Sometimes

Trust me #10 - Sometimes by James

When Sometimes by James came out I bought it on 12-inch vinyl and on CD. My Mum then heard me playing it and then asked if I could buy her the cassette single for the car. So our household had it on 3 formats.

James were riding high on the back of the Goldmother (1990) and Seven (1992) album, resulting in them being invited to tour with Neil Young. On return they went into the studio with Brian Eno, a producer they had wanted to work with as far back as their debut LP Stutter (1986).

The partnership worked, resulting in not only the Laid (1993) album, but also the double album Wah Wah (1994) that came from free form jams with Tim Booth adding vocals later on.

 Sometimes is such a beautiful song. For me it captures the band and Booth jamming; free flowing lyrics over a driving and somewhat ferocious acoustic guitar lead to a head over heels romantic chorus.

The song allows a 7-piece band like James to open up and go with the flow, and oh how they go with the flow. Check these incredible live videos, firstly BBC footage from Glastonbury and secondly fan footage from a concert in Athen where the crowd just keep singing the chorus, Tim Booth join in, then he starts dancing and the band come in with some synth and it turns into a little rave for one glorious minute. Spine tingling.

Read on for the full lyrics and links to other songs in the Trust Me series.

There's a storm outside

And the gap between crack and thunder

Crack and thunder

Is closing in

Is closing in

The rain floods gutters

And makes a great sound on concrete

On a flat roof, there's a boy

Leaning against a wall of rain

Aerial held high

Calling come on thunder

Come on thunder

Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see you soul

Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul

It's a monsoon

And the rain lifts lids off cars

Spinning buses like toys

Stripping them to chrome

Across the bay, the waves are turning into something else

Picking up fishing boats and spewing them on the shore

The boy's hit

Lit up against the sky

Like a sign

Like a neon sign

Then he crumples

Drops into the gutter

Cut strings

Legs twitching

The flood swells his clothes

Delivers him on

Delivers him on

Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see you soul

Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul

There's four new colours in the rainbow

An old man's taking polaroids

But all he catches

Is endless rain, endless rain

He says "Listen"

Takes my head

Puts my ear to his

And I swear I can hear the sea

Sometimes (sometimes) I look in your eyes, I can see your soul (I can reach your soul)

Sometimes (sometimes) I look in your eyes, I can see your soul (I can touch your soul)

Sometimes (sometimes) I look in your eyes, I can see your soul (I can hear your soul)

Sometimes (sometimes) I look in your eyes, I can see your soul 

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave