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.
Save It For A Rainy Day
The Jayhawks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't disguise the living
All the miles that we've been through
Looking like a train wreck
Wearing too much makeup
The burden that you carry
Is more than one soul could ever bare
Don't look so sad, Marina
There's another part to play
Don't look so sad, Marina
Save it for a rainy day
Save it for a rainy day
Save it for a rainy day
You never make your mind up
Like driving with your eyes shut
Rough around the edges
Won't someone come and take you home
Waiting for a breakthrough
What will you set your mind to?
We stood outside the Chinese restaurant in the rain
Don't look so sad, Marina
There's another part to play
Don't look so sad, Marina
Save it for a rainy day
Save it for a rainy day
Save it for a rainy day
The lyrics of The Jayhawks's "Save It For A Rainy Day" explore the idea of a person who always looks for the silver lining in bad situations. The singer of the song, Marina, seems to be going through a tough time. Her appearance has changed, and she wears too much makeup to disguise the things she's going through. She's also carrying a burden that's too much for one person to handle.
The chorus of the song urges Marina not to be sad, as there's another part to play in her life. The singer advises her to save her emotions for a rainy day, indicating that better times are ahead. The second verse describes Marina's indecisiveness and her rough exterior, which perhaps comes from her hard life experiences. The reference to waiting for a breakthrough suggests that Marina is looking for a way out of her current life situation.
Overall, "Save It For A Rainy Day" is a song about hope and resilience in the face of difficulties. It encourages listeners to stay strong and not lose sight of better times ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty little hair-do don't do what it used to
The physical appearance of the person has changed and it is no longer as attractive as it once was.
Can't disguise the living
The reality of life cannot be concealed by outer appearances.
All the miles that we've been through
The shared experiences (good and bad) over the course of a long time together.
Looking like a train wreck
Appearing disheveled and unwell, like a train after a tragic accident.
Wearing too much makeup
Using external means to hide internal problems, instead of addressing them.
The burden that you carry / Is more than one soul could ever bare
The emotional weight that someone carries is too heavy for one person to manage alone.
Don't look so sad, Marina / There's another part to play
Encouragement to remain optimistic and to consider the other aspects of life that may balance out the negative.
Save it for a rainy day
Don't waste valuable energy and emotion now, hold onto it for when it is truly needed.
You never make your mind up / Like driving with your eyes shut
Being indecisive is like navigating dangerous territory blindly; it's likely to end poorly.
Rough around the edges
Appearing unkempt or brusque, with sharp or unrefined behavior, appearance or attitude.
Won't someone come and take you home
Desiring comfort and stability that is provided through another person's presence.
Waiting for a breakthrough / What will you set your mind to?
Anticipating a significant positive event, while also questioning the focus and direction of one's life.
We stood outside the Chinese restaurant in the rain
A moment of nostalgia or remembrance, reflecting on a past experience that also involved being in the rain.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@echodelta.foxtrot7718
See that kids. That's why living in god forsaken wintery MN is worthwhile. Nice work boys.
@AdamsMusicandFun
Gary's vocals plus the harmony vocals hit a really sweet spot for me musically. Greatness.
@nedneiderlander2153
Gary Louris had vocal chords that withstand the test of time. Incredible
@bldallas
My favorite song by my favorite band. 35 years and they still sound awesome!
@marie1962ish
Same
@pmhirschl
Every song sounds like a classic that was written before it’s time
@danielsainz866
I love it when a song touches my soul It just feels so right. Thank you
@danielwilliams1398
man this message is for Gary louris.. u helped me through the night ... many times in Iraq.... we would have u playing in the tent in Baghdad... we didn't care about the sound.. it pleased everybody... l was listening to you ... when I saw my best friend get blown up by an I e d .... couldn't listen to you for a while... but now I'm back... thanks to the deep emersion therapy.. that I am going thru at the university of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.. that I am going through right now...
@valentynabelofsky9374
Thank you for sharing your story. That sounds very difficult, it's good to here that your still fine after such a horrific experience! I'm sure you are an inspiration to everyone.
@pimvanderkleij998
Daniel, Courage! Courage! Very impressive post