Tim Rogers formed the first version of the band in Sydney, Australia, with his school friend Nick Tischler and his older brother Jaimme in December 1989. This initial line-up was short lived and by the end of 1990 both Nick and Jaimme had left the band. They were replaced by the group's one-time sound mixer Andy Kent on bass and Mark Tunaley on drums.
The band released several EPs and singles in the early 90s, though the real breakthrough came when Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth caught the band performing at 1993's Big Day Out festival and was impressed enough to produce their fourth EP, Coprolalia, and later the debut album, Sound as Ever, which went on to win the 1993 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release.
After the release of their first album, Mark and the band parted company. He was replaced by the charismatic Russell Hopkinson (formerly of Nursery Crimes) creating the core line-up to this day. Since then, the band has been augmented by Davey Lane of The Pictures on guitar.
You Am I had toured the US extensively during the mid 90s, including playing with Soundgarden on the Lollapalooza festival, Red Kross, The Strokes and Smoking Popes to name a few. Despite little success overseas, the band became well known throughout Australia for their Pete Townshend-esque guitar windmills and their upbeat "ponce and thuggery" take on Rock 'n' Roll.
Further success came with the albums Hi Fi Way and Hourly Daily, with both picking up ARIA Awards. Hourly Daily was the first album released on the Shock label to go to number one in the ARIA charts upon launch. For many, the suburban inspired, 60s bop and folky 12 string melodies were a welcome departure from ever pervasive 70s rock sounds, or even grunge rock.
Subtle country influences became apparent on their 1998 Number 4 Record, which included the poignant Heavy Heart. A heart wrenching, almost karaoke inspired ballad about being 'dropped' by your girlfriend. Evidently each subsequent album has had a few countryish twang which have polarised some fans, who idolise the band's earlier warts and all rock beginnings.
1999 saw frontman Tim Rogers release his first solo album What Rhymes With Cars And Girls, followed up in 2004 by the record Spit Polish. In 2005 he released the critically acclaimed double-LP 'Ghost Songs' and 'Dirty Ron'.
After an album absence prolonged by touring and record label interference, Dress Me Slowly was released April 2001. Arguably containing some of the bands' best work including Damage and Kick a Hole in the Sky there were also some stellar b-Sides on the commercial singles that accompanied the album. These include a song called Older Guys which is track 2 on the Get Up single. Older Guys was one of the stand out songs on Gram Parsons' group The Flying Burrito Brothers album Burrito Deluxe and although the You Am I b-side is an original, Rogers is recognised as a keen student of music history and some connection can be assumed.
Dress Me Slowly was second guitarist, Davey Lane's first bona fide appearance on a studio record. Lane had come to the band's attention from his own work with The Pictures and transcribing, with almost scary accuracy, the band's guitar tabs on the You Am I web site. The band's last collective studio effort was Deliverance in 2002.
The likes of Nic Cester of Jet have mentioned that You Am I, at the very least, reminded them that you don't have to be American to be a successful rock band. Iconic references to Australian everyday suburban life remain a constant theme of Roger's material. The Vines also credit You Am I as a major influence and Silverchair take their name, in part, from You Am I's song Berlin Chair.
Their seventh album "Convicts" was released in May 2006. An about face on the previous two albums, Convicts rocks hard all of the way through with much more straight forward production and higher energy that makes you jump.
Their eighth album "Dilettantes" was released in September 2008.
Sugar
You Am I Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
come and rest your feet
Its been a long long while
since you were been close to me
Lets polish of a few
Underneath the sky
Its pulling all its faces
and see just what it brings
we've been running too much
need to miss out on a few things
[Chorus]
If we just get it on
Tease and treat me wrong
Birds do it
Bees do it
Drop right down to my knees to do it
Just get me on my feet again
Get me on my feet again
Swinging like a tire
Princess off the beat
Telephone wires with all
Explode at your feet
I'm running out of blood
But i'm never cold
But I need to jump those fences
Holding neath the show
Cause I see just what I need
So drag this boy on over
Let him fall real deep
[Chorus]
Sugar I'm a mess
But its where I want to be
I want to burn out with a smile
That cuts right through my teeth
Everyone gets rained
Rained on just the same
But lately its been soaking
Us right to the veins
And we're running out of time
So drag this boy on over
And keep him til its light
Can we just get it on
Tease and treat me wrong
Them birds do it
Them bees do it
Drop right down to my knees to do it
Just get me on my feet again
Just get me on my feet again
Just get me on my feet again
Get me on my feet again
The song “Sugar” by You Am I tells a story of a person who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and spend some time with their loved one. The song starts with the singer asking their loved one to sit down and rest, saying that it has been a long time since they were close. They want to spend some time with their loved one and enjoy the moment, without worrying about anything else. The chorus of the song talks about wanting to be teased and treated wrong by their loved one, and how they are willing to drop down to their knees to please them. The song’s title is perhaps a metaphor for the singer’s loved one, as they provide a source of sweetness and comfort in their otherwise stressful life.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about wanting to get away from the noise and chaos of the world. They want to see what is happening around them and enjoy the peace and quiet. They talk about wanting to jump over fences and explore the world around them, but they also recognize that they need their partner to help them through it all. Despite the hardships and difficulties they may face, they want to keep going and experience everything that life has to offer.
Ultimately, the message of the song is about wanting to find comfort and happiness in the chaos of life. The singer wants to find someone who can help them face the challenges of the world, and who can make life a little sweeter. It’s a reminder that no matter how crazy the world can be, there is always someone who can help us find our way through it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Sugar sit a while
Come take a break and let's spend some time together
come and rest your feet
Take a load off and relax
Its been a long long while
It's been a while since we've spent time like this
since you were been close to me
Since we've been this intimate
Lets polish of a few
Let's finish off some things
Underneath the sky
While we're outside and under the open sky
Its pulling all its faces
The sky is constantly changing, showing different moods and emotions
You want to stand real quiet
You should take a moment to be still and pay attention
and see just what it brings
To see how the sky affects nature and the world around us
we've been running too much
We've been too busy to enjoy the simple things
need to miss out on a few things
We shouldn't miss out on experiences and opportunities
If we just get it on
If we just focus and connect
Tease and treat me wrong
Experiment with different ways of connecting and teasing each other
Birds do it
Even animals connect in different ways
Bees do it
Bees also have complex social and reproductive behaviors
Drop right down to my knees to do it
I'll do whatever it takes to make this connection meaningful
Just get me on my feet again
Just give me a reason to feel alive and meaningful
Swinging like a tire
Feeling free and unanchored
Princess off the beat
Stepping outside the conventional and expected
Telephone wires with all
The world around us is full of constant communication
Explode at your feet
Sometimes it feels overwhelming and powerful
I'm running out of blood
I'm feeling drained and tired
But i'm never cold
I still have passion and desire
But I need to jump those fences
I need to leave behind any barriers to connecting
Holding neath the show
Keeping my feelings and passions barely hidden
Cause I see just what I need
I know what it takes to feel alive and significant
So drag this boy on over
Push me further towards making that meaningful connection
Let him fall real deep
Let me be vulnerable and open to the experience
Sugar I'm a mess
I may not have it all together or be perfect, but I'm still worth it
But its where I want to be
This is exactly where I want to be, in the moment with you
I want to burn out with a smile
I want to live life passionately and with joy
That cuts right through my teeth
That leaves a lasting impression on me, in the best way
Everyone gets rained
We all have our share of hardships and difficulties
Rained on just the same
We all experience these hardships in similar ways
But lately its been soaking
Lately, it's been particularly difficult and overwhelming
Us right to the veins
It's affecting us on a deep, personal level
And we're running out of time
We don't have forever to make these connections and memories
So drag this boy on over
Let's focus on connecting and living in the moment
And keep him til its light
Don't let this moment end too soon
Can we just get it on
Let's really focus on making this connection deep and meaningful
Tease and treat me wrong
Let's explore and experiment with new ways to connect
Them birds do it
Even animals have complex mating and social behaviors
Them bees do it
Bees also have complex social and reproductive behaviors
Drop right down to my knees to do it
I'll do whatever it takes to make this connection deep and meaningful
Just get me on my feet again
Just give me a reason to feel alive and meaningful
Just get me on my feet again
Just give me a reason to feel alive and meaningful
Just get me on my feet again
Just give me a reason to feel alive and meaningful
Get me on my feet again
Make me feel alive and meaningful
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: EVAN A. ROGERS, CARL ALLEN STURKEN, BERRY JR. GORDY, FREDERICK J. PERREN, ALPHONSO MIZELL, DEKE RICHARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind