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”.
Seeing Angels
The John Butler Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the one I thought I'd never meet.
Beyond my greatest expectations.
You exceeded everything.
Well here I am
Take me for what you see
For I'm transparent in the light of you.
See that fire burning bright
The same one that you rekindled inside me
My mouth was dry
Only you quenched my thirst
I thought I was last
You told me I was first.
And I thought I was seeing Angels
And now I know I was.
Your wings around me
Feel good they always does.
So there I was
Ain't the same man I used to be
But do you still like what you see in me.
Still see through,
Always will be with you.
Can you stand to see my vulnerability
For I am frightened
Shed so much I clung onto
The only things I have left is this guitar and you.
Nowhere to run
Been out here too long
Under the sun.
Am I too afraid
To get some.
To afraid to give myself some shade
I hope and pray I do some day.
The John Butler Trio's song "Seeing Angels" explores the feelings of awe and love towards a person who has changed the singer's life completely. The song starts with the singer expressing their disbelief that they actually deserve to have met this special person, who has surpassed all their expectations. The singer goes on to say that they are transparent in front of this person, and that they can see deeply inside them to a fire that the special person has rekindled.
The lyrics go on to express the gratefulness of the singer, who felt parched, and was only quenched when they met this person. The chorus talks about the singer's belief that they were indeed seeing angels, and that this special person's wings always feel good around them. The singer then talks about how they have undergone a personal transformation and now wonders if the special person still likes what they see in them. The song ends by exploring the singer's vulnerability and their hope that someday they will be able to give themselves some shade.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do I deserve such a visit
I cannot fathom why you have come to me, whom I thought I'd never meet.
From the one I thought I'd never meet.
I never imagined that I would ever get to meet someone like you.
Beyond my greatest expectations.
You have surpassed every single expectation I ever had for a person I could admire.
You exceeded everything.
You have surpassed all that I ever aspired to be.
Well here I am
I am here and ready to be taken by you.
Take me for what you see
Look at me without any judgement, just see me.
For I'm transparent in the light of you.
You can see right through me; I am an open book.
And look inside,
Take a look inside of me, past the outer shell.
See that fire burning bright
See the passion that burns bright within me.
The same one that you rekindled inside me
You ignited a fire in me that I thought was long gone.
My mouth was dry
I was thirsty for something more and could not quench it myself.
Only you quenched my thirst
You were the one who could quench my thirst for something more.
I thought I was last
I thought I was not important or came second to others.
You told me I was first.
You showed me that I do matter and come before others.
And I thought I was seeing Angels
I could not believe what I was experiencing, it felt like a miracle.
And now I know I was.
I realize that you truly are an angel in my life.
Your wings around me
Your love, care and protection have embraced me entirely.
Feel good they always does.
It always feels good to receive your love and care.
So there I was
At that moment in time, I was there with you.
Ain't the same man I used to be
I have grown and changed since I met you.
But do you still like what you see in me.
I hope that you still appreciate who I have become.
Still see through,
You still see through me, into my soul.
Always will be with you.
I know that you will always be by my side.
Can you stand to see my vulnerability
Can you handle my weaknesses and flaws?
For I am frightened
I am scared that you may not accept me for who I am.
Shed so much I clung onto
I have let go of everything that was pulling me down.
The only things I have left is this guitar and you.
You and music are the only things I have left now.
Nowhere to run
I cannot escape from my reality anymore.
Been out here too long
I have been struggling for too long.
Under the sun.
In this world and its harsh realities.
Am I too afraid
Am I too scared?
To get some.
To receive help, love, or care.
To afraid to give myself some shade
Am I too scared to take care of myself?
I hope and pray I do some day.
I hope and pray that I will be able to take care of myself one day.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN CHARLES WILTSHIRE BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind