The Jelly Jam is guitar-driven, psychedelically influenced rock with the spirit of Jimi Hendrix jumping in. It is quite simply a progressive rock n' roll project. The sound is very spacey and open, with a mixture of harder hitting passages to toss up the moods of the songs.
The Jelly Jam have released four albums so far: self-titled The Jelly Jam in 2002 and 2 in 2004, both under InsideOut Music. Their third album, Shall We Descend, was released in November of 2011. Finally in 2016, Profit came along.
not today
The Jelly Jam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some are black and white
And if you ask me if I'm going, well...
I might say "I might"
But not today
The same happened to you
The same as a dog
All you got was fog
Not today
You know the last time I looked
It looked mostly gray
But after the winter I can't really say
Not today
And the master of puppets
Who had just lost an eye
Asked me if he could
Put a glass one in and sorta
Drive right by I said "not today"
He loves power
He loves driving in the night
He loves power (power)
He loves putting up a fight
But not today
So you finally convinced him
That his real name was Sue
And now that he knows that he doesn't really know what to do
Not today
The lyrics of The Jelly Jam's song Not Today might seem a bit cryptic at first listen, but a closer inspection reveals that the song is actually about the struggles we all face in life when trying to achieve our goals. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with the singer noting that some people seem to have a clear path to success, while for others things are more muddled ("some are in color, some are black and white"). The singer recognizes that they themselves are unsure about their own path, responding to the question of whether they will succeed with a non-committal "I might say 'I might'".
The lyrics touch on the theme of disappointment when things don't go as planned, with the second verse describing how both the singer and someone else ("the same happened to you") thought they were headed towards a specific goal, only to be met with "fog". The reference to a dog suggests a sense of vulnerability and confusion.
The third verse adds another layer to the theme of struggle with the reference to "the master of puppets", a potential metaphor for someone who's trying to control their destiny. This person has suffered a setback (losing an eye), but instead of giving up, they want to keep moving forward ("sorta drive right by"). However, even this determined figure has to acknowledge that not every day is a day for victory.
Overall, The Jelly Jam's song Not Today is a reflection on the ups and downs of life, particularly when it comes to trying to achieve goals. The lyrics acknowledge both the uncertainty of our paths forward, as well as the reality that sometimes things just don't work out - and that's okay.
Line by Line Meaning
So some are in color
Some situations appear to be enjoyable and full of life
Some are black and white
Some situations appear to be dull and lifeless
And if you ask me if I'm going, well...
If you ask me if I'm going to partake in a certain activity or not
I might say "I might"
I am unsure whether or not I will partake in a certain activity
But not today
At this moment, I have no intention of partaking in a certain activity
The same happened to you
You have experienced a similar situation
The same as a dog
You feel lost and unsure of what to do, like a wandering dog
Just when you thought you were going...
When you had made plans to partake in a certain activity
All you got was fog
Your plans have been waylaid by a sense of uncertainty and confusion
You know the last time I looked
The last time I assessed the situation
It looked mostly gray
The situation appeared to be mostly neutral or lackluster
But after the winter I can't really say
Following a period of adversity, the situation may have changed and I am unsure of its current state
And the master of puppets
Someone who wields a great deal of control and influence
Who had just lost an eye
Who has recently suffered a significant loss or setback
Asked me if he could
Requested permission to take a certain action
Put a glass one in and sorta
Replace his lost eye with a prosthetic one
Drive right by I said "not today"
I declined his request at this time
He loves power
He derives pleasure and satisfaction from exerting control and authority
He loves driving in the night
He enjoys the thrill of driving at night
He loves power (power)
He is deeply enamored with the concept of power and control
He loves putting up a fight
He enjoys engaging in conflict and opposition
But not today
At this moment, he has no interest in exerting control or engaging in conflict
So you finally convinced him
You were able to persuade him to adopt a certain perspective or belief
That his real name was Sue
That he had been living under a false identity
And now that he knows that he doesn't really know what to do
Now that he is aware of his true identity, he is unsure of how to proceed
Not today
At this time, he is not focused on navigating his newfound awareness of his true identity
Contributed by Camilla C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.