The Jayhawks are an American alt-country and rock band that began in the mi… Read Full Bio ↴The Jayhawks are an American alt-country and rock band that began in the mid-1980s. On hiatus from 2005 to 2009, the band reunited and, in September 2011, released a new album, "Mockingbird Time".

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.

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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.

Falling Star
The Jayhawks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You keep your distance, I'll keep mine

Away, away now
No I won't fail now
To meet you in some half way
I hear the river running
Man, it's a humming
One thousand miles downstream

Chorus:
Falling star
In my window, you look so right
Falling star
You keep your distance, I'll keep mine

Yeah money to buy now
I paid in hard work
I'll be your young fool
A white flash of daylight
Shoot up the sky high
White bold from the blue

(chorus)

Oh, falling star (*3)
You keep your distance, I'll keep mine

Away, away now
No I won't fail now
To meet you in some half way
I hear the engine whisper
Man, it's a running
Come on let's get on our way

(chorus)

Oh, falling star (*3)
You keep your distance, I'll keep mine

Yeah,(chorus)

(verse 2)

(chorus)

Oh, falling star (*3)
You keep your distance, I'll keep mine (*3)

Overall Meaning

The Jayhawks' "Falling Star" is a song about keeping distance in a relationship. The opening lines set the scene for the song, with the singer stating that they will keep their distance if the other person does the same. The sentiment is clear, they don't want to get too emotionally attached to someone who won't reciprocate. However, the singer also hints at a willingness to compromise with the line "I won't fail now to meet you in some half way," suggesting that they may be open to letting down their guard if the other person is willing to meet them in the middle.

The chorus of the song is a catchy and powerful "Falling Star" refrain, which is repeated several times throughout the song. The falling star serves as a metaphor for the relationship, suggesting that it is fleeting and may not last. There is a sense of longing in the lyrics, but also an acceptance of the reality of the situation. In the end, the singer seems resigned to their fate, saying "You keep your distance, I'll keep mine" three times in a row to emphasize the finality of the decision.

Overall, "Falling Star" is a song that captures the bittersweet nature of relationships. It is a reminder that sometimes we need to keep our distance to protect ourselves, but that doesn't mean we can't still feel a sense of longing and connection. The song's lyrics are simple but powerful, and the chorus is sure to stick in your head long after the song has ended.

Line by Line Meaning

You keep your distance, I'll keep mine
Let's maintain a distance between us

Away, away now
Let's stay away from each other right now

No I won't fail now
I will not give up or fall through this time

To meet you in some half way
Let's meet each other halfway

I hear the river running
I can hear the sound of the river flowing

Man, it's a humming
And it's making a humming sound

One thousand miles downstream
And it's flowing one thousand miles downstream

Falling star
Seeing a shooting star falling in the sky

In my window, you look so right
Seeing the shooting star from my window and it looks perfect

Yeah money to buy now
I have enough money to buy anything

I paid in hard work
But I worked hard to earn that money