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.
What Led Me To This Town
The Jayhawks Lyrics
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Room to Roam, but no place to call home
Dazed at first, but shaking off
The Sunday gloom
What led me to this town?
Such a lazy afternoon
Eight shades of gray and I can taste the rain
What led me to this town?
Blue lights shining over my life
Blue lights shining over my life
Sometimes I can't get free
When your standing right there infront of me
I woke up this morning and my dreams were gone
What led me to this town?
Blue lights shining over my life
Blue lights shining over me
Are you keeping a secret?
Well I'm keeping one too
Can you keep a secret, I'm in love with you
What happened to this boy?
Such a lovely mothers son
Blue lights shining over my life
Blue lights shining over me
The lyrics of What Led Me To This Town by The Jayhawks tell the story of a person who is questioning the choices that led them to their current situation. The singer of the song is reflecting on their life and how they ended up in a town that they don't call home. They are overwhelmed by the feeling of loneliness and are struggling to shake off the blues of a Sunday afternoon. The lyrics suggest a sense of detachment from their surroundings, with the harsh reality of the blue lights shining over their life, adding to their problems.
The singer is haunted by the past, unable to shake off the memories of the dreams they once had. The lyrics "Sometimes I can't get free, When you're standing right there in front of me" illustrate the singer's inability to move on from their past, even when new opportunities arise. The song ends on a note of longing and secrecy, with the singer confessing their love for someone who is also keeping a secret.
Overall, the lyrics of What Led Me To This Town are a lament about lost opportunities and misplaced dreams. The song is a reflection on the choices we make in life and how they can alter the course of our existence.
Line by Line Meaning
What led me to this town?
The singer is reflecting on what brought them to this place and is searching for an answer.
Room to Roam, but no place to call home
The singer has freedom to move around, but doesn't feel like they have a place where they truly belong.
Dazed at first, but shaking off The Sunday gloom
The singer was feeling disoriented and down, but is slowly starting to feel better.
Such a lazy afternoon Eight shades of gray and I can taste the rain Oh, how high the lovely have flown What led me to this town?
The artist is observing a lazy, depressing day and reflecting on how high others have risen compared to themselves, prompting their reflection on why they ended up in this town.
Blue lights shining over my life Blue lights shining over my life
The blue lights metaphorically represent the struggles and difficulties that the artist is facing in their life.
Sometimes I can't get free When your standing right there in front of me I woke up this morning and my dreams were gone What led me to this town?
Even though the singer is surrounded by people, they still feel trapped and unable to achieve their dreams, leading them to reflect again on why they ended up in this town.
Are you keeping a secret? Well I'm keeping one too Can you keep a secret, I'm in love with you
The singer confesses their love for someone and asks if they can keep it a secret.
What happened to this boy? Such a lovely mother's son
The artist is questioning what happened to them to make them end up in this situation, and reflects on how their mother may have viewed them.
Blue lights shining over my life Blue lights shining over me
The artist reiterates that their life is shrouded in metaphorical blue lights, and they are still struggling to find a way out.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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