memories
There's a break in the clouds
The singer sees a small glimmer of hope for their future
As I feel myself shiver
The artist feels a mix of emotions, including intense feelings of longing and sadness
Still there's no light coming through
Despite the glimmer of hope, the artist sees no bright future for their relationship
No reflection on the river
The river symbolizes the flow of time and change, there is no change or progress in their relationship
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY LOURIS, GARY MICHAEL LOURIS, KAREN GROTBERG, MARC R. PERLMAN, TIMOTHY JAMES O'REAGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind