John Butler was born on April 1, 1975 in Torrance, California, to an Australian father and American mother. He moved to the small Western Australian town of Pinjarra in January 1986, when he was eleven. Butler began playing guitar at the age of sixteen, and by 1996 started his career as a busker in Fremantle, Western Australia. The John Butler Trio was formed in 1998 when Butler was joined by Gavin Shoesmith on bass and Jason McGann on drums, and by the end of that year had recorded their debut album John Butler.
They then released Three in 2001, Sunrise Over Sea in 2004 and Grand National in 2007, all of which were certified platinum.
In June 2009, a new line up of the ever evolving John Butler Trio emerged. Prominent Melbourne musician Nicky Bomba of Bomba fame and principal drummer on Sunrise Over Sea joined the band on drums and percussion, as did bass player Byron Luiters from Sydney outfit Ray Mann Three.
The latest album entitled April Uprising came from a journey John Butler undertook for the ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ TV series. He traces the Butler name through generations of hardship to a matriarch who sang for her survival and follows his Bulgarian ancestry to a forebear caught up in a violent revolt called the April Uprising. The recording process for the new album was shared with avid followers via a special studio sessions page on the band’s website.
John Butler comments on the forthcoming new album,
“The whole rehearsal and recording process so far has been a lot of fun and very gratifying. I feel the sounds and general spirit and energy of this album are best summed up in the words – free, melodic, funky, phat and rocking. There’s definitely a certain attitude that comes across on the album. Perhaps there’s a conviction, in a song writing and production sense, that I haven’t tapped into so much on earlier works that seems to be more prevalent on April Uprising. There’s chemistry and language that Nicky, Byron and I have found that really compliments these songs in all their different facets”.
I Want You Back
The John Butler Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I didn't want you around
those pretty faces always made you
stand out in a crowd
Then someone picked you from the bunch
one glance was all it took
now it's much too late for me
to take second look
To show you that I love you
Won't you please send me back in your heart
Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go
but now since I see you in his arms
I want you back
yes I do now
I want you back
oo oo baby
yeah yeah... naw...
Trying to live without your love
Is one long sleepless night
Let me show you girl
That I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on
I leave tear stains on the ground
Following the girl
I didn't even want around
Oh baby give me one more chance
To show you that I love you
Won't you please send me back in your heart
Abuh buh buh buh
ALL I WANT!
Abuh buh buh buh
ALL I NEED!
Abuh buh buh buh...
The John Butler Trio's song "I Want You Back" is a poignant and emotional track about the regret and longing one feels after letting go of a former lover. The song describes the singer's past behavior towards his former partner, and how he was blind to her worth when he had her to himself. He didn't want her around because her beauty and grace made her stand out, but after someone else picked her from the bunch with a mere glance, he realized it was too late for him to take a second look. The chorus is a plea to his former lover for one more chance to show her that he loves her and to be taken back into her heart.
The second verse intensifies the feeling of regret that the singer is experiencing, as he details the sleepless nights and anguish he's felt since losing her. He acknowledges his past wrongs and vows to show her that he knows right from wrong, claiming that he'd leave tear stains on the ground from following her around. The bridge of the song is a desperate plea for his former love, with the lines "ALL I WANT! ALL I NEED!" repeated over and over again.
Overall, "I Want You Back" is a heartfelt and relatable song about the pain of losing someone you love and the regret that comes with not realizing their worth until it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
When I had you to myself
Back when I was in a relationship with you
I didn't want you around
I didn't appreciate having you in my life at that time
those pretty faces always made you
Your good looks and charm made you stand out
stand out in a crowd
You were noticed by many people
Then someone picked you from the bunch
Someone else started showing interest in you
one glance was all it took
They fell for you quickly and easily
now it's much too late for me
I missed my chance
to take second look
To reconsider my feelings for you
Oh baby give me one more chance
Please let me try again
To show you that I love you
To demonstrate my feelings for you
Won't you please send me back in your heart
Please let me back into your life and your heart
Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go
I didn't realize what I had until I lost it
but now since I see you in his arms
Seeing you with someone else makes me realize how much I want you
I want you back
I want to be with you again
yes I do now
I am certain of my feelings
Trying to live without your love
My life is not complete without you
Is one long sleepless night
I am struggling to cope without you
Let me show you girl
I want to prove to you
That I know wrong from right
That I understand my mistakes
Every street you walk on
Everywhere you go
I leave tear stains on the ground
I am emotionally distraught by your absence
Following the girl
Chasing after you
I didn't even want around
Back when I had you, I didn't appreciate you
Abuh buh buh buh
Expressing my intense emotions
ALL I WANT!
You are all I desire
Abuh buh buh buh
Expressing my intense emotions
ALL I NEED!
You are all I require
Abuh buh buh buh...
Continuing to express my intense emotions
Writer(s): Freddie Perren, Deke Richards, Alphonso Mizell, Berry Gordy
Contributed by Aubrey C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JB 🦧
This ridiculous upload was the ultimate reminder of why we fell in love with triple J 🤟🏼