The Songs

You can also view the songs according to album in the Discography section, original songs below, cover songs can be found here.

Original songs

A
Aluminum Park
Anytime
At Dawn

B
Bermuda Highway
Breathin'
Butch Cassidy
By My Car

C
Can You See the Hard Helmet on My Head?
Chills
Circuital
Cobra
Come Closer

D
Dancefloors
Death Is the Easy Way
Dondante

E
Easy Morning Rebel
El Caporal
Evelyn Is Not Real
Evil Urges

F
First Light
Friends Again

G
Gideon
Golden
Good Intentions

H
Heartbreakin Man
Highly Suspicious
Holdin On To Black Metal
Holy
Honest Man
Hopefully
How Could I Know
How Do You Know?

I
I Can't Wait
I Just Wanted to Be Your Friend
I Needed It Most
I Think I'm Going to Hell
I Will Be There When You Die
I Will Sing You Songs
I Won't Cry
I'm Amazed
If All Else Fails
If It Smashes Down
Into the Woods
It Beats 4 U
It's About Twilight Now

J
Just Because I Do
Just One Thing

K
Knot Comes Loose

L
Lay Low
Librarian
Look At You
Lowdown

M
Mahgeetah
Master Plan
Movin Away

N
Nashville to Kentucky

O
O Is the One That Is Real
Off the Record
Old September Blues
One Big Holiday
One in the Same
Outta My System

P
Phone Went West
Picture of You

R
R.I.P.V.G
Remnants
Rollin Back
Run Thru

S
Same in Any Language
Sec Walkin
Slow Slow Tune
Smokin' from Shootin'
Sooner
Steam Engine
Strangulation
Sweetheart

T
Thank You Too!
The Bear
The Dark
The Day Is Coming
The Way That He Sings
They Ran
Tonight I Wanna Celebrate with You
Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 1
Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 2
Two Halves

V
Victory Dance

W
War Begun
Weeks Go By Like Days
What a Wonderful Man
Where to Begin
Wonderful (The Way I Feel)
Wordless Chorus

X
Xmas Curtain

Y
You Wanna Freak Out

Evil Urges

Evil Urges is the first track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
What is what? Man they got us so scared
Thinkin we so evil way down under there
Ooh! I made a nasty decision! To love whoever I want, just a whenever I can

The things they say are evil urges baby they be - part of the human way
It ain't evil baby if it ain't hurting anybody
Evil urges baby they be-part of of the human way
It ain't evil baby if it ain't hurtin anybody

If its all the same we're tired of waiting come on then
And dedicate your love to any woman or man
No racial boundary lines, no social subdivisions
If you want it- you can!

I'm not saying I'm not saying that I want it "someday"
I'm not saying I'm not saying that I want it "somehow"
I'm not saying I'm not saying that I want it "someday," "somehow..."
Ooh! I'm ready for it now!

The things they say are evil urges baby they're part of human way
It ain't evil baby if it ain't hurting anybody...
Evil urges baby, maybe good and bad - its all the same?
It ain't evil baby if it ain't hurting anybody, anybody

Length of album version: 5:11
Written by: Jim James ("breakdown" of Evil Urges written by My Morning Jacket)
Also appears on: Celebración de la Ciudad Natal (2009)

Studio Notes

“For ‘Evil Urges’ I borrowed Jim [James’] Ovation 12-string electric. It’s like the Preacher model, but with 12 strings. It’s a particularly loud, trebly and evil-sounding guitar. I liked the way the12-string sounded on the intro chords, so I used it through the whole song. This went through a Square Fish Electronics compressor, an Ibanez Tube Screamer, a SIB Mr. Echo (for the end section), a Z.Vex Super Hard-On pedal, into an Orange Rockerverb 50 2x12-inch combo amp and a ‘70s Peavey Vegas solid-state amp with a 15-inch speaker. Both of these amps were able to be loud and really clean, while not sounding too nice. Somehow this combination sounded both really good and really bad at the same time, which I liked.”

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Band quotes

"I think that was one of the most fun to write because it started out as two riffs. Like that intro riff with the bubbling roads and stuff and then the kind of big chorus part. Those were just two riffs that Jim had and he wanted to fit them together. I think it was the first song that we worked on and it was kind of nice because we were all starting from scratch. It wasn’t a demo that we had previously or something that we were familiar with. So it was a nice ice-breaker. And it was one that we spent the entire month in Colorado last year rehearsing. Every day we would play that song. So every day it really went through a lot of changes and was probably the most collaborative thing that we’d done."

- Tom Blankenship, talking about Evil Urges (the song)
(The Aquarian Weekly interview, June 2008)

Aluminum Park

Aluminum Park is the tenth track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
You can care if you wanna
You can care if you don't
But c'mon it's a big big world now-
You gotta get what you want.
Got no lack of frustration,
Got no lack of disease...
But c'mon it's a big big world now-
You gotta like what you see... and I do.

Well you can ride, ride, ride on down to the aluminum park.
Well you can ride, ride, ride on down with your head in the dark.
Well it's a little bit important to me- you get a whole lot of what you need.
So you can ride, ride, ride on down to the aluminum park. ride!

Length of album version: 3:03
Written by: Jim James

Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 1

Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 1 is the second track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Touch me I'm going to scream if you don't!
Inside I know we have the feeling that you want.

I know it sounds confusing but it makes a lot of sense:
Row a boat across the ocean, dig a hole under the fence.

Touch me I'm going to scream if you don't!
Inside I know we have the feeling that you want.

I can tell by the way you're smiling- I'm smiling too!
I see myself in you.
I can tell by the sounds you make when you are pleased-
You see yourself in me!

Touch me I'm going to scream if you don't!
Inside I know we have the feeling that you want.

I need a human right by my side. untied. untied.

I need a human right by my side. untied. untied...

Length of album version: 3:49
Written by: Jim James

Studio notes

“For ‘Touch Me Part 1’ I used a new Gibson 335, into the Square Fish Electronics compressor, into the Z.Vex Super Hard-On, out to a Carr Vincent 2x12-inch combo (now called the Viceroy), and also out, with a short delay, to a Vox AC-30. The 335 was the clearest sounding guitar through this set up, and the Viceroy has a really nice reverb tank. Its tone controls are really responsive, so it’s versatile in the studio. Using a short delay on the AC-30 created a little stereo effect. We did this a lot on this album.”

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Highly Suspicious

Highly Suspicious is the third track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Wasting time home alone dotting your "i's"
Peanut butter pudding surprise!
Ain't nobody care what's going on in your mind-
But they got they eye on your prize...
I'm highly suspicious of you

Now daddy's got you home alone- solving your crimes
Peanut butter pudding surprise!
Ain't no jokin, smokin, strokin, tapping your lines-
Peanut butter pudding surprise!

I'm highly suspicious of you

Wasting all your time on drama, could be solving real crime
Waste away your mind too...

I'm highly suspicious of you
I'm highly suspicious, highly suspicious of you

Length of album version: 3:04
Written by: Jim James
Also appears on: Celebración de la Ciudad Natal (2009)
Other versions: Highly Suspicious - Exclusive VHS or Beta Dee Jays Remix (Causes 2)

Studio notes

“On ‘Highly Suspicious’ I used ‘Blacky’ – my trusted black ’88 Gibson Les Paul Standard – through three different amps: a Fender Pro Junior, a Top Hat Ambassador combo, and a Matchless DC-30. In front of the Fender and Top Hat amps I had a Fulltone 70 Fuzz pedal (specifically for the solo) and a Radial Tonebone Hot British Tube Distortion pedal was put in front of the Matchless. I remember Jim using a Z.Vex Wooly Mammoth on the solo as well – both fuzz pedals are great, but sound totally different. For the muted section I used a ‘70s Fender Telecaster into the SIB Mr. Echo direct to the desk. Later on, we did a little guitar overdub ‘thickening’ on the big chords using Jim’s Harmony Rocket guitar through an old Sovtek Head.”

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Band quotes

"Yeah, we really couldn't touch that one. It was just too one-of-a-kind. We told Jim, 'We're doing this one exactly like that.' Him on the drum machine, making it up as he went along, that was great. I guess it was time for some lighthearted whimsy. We needed that after some of the other songs."

- Patrick Hallahan, talking about Highly Suspicous
(News Observer interview, April 2010)

"A song like Highly Suspicious is serious, but there’s also a comedic element that we haven’t explored on previous albums so much. I like that, too."

- Jim James
(Under The Radar interview, June 2008)
Other
The season six premiere of The CW's teen drama One Tree Hill was titled "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream" and featured songs Highly Suspicious and Look at You.

I'm Amazed

I'm Amazed is the fourth track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
I'm amazed at a quiet ocean
I'm amazed at your warm devotion
I'm amazed at what the people sayin
I'm amazed by a divided nation

Like the rhythm of the earth I get disrupted

I'm amazed at all that has been
I'm amazed at all that will be
I'm amazed at the tv stations
I'm amazed what they want me to believe

after all is said and done- where is the justice?

I'm amazed- the lack of evolution
I'm amazed- at the lack of faith
I'm amazed - at the love we rejecting
I'm amazed- what we accept in its place

Like the rhythm of the earth
And the rhythm of the ages
Like the rhythm- I get disrupted

Length of album version: 4:33
Written by: Jim James

Studio notes

“For ‘I’m Amazed I used ‘Blacky’ (black ’88 Gibson Les Paul Standard) again, this time into a Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer and a Z.Vex Super Hard-On, out to my Top Hat Ambassador and Matchless DC-30. It took me two takes and two tracks because the intro part and the main section of the song use a different tunings. Later I put on a few ‘swoopy’ sounds using the Slam function on the SIB Mr. Echo and a Savage Rohr amp.”

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Thank You Too

Thank You Too is the 5th track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Really didn't think I was gonna make it.
Really didn't think I was gonna make it this way.
Put on my robot face, hide my emotions far away from me.

Oh! You really saw my naked heart.
Y0u really brought out the "naked" part.
I don't know what you were doing-
I know I just want to thank you for thinking of me.

I want to take you, for all that you are
Although our worlds seem far apart.
I want to see you- thru all that you do
I want to thank you.

It was strange and it was soothing, and you can even say amusing-
The way it came to me.
You'd devised a simple plan, that would change the fate of man,
You'd thought of everything

Oh! You really saw my naked heart.
Y0u really brought out the "naked" part.
I don't know what you were doing-
I know I just want to thank you for thinking of me.

I want to take you, for all that you are
Although our worlds seem far apart.
I want to see you- thru all that you do
I want to thank you.

Length of album version: 4:26
Written by: Jim James

Studio Notes

“This was ‘Blacky’ (black ’88 Gibson Les Paul Standard) into a Fulltone Tube Tape Echo into an Electro-Harmonix Memory Man (with a small delay) between two amps: the Carr Viceroy and the Top Hat Ambassador. On the intro I played with the repeats on the Fulltone to get it to feedback and get all ‘warbly.’ I don’t take the tape echo out on tour; in its place I’ve been using the Eventide Timefactor. It has a nice tape echo that I can control with my foot in real time.

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Sec Walkin

Sec Walkin is the sixth track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Left leg. Right leg.
One leg at a time-
I keep on walkin. I keep on walkin.
Red light, green light-
First light I see tonight I am walkin.
Ooh yeah I am walkin.

Fever! Breathe in your own cool, blue air.
Look for eyes that hypnotize and sparkle.
Look for eyes that hypnotize and sparkle... everywhere.
Brother, brother- don't you care?
Brother, brother- don't you care?

Left leg. Right leg.
One leg at a time-
I keep on walkin. I keep on walkin.
Red light, green light-
First light I see tonight I am walkin.
Ooh yeah I am walkin.

Fever! Breathe in your own cool, blue air.
Demon eyes. Demon eyes are watching.
Demon eyes. Demon eyes are watching... everywhere.
Brother, brother- don't you care?
Brother, brother- don't you care?

Length of album version: 3:35
Written by: Jim James

Two Halves

Two Halves is the seventh track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Remember when you was 17?
You's going crazy- you know what I mean.
It weren't that long ago- in the grand scheme of things.
It weren't that long ago- you think you're so much smarter now.
21- everything stays in place, 41 some things start to fade-
Well when you're so young you want to be older.
And when you're older you want the body you have now.

I believe in a perfect world you'd rule your own universe-
The only company you'd need would be in your brain.
The only company you ever need is in your head

You want this, now, you want that- can't have it all
You should enjoy what you have-
But I know what you want-
Well I know what you want-
Well I know what you want-
You want the better of two halves

Length of album version: 2:33
Written by: Jim James
Also appears on:

Studio Notes

“I used ‘Blacky’ [black ’88 Gibson Les Paul Standard] into a Boss RV-5 digital reverb, a modded Boss TR-2 tremolo, out to the Fender Pro Junior. Later, we did an overdub with the Ovation 12-string into an old tweed Fender Bassman. “

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Band quotes

"[it's about his tendency to] get caught up in the past or the future. It’s tough sometimes to be grateful for what you have right now"

- Jim James
(Dallas News, August 2008)

Librarian

Librarian is the 8th track off 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Walk across the courtyard, towards the library
I can hear the insects buzz and the leaves 'neath my feet...

Ramble up the stairwell, into the hall of books...
Since we got the interweb these hardly get used

Duck into the men's room... coming thru my hair
When God gave us mirrors he had no idea...

Looking for a lesson in the periodicals...
There I spy you listening to the AM radio

Karen of the carpenters - singing in the rain
Another lovely victim of the mirror's evil way

It's not like you're not trying, with a pencil in your hair
To defy the beauty the good lord put in there...

Simple little bookworm - buried underneath...
Is the sexiest librarian... take off those glasses and let down your hair for me

So I watch you thru the bookcase - imagining a scene:
You and I at dinner, spending time, then to sleep

And what then would I say to you - lying there in bed?
These words with a kiss, I would plant in your head:

"What is it inside our heads that makes us do the opposite?
Makes us do the opposite of what's right for us?
Cause everything be grrreat... and everything'd be good...
If everybody gave, like everybody could."

Sweetest little bookworm, hidden underneath...
Is the sexiest librarian
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me

Simple little beauty - heaven in your breath
The simplest of pleasures, the world at it's best

Length of album version: 4:16
Written by: Jim James
Also appears on: Celebración de la Ciudad Natal (2009)

Studio notes

“I played my Carter 12-string pedal steel through the Fulltone Tube Tape Echo into the Carr Viceroy and my Peavey Vegas. The Peavey is the classic steel guitar amp: solid state, loud, clean and honky. The Carr gives the steel some smoothness, and roundness.”

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Band quotes
In a Blurt Online interview made in 2008 Jim James explained that Librarian stems from his bad habit of falling in love but not doing anything about it (BO).

"I’m a shy guy, and I happen to be single at the moment, so if I see somebody I’m attracted to, it’ll become a fantasy for me to wonder what it would be like to have a real relationship with them."

- Jim James, talking about Librarian
(Dallas News, August 2008)

"Yeah, [laughs] we’ve really cornered the huge market on librarian lust."

- Jim James, about the statement that other bands fantasize about groupies or strippers, rather than women with degrees in library science
(Dallas News, August 2008)

Look At You

Look At You is the 9th track on 2008 album Evil Urges.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Look at you:
Such a fine citizen!
Look at you:
Such a glowing example of peace and glory. glory. glory.
Of peace and glory. glory. glory.
Let me follow you.

We believe in your power to lead without fear.
Now above, in some tower, but here-
Right down here-... with us, in this world.

Look at you: everywhere at once.
Look at you: such a glowing example of peace and glory. glory. glory.
Of peace and glory. glory. glory.
Let me... let me follow... let me... let me follow you.

Length of album version: 3:27
Written by: Jim James

Studio notes

“I played the Carter pedal steel again here, but this time through a Source Audio Hot Hand Wah. On the original demo for this song, Jim played the electric guitar parts with a wah pedal. Since all my feet are busy with the steel, I couldn’t use a standard wah, and didn’t want to use an auto wah. That’s why I got the Source Audio. Basically the Hot Hand uses a tiny device you wear on any finger, and the motions of your finger then controls the sweep of the wah or whatever sound you want.”

- Carl Broemel, talking about his gear choice
(EQ Magazine extra, November 2008)

Band quotes

Interviewer: Is there a little irony in that song?
Jim James: Yes, funny you mention that, 'cause I kinda, that song came to me and it was about the serious side of it and the ironic side where I was really mad at somebody. And I was like saying; look at you and you think you're really great and think you're trying to prove this point. But also at the same time it was really about somebody, there's like two different people I was dealing with. One of them was really pure and holy and led by example and the other one was pretending like they were really pure and really holy, but they weren't
Interviewer: Great, it's like you can, uhm, it was two birds with one stone in that song
Jim James: (laughter) It's a value pack

(About Look At You, Radio interview)

Touch me I'm going to scream, pt. 2

Touch me I'm going to scream, pt. 2 is the 13th track off album Evil Urges.

Touch Me I'm Going to Scream, pt. 2, official video directed by Mixtape Club

Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 2, performed on Black Cab Sessions

Evelyn Is Not Real

Evelyn Is Not Real is the 8th track on 1999 album The Tennessee Fire.

ev-O-lyn i hope this cant be true.
ev-O-lyn, you know my hearts with you.
dont try to tell me there's another boy,
don't try to use me like a lovers toy.
ev-O-lyn you know this cant be true.
from what i found the ground remains with you.
don't try to tell me theres another boy,
don't try and use me like a lovers toy.
"aw take it away johnny!!!"

Length of album version: 3:04
Written by: Jim James

Additional info
In the sleeve to The Tennessee Fire the notes for Evelyn Is Not Real says "It's so sweet, a love with someone so UNREAL."

On a 1996 demo tape the song title is written down as Evelyn Is Not A Real Person.

On the studio version of the song Jim James says, as noted above, "Take it away Johnny", on the Bonnaroo 2006 version of the song he instead says "Do it Carl" and on the KFC Yum Show 2010 version of the song James yells "Give 'em hell Carl".

Victory Dance

Victory Dance is the first song on album Circuital.

Should I close my eyes and prophesize
Hopin maybe someday come?
Should I wet the ground with my old tears
Crying over what's been done?
Should I lift the dirt and plant the seed
Even tho I've never grown
Should I wet the ground with the sweat from my brow
And believe in my good work
My good work, my good work, my good work
Hey there - I'm flying up above
Looking down on the tired earth
But I can see, I can see potential
Speaking thru you
Speaking to you
From all of heavens possibility
Power. Hey do you know how it work?
Hey do you know that the meek - they shall inherit the earth
But you should work, you should work
Yeah for the self and the family
Should I hit the water or stay on dry land
Even tho I never swam?
Take machete into the brush tho at first there is no path
Taste the war paint on my tongue
As it's drippin with my sweat
Place my gaze in the future's path
Seein things that ain't come yet
Hope to watch the victory dance
After the day's work is done
Hope to dance the victory dance
In the evening's setting sun
Hope to watch the victory dance
Over many lives to come
Hope to watch the victory dance
In the evening's setting sun
Setting sun, setting sun, setting sun (setting sun)
 Hope to dance the victory dance
After the day's work is done (setting sun)
Hope to dance the victory dance
In the evening's setting sun (setting sun)
Hope to dance the victory dance
Over many lives to come (setting sun)
Hope to dance the victory dance
In the evening's setting sun (setting sun)
Setting sun

Length of album version: 5:40

Wonderful (The Way I Feel)

Wonderful (The Way I Feel) is the fourth song on album Circuital.

It matters to me
Took a long time to get here
But if it would have been easy
I would not have cared
Like a tropical forest
Like a cop on the beat
When all is in order - you get lost in the heat
I feel so wonderful, wonderful, wonderful the way I feel
Doesn't matter to me
I can take it or leave it
I can learn from way back when
But still live right now
With the sun on my shoulder
And the wind at my back
I will never grow older
At least not in my mind
I feel so wonderful, wonderful, wonderful the way I feel
I feel so wonderful, wonderful, wonderful the way I feel
I'm going where there ain't no fear
I'm going where the spirit is near
I'm going where the livin is easy
And the people are kind
A new state of mind
I'm going where there ain't no police
I'm going where there ain't no disease
I'm going where there ain't no need to escape from what is
Only spirits at ease

Length of album version:4:17

Holdin On To Black Metal

Lyrics from CD booklet
It's a darkness you can't deny
But it don't belong in a grown up mind
Distortion finds its place in a youngsters eyes
Coming into life you need its grind
But at a certain point you got to let it go
Or it will cross the permanent threshold
You know you gotta find it out in something else good
Oh black metal so misunderstood!

Holding on to black metal (black metal)
(black metal) (black metal)
Holding on to black metal (black metal)
Yeah you been holdin on too long!

Oh black metal so misunderstood
Deep black service under Lucifer's hood
Black metal steals souls young, enuff is enuff
Refill out of Lucifer's cup
Black metal needs to be ... u teenage pop
Look @ u starchild ur all grown up
But still holdin on to black metal

(black metal) black metal
(black metal) (black metal)
Holding on to black metal (black metal)
Yeah you been holdin on too long

Catching waves on Lucifer's beach
Taking shade underneath Lucifer's beach
Getting sustenance from Luficer's peach
Oh black metal it's a ... all you speech

Length of album version: 4:19
Written by: Jim James

Band quotes

In an 2011 interview with MySpace Jim James explained how he'd been driving around listening to a song from a Thai pop compilation that had inspired a yet-to-be-titled track on the album. James’ head was suddenly overtaken by the voices of screaming women: they were yelling ‘Black Metal’. Just like that, James decided to add backing female vocals to the song, which came to be known as Holdin’ On To Black Metal.

"It was inspired by a song from a ’60s Thai pop compilation. I was hypnotized by it, and listened to it on repeat in the car. The lyrics and melodies just poured out as I drove thru Griffith Park, rocking to the riff of the song from the stereo. And therefore and unto forth and so on."

- Jim James
( A.V. Club interview, May 2011)

Interviewer: The song Holding On to Black Metal seems like an analogy for the growth you're talking about. Were you a black metal fan?
Jim James: When I was younger, I had more room for that energy. I still have respect for the bands and the music, but sonically, my brain can't handle the landscape of that music any more. That might be due in large part to being in a touring rock band. I'm constantly hearing loud music. So when I want to listen to music, I don't want to hear guitars.

 (Toronto Sun, May 2011)

Moving Away

Lyrics from CD booklet
Movin away, crazy destiny
I'll always be an alarmist
Who'll jump at a chance
Anything for romance!
I hope I'll always be what u want

Movin away
Those I'll miss
Those I won't
But I hope your heart will be where my home is

A new life to create
A new life to create

Don't know quite why
But I was feelin unsatisfied
I had to get out now
Try to find it

Possessed by your love
Under the influence
And tho there's a new life line
I won't forget the one I left behind

A new life to create
A new life to create
A new little life

Off the Record

Off the Record is the fifth song on 2005 album Z.

Lyrics from CD booklet
Sorry about the things that I had to say - and I'll make it up to you right now at the Penny Arcade
In an open car or wherever you are - push yourself too hard and it might get hot
Well I really don't need the confusion - and you know I just ain't the type
To get all wrapped up in the illusion of doin something that I know ain't right - right right???
You've got to want to re-arrange and keep it off the record. Off the record.
You've got to know that we will change and keep it off the record. Off the record.
In a crowded room near the box of boom, to an artificial tune, I see you swoon.
Well you knew all this would turn to mist if your idea wasn't kissed - why're you so pissed?
Well I know you don't need the confusion and I know you just ain't the type
To get all wrapped up in the illusion of doin something that you know ain't right - right right???
Right right?? Right right??? Right right right???
You've got to want to re-arrange and keep it off the record. Off the record.
You've got to know that we are strange and keep it off the record. Off the record.
You've got to know that we will change and keep it off the record. Off the record come on.

Length of album version: 5:33
Written by: Jim James, except instrumental end, which is written by Jim James, Tom Blankenship and Patrick Hallahan

Band comment

"It’s the recipe for supreme happiness & everlasting bliss as presented to you, the listener, in a backwards mumbled manner. Can’t reveal our secret recipe, but two key ingredients are red ripe strawberries & Lion-O from the Thundercats"

- My Morning Jacket, when asked about the backward lyrics in Off the Record
(eMusic Twitter Q&A, July 2011)

Into The Woods

Into The Woods is the 6th track on 2005 album Z.

"When I went to the UK college my roommate’s name was Todd and he was very intelligent. We used to have this saying, whenever we would say something that we really liked we’d say eee. Like if a hot girl walked by, eee that girl is hot. So in this song, there’s a place where I do that."

- Jim James, on stage
(June 2007)

What a wonderful man

What a Wonderful Man
Although the fourth track, "What a Wonderful Man" has an upbeat, happy sound, singer Jim James stated in "Velocity Weekly" that the song was written as a tribute to friend (and former bandmate) Aaron Todovich, who had committed suicide.