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.
Martin's Song
The Jayhawks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When that old killer died
Put him down in a great big hole
And I fill it up all the time
See the building rise into the sky
Parking meters, traffic cops
You best watch your record, son
And I've been working all night
I go on into the day
Ain't got much money now
Got the time ahead
You got the time ahead to pay
Smoke and lightning, dressed to kill
And don't talk to strangers
Girl take your pill
Forty years of sudden death
The acid rain is falling on my head
Bush raids on the rise
The doctor's working overtime
Too much of a good thing's not enough
Stepping stones, building blocks
And I've been working all night
I go on into the day
Ain't got much money now
Got the time ahead
You got the time ahead to pay
I've been working all night
I go long into the day
Ain't got much money
Got the time ahead
You got the time ahead to pay
'Cause I've been working all night
I go long into the day
Ain't got much money
Got the time ahead
You got the time ahead to pay
The song "Martin's Song" by The Jayhawks is a melancholic reflection of time passing and the struggles that come with it. The lyrics are open to interpretation as the song presents lines that may seem unrelated to each other, yet they still tie together in some way. The first verse tells the story of a man who witnessed the death of someone, presumably a criminal. The singer mentions that he has filled up the hole where the killer was buried, suggesting that he had a significant role in the burial. The second verse brings us to the present where the singer is working hard to make ends meet, but warns us that we must be careful not to break the law, for we might end up in jail.
The third verse seems to describe the singer's experience of living in an era with rampant drug use, environmental pollution, and political corruption. The singer expresses his feelings of being overwhelmed by the current state of things. The last verse repeats the refrain of the song, "I've been working all night, I go on into the day. Ain't got much money, got the time ahead, you got the time ahead to pay." The singer is reassuring himself that he will make it through the day despite his difficulties, and he reminds himself that nothing lasts forever. Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on life's challenges and how one must keep moving forward regardless of what happens.
Line by Line Meaning
He was only six years old
The person being talked about was just a little child at the time
When that old killer died
When the person who was causing trouble died
Put him down in a great big hole
The person who died was buried in a very big grave
And I fill it up all the time
The artist is constantly filling the grave with dirt
See the building rise into the sky
A new building is being constructed, getting taller and taller
Parking meters, traffic cops
The area is becoming more chaotic and regulated
You best watch your record, son
Be careful about following rules and laws or there will be consequences
They'll come and lock you up
You could end up in jail
And I've been working all night
The artist has been working all through the night
I go on into the day
Continuing to work through the day
Ain't got much money now
The singer doesn't have much money at the moment
Got the time ahead
They still have time to make money and achieve their goals
You got the time ahead to pay
You have time to make up for any mistakes or failures
Smoke and lightning, dressed to kill
There's a lot of danger and excitement happening, with people looking sharp and dangerous
And don't talk to strangers
Be wary of people you don't know
Girl take your pill
The artist is warning someone to take their medications
Forty years of sudden death
There have been lots of unexpected deaths for the past 40 years
The acid rain is falling on my head
The environment is deteriorating and dangerous
Bush raids on the rise
There are more military raids or conflicts happening
The doctor's working overtime
There are a lot of sick or injured people who need medical attention
Too much of a good thing's not enough
Even if you have a lot of something, it might not be satisfying or fulfilling
Stepping stones, building blocks
Small things that help build toward something greater
I go long into the day
Working hard through the day
Ain't got much money
Still struggling to make ends meet
Got the time ahead
They still have time to improve their situation
You got the time ahead to pay
Don't worry about financial struggles, there's still time to make things right
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY LOURIS, GARY MICHAEL LOURIS, MARK OLSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind