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.
Over My Shoulder
The Jayhawks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Left running you said you were cold
Any statue you can name
Like the ones that I fell for
[Chorus]
I've been looking over my shoulder
Would you love me when you're older
Still I know you're true
The first game is lost and you will
Another game is hide in your fear
Oh, please tell me how my heart
How can my heart belong to you
[Chorus]
Every time that you look my way
I fell so homeless
Your dreams own me
These landslides and buildings too high
That blocks the sun for everyone
Oh the law lives everywhere
And it lives without a care
[Chorus: x2]
Left running you said you were flying
Left running you said you were cold
The lyrics of The Jayhawks's "Over My Shoulder" tell a story of uncertainty and doubt in a relationship. The song starts with the lines, "Left running you said you were flying, Left running you said you were cold," which suggests that the singer's partner was not being truthful or honest in their communications. The next lines, "Any statue you can name, Like the ones that I fell for," indicate that the singer may have been fooled by their partner's facade, just as if they were a statue that looked appealing but held no true emotion or character.
The chorus brings in the central theme of the song, with the singer wondering whether or not their partner will love them in the future. The lines, "I've been looking over my shoulder, Would you love me when you're older, Would you love me when you're older, Still, I know you're true," reveals the singer's self-doubt while still acknowledging their love and trust for the partner.
The verse further explores the theme of fear and uncertainty, with the lyrics, "The first game is lost, and you will, Another game is hide in your fear, Oh, please tell me how my heart, How can my heart belong to you." The singer's heart is wavering, and they are questioning whether or not their partner is playing games or hiding behind fear.
The final lines of the song, "Every time that you look my way, I fell so homeless, Your dreams own me," reveal that the singer is attached to their partner, but they feel directionless and lost in the relationship. Overall, the song showcases the complexity and turmoil that can arise in relationships, particularly when trust and honesty are in question.
Line by Line Meaning
Left running you said you were flying
You left in haste, claiming you were moving rapidly towards your goal
Left running you said you were cold
You left suddenly, claiming you were feeling emotionally numb
Any statue you can name
You and I both have been infatuated with many images of beauty
Like the ones that I fell for
Just like how I fell for those statues, I've also fallen for you
I've been looking over my shoulder
I'm constantly checking to see if you're still there and if our love will last
Would you love me when you're older
Do you think you will still love me even when we're both much older?
Still I know you're true
Despite my doubts, I have faith in the fact that you still love me
The first game is lost and you will
Our first attempt at love did not work out, and you accepted that fact
Another game is hide in your fear
You're hesitant to try again because you're scared it won't work out
Oh, please tell me how my heart
Please explain to me why my heart beats so fast for you
How can my heart belong to you
How can I be so sure that my heart belongs solely to you?
Every time that you look my way
Whenever you glance in my direction
I fell so homeless
I feel like I have no place to belong without your love
Your dreams own me
I am tied to you and your aspirations, they are my own now too
These landslides and buildings too high
We're surrounded by obstacles both natural and man-made
That blocks the sun for everyone
These obstacles cast shadows on everything and everyone, making life more difficult
Oh the law lives everywhere
There are always rules and restrictions in every part of life
And it lives without a care
The law carries on its duties without regard for how it affects individuals
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY LOURIS, GARY MICHAEL LOURIS, MARK OLSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind