JAMC's early gigs have become the stuff of legend in underground circles. Playing in front of small audiences, the band earned their notoriety by playing very short gigs, some lasting no more than ten minutes and consisting of a constant wall of feedback and distortion. The group became know as well for playing with their backs to the audience and refusing to speak to them. Many shows culminated with the Reids trashing their equipment, which was often followed by the audience rioting. All of this delighted manager and Creation Records boss Alan McGee, who obviously found it very easy to get attention for the band, as well as aliened more commercially-minded music business figures.
Their debut single, "Upside Down", came out in 1984 on Creation, but they signed to the WEA-backed Blanco y Negro the following year. Said label released their debut album, titled 'Psychocandy', which fused together the Reid's two primary influences, the guitar noise and avant-garde rock of The Velvet Underground with the 60s pop leanings of Phil Spector and The Beach Boys. It included songs such as the indie sensation "Just Like Honey". The record divided many music fans due to its deliberately abrasive sound yet still received positive critical reviews and is now considered a landmark recording in the history of alternative music.
Gillespie left the band before the next album, 'Darklands, came out, going on to front Primal Scream. He was briefly replaced by John Moore (later of Black Box Recorder), before former Biff Bang Pow! drummer Dave Evans. The aforementioned 'Darklands' also received supportive reviews, and it showed a less noisy and more contemplative sound that was welcomed by both many post-punk fans and many mainstream rock fans. Notable songs from that period include "April Skies" and "Happy When It Rains".
Albums
# Psychocandy (November 1985)
# Darklands (September 1987)
# Automatic (September 1989)
# Honey's Dead (March 1992)
# Stoned & Dethroned (1994)
# Munki (June 1998)
# Damage and Joy (2017)
Plus the following - (sessions, singles, b-sides, live recordings et cetera)
# Barbed Wire Kisses (April 1988)
# The Sound of Speed (1993)
# Hate Rock N' Roll (1995)
# 21 Singles (2002)
# BBC Live in Concert (2003)
# The Complete John Peel Sessions (2003)
# The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities (2008)
For the iconic indie label Sub Pop, the band recorded 1998's 'Munki' album, which would turn out to be their last before splitting the following year. The album is often thought of as sounding 'divided' due to the Reids' crumbling relationship. Jim Reid has recalled: "Me and William weren't really getting along at all. That last year we barely even spoke. 'Munki' is one of my favorite albums, but it was really divided. William would go into the studio with the rest of the band and record while I wasn't there, and then I'd go in with them when William wasn't there."
William Reid then recorded as the artist Lazycame. Brother Jim formed the band Freeheat, which disbanded in 2003. Jim Reid is currently recording solo material and he has, to date, recorded and released one single Song For A Secret which was released on Transistor Records.
Like some of their influences such as Dee Dee Ramone, Lee Hazelwood, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, throughout their career the boys were rumored to have ongoing substance abuse issues, which may have contributed to their notoriety. They reportedly dabbled in regular use of things like amphetamines and heroin, which made for lyrical reference in songs like Some Candy Talking and the album title Stoned & Dethroned.
Despite not having huge commercial success, they've gone on to influence a range of other music groups such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Butthole Surfers, My Bloody Valentine, and Spacemen 3.
The Jesus and Mary Chain reunited to play at the Coachella Festival on April 27, 2007, followed by two more shows in Spain at the Summercase Festival. More shows followed in late 2007 and early 2008 in London.
Calling themselves 'Sister Vanilla' an LP, Little Pop Rock, was released in 2007 and reunites the brothers along with their sister, Linda, singing on most tracks.
Damage And Joy is the brand new studio album by The Jesus And Mary Chain, released on March 24th, 2017.
Other personnel;
Richard Thomas (drums 1988-1990)
Ben Lurie (bass/rhythm guitar/backing vocals 1989-1998)
Steve Monti (drums 1990-1995)
Matthew Parkin (bass 1992)
Barry Blackler (drums 1992)
Nick Sanderson (drums 1993-1998)
Mark Crozer (rhythm guitar 2007-now)
Loz Colbert (drums 2007-now)
JAMC singer Jim Reid is name-checked in the 2017 song "Lollipop (Ode to Jim)" by Canadian band Alvvays which begins "I saw Jim Reid in the corridor.." and contains other allusions to JAMC themes.
http://thejesusandmarychain.uk.com/
In a Hole
The Jesus and Mary Chain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the other side
Corn grows sweeter
On the other side
And I watch, And I watch, And I watch
And I see too much
And I broke my face
And my head grows too much
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
I step crueler
But less defined
Striped cats cooler
But so is mine
And I want to see
What I want to be
And I see me on a touching screen
And I'm dancing to a scream
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
How can something crawl within
My rubber holy baked bean tin
It's god to me, it's god to me
It is heart and soul
Oh, heart and soul
The Jesus and Mary Chain's song "In a Hole" is a haunting and introspective reflection on the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. The opening lines, "Grass grows greener on the other side, corn grows sweeter on the other side," suggest a longing for something that is just out of reach, a sense that there is something better somewhere else. The repetition of "And I watch, And I watch, And I watch, And I see too much," emphasizes the singer's sense of being overwhelmed and perhaps even paralyzed by the world around them.
The line "And I broke my face, and my head grows too much" may refer to a personal crisis or a feeling of losing control over one's own life. The reference to God spitting on the singer's soul suggests a sense of despair or a feeling of being abandoned by a higher power. The final lines of the first stanza, "There's something dead inside my hole," suggest a deep sense of emptiness or desolation, as if the singer's very being has been hollowed out.
The second stanza continues this sense of searching and longing, with references to dancing and touching screens. The singer seems to be seeking some sort of connection or validation, perhaps through technology or entertainment. Once again, there is a sense of being lost or adrift in the world. The final lines, "It's god to me, it's god to me, it is heart and soul, oh heart and soul," suggest that the singer has found some sort of solace or meaning in this search, even if it is not traditional or widely accepted.
Line by Line Meaning
Grass grows greener
There is always something better out there
On the other side
In a place not currently accessible
Corn grows sweeter
What you want or desire is always out of reach
And I watch, And I watch, And I watch
Endlessly observing from a distance
And I see too much
The observer tries to control something they cannot
And I broke my face
The observer experiences physical or emotional pain
And my head grows too much
The observer's thoughts or emotions become overwhelming
God spits
Feeling abandoned or punished by a higher power
On my soul
Feeling lost or hopeless in life
There's something dead inside my hole
Feeling empty or unfulfilled in oneself or one's surroundings
In my hole
Being trapped in a negative cycle or mindset
I step crueler
Reacting harsher towards oneself and others
But less defined
Feeling lost or unsure of oneself and one's actions
Striped cats cooler
Desiring something that seems unattainable
But so is mine
Realizing one's own worth and uniqueness
And I want to see
Desiring clarity and understanding
What I want to be
Striving for personal growth and fulfillment
And I see me on a touching screen
Viewing oneself through the lens of society or media
And I'm dancing to a scream
Feeling conflicted or distressed while trying to present oneself in a certain way
How can something crawl within
Feeling violated and helpless in one's own mind and body
My rubber holy baked bean tin
Something that was supposed to be safe and comforting is now tainted
It's god to me, it's god to me
Finding comfort in something that may not make sense to others
It is heart and soul
Something deeply meaningful and personal
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: JAMES MCLEISH REID, WILLIAM ADAM REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@andressawkey
Grass grows greener
On the other side
Corn grows sweeter
On the other side
And I watch, And I watch, And I watch
And I see too much
And I broke my face
And my head grows too much
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
I step crueller
But less defined
Striped cats cooler
But so refine
And I want to see
What I want to be
And I see me on a toxic screen
And I'm dancing to a scream
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
How can something crawl within
My rubber holy baked bean tin
It's God to me, it's God to me
This is heart and soul
Oh, heart and soul
Yeah, heart and soul
Oh, heart and soul
Oh, heart heart heart heart and soul
Heart and fucking soul
My heart and soul
My heart and soul
My heart and soul
Heart and soul
Heart and soul
Yeah heart and soul
Yeah heart heart heart heart heart
@googleaccountjki993
Grass grows greener
On the other side
Corn grows sweeter
On the other side
And I watch, And I watch, And I watch
And I see too much
And I broke my face
And my head grows too much
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
I step crueler
But less defined
Striped cats cooler
But so is mine
And I want to see
What I want to be
And I see me on a touching screen
And I'm dancing to a scream
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
How can something crawl within
My rubber holy baked bean tin
It's god to me, it's god to me
It is heart and soul
Oh, heart and soul
@dcowlam8483
In a Hole
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Grass grows greener
On the other side
Corn grows sweeter
On the other side
And I watch, And I watch, And I watch
And I see too much
And I broke my face
And my head grows too much
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
I step crueler
But less defined
Striped cats cooler
But so is mine
And I want to see
What I want to be
And I see me on a touching screen
And I'm dancing to a scream
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
How can something crawl within
My rubber holy baked bean tin
It's god to me, it's god to me
It is heart and soul
Oh, heart and soul
@maxmonas7131
It is a requirement to play this song as loud as possible.
@hundhun17
this is what rock n roll should sound like. this is PRIMAL from the gut. you can hear the anxiety and tension being released. Massive mindblowing SURGE of noise. Make me feel so HIGH. Not many bands can hold a candle to this record.
@254lele
pixies maybe
@lilianaborello4245
I saw Them in Italy 35 years ago...was a surprising experience for me...they were unique...Genius for the time....
@hiberniandivision7421
Wow, che invidia!!! In che anno e in che città esattamente?
@pulpi95
My ears bleed but I love it
@andressawkey
Grass grows greener
On the other side
Corn grows sweeter
On the other side
And I watch, And I watch, And I watch
And I see too much
And I broke my face
And my head grows too much
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
I step crueller
But less defined
Striped cats cooler
But so refine
And I want to see
What I want to be
And I see me on a toxic screen
And I'm dancing to a scream
God spits
On my soul
There's something dead inside my hole
In my hole
In my hole
In my hole
How can something crawl within
My rubber holy baked bean tin
It's God to me, it's God to me
This is heart and soul
Oh, heart and soul
Yeah, heart and soul
Oh, heart and soul
Oh, heart heart heart heart and soul
Heart and fucking soul
My heart and soul
My heart and soul
My heart and soul
Heart and soul
Heart and soul
Yeah heart and soul
Yeah heart heart heart heart heart
@duncanthehut
I care, I adore noise music, and this is my first time listening to Psychocandy, and I adore it!
@charlesdeason1646
God spits on my soul....
@Maxtaxifromhell
I bought this album on vinyl way back when it was first released and it still ranks in my top five favourites. This song still revs me up and makes me crazy.