BROTHER JAMES
   
Originally Released on:

KILL YR IDOLS EP

also appears on:

  • Sonic Death (live '82/'83)
  • Confusion is Sex/Kill Yr Idols CD
  • Death Valley '69 EP
  • Live in Venlo (live '83)
  • The Walls Have Ears (live '85 - twice)
  • Hold That Tiger (live '87)
  • Gila Monster Jamboree video (live '85)
  • Live in Columbus video (live '85)
  • 1991: The Year Punk Broke (live '91)
  • Screaming Fields of Sonic Love
  • Screaming Fields of Sonic Love video (live '85)
  • Smart Bar - Chicago 1985 (live 1985)
  • 07/12/86 "LIVE IN DENVER 1986"
  • 10/05/85 "LIVE IN YUGOSLAVIA 1985/1987"
  • 08/25/91 "LIVE IN BREMEN 1991"
  • 11/15/95 "LIVE IN AUSTIN 1995"
  • 07/06/00 "LIVE IN COPENHAGEN 2000"
  • 10/07/01 "WORLD TRADE CENTER BENEFIT 2001"

  • Emma Presenteert

Line-up:
Thurston - guitar
Kim - bass/vocals
Lee - guitar
Bob Bert - drums

Lyrics   status: unconfirmed

"Take my hand" he said to me
Follow now or you'll be damned
Let's go to the other side
Let's go to the other side
Great balls of simplicity
Great balls of simplicity
Brother James gave em to me
Brother James gave em to me
I don't need em anymore
Don't go knockin' at my door
I don't need em anymore
Don't go knockin' at my door

Take my hand, you might as well
We're going straight to hell
I don't wanna hang around
Won't you stick yr head in the ground

Track length: 3:17

First Known Performance: 07/22/83
Last Known Performance:  12/31/10

NOTES:

  • This song and Burning Spear have remained constants in Sonic Youth's tour sets for the past 20+ years.
  • The Bob Bert version of Brother James on the Walls Have Ears is retitled "Brother Jam-Z".

ALTERNATE VERSIONS:

  • On "Live in Venlo" - LIVE - 3:32

    Recorded live on 11/27/83 in Venlo, Holland.

  • On "Gila Monster Jamboree" - LIVE - ?

    Recorded live on 1/5/85 in the Mojave Desert. Released on home video.

  • On "Walls Have Ears" - LIVE - ?

    Recorded live on 4/28/85 in London, England. Listed as "Brother Jam-Z". This is the Bob Bert version on Walls.

  • On "Live in Columbus" - LIVE - ?

    Recorded live on 8/1/85 in Columbus, Ohio @ Stache's. Steve on drums. Released on Atavistic home video.

  • "Smart Bar - Chicago 1985" - LIVE - 2:50

    Recorded live 08/11/85 Chicago, IL @ Smart Bar.

  • On "Walls Have Ears" - LIVE - ?

    Recorded live on 10/30/85 at the University of London. Walls again, this one's got Steve.

  • On "Screaming Fields" vid - LIVE - 2:55

    Recorded live on 11/8/85 in Brighton, England @ the Zap Club. Unlisted, but featured at the end of the vid.

  • On "Hold That Tiger" - LIVE - 3:22

    Recorded live on 10/14/87 at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago, Illinois. Preceded by Thurston's remark "This song has to be perfectly in tune, it's called 1 2 3 4!".

  • On "The Year Punk Broke" - LIVE - 2:39

    Recorded live between 8/20/91 and 9/1/91.