Sound

Sound is track three on the 1992 James album Seven. It was the lead single from the album released in November 1991.

It was debuted, but almost unrecognisably, at the Paris Locomotive show in March 1991.

An edited version of the six minute plus album track reached number nine as the follow up to the massive success of Sit Down.

Sound is a regular song at James live shows, clocking in often at well over 12 minutes as the band improvise and the light show takes over.

Mark Hunter of the band remixed the song under the title Diceman Mix for the Born Of Frustration cd single.

A live version recorded at Warrington in 1991 appears on the 2001 reissue of the album as well as the Seven Live dvd. Another live version from Reading 1997 is included in the Destiny Calling cd single package. A further live version appears on the 2012 Getting Away With It Live cd and dvd.

An acoustic live version appeared on the Unhinged disc that formed part of the 2 disc version of the 1998 Best Of. Another acoustic version from the band’s 1992 London show appears on The Gathering Sound live disc and a further version from 1992 on the 2016 Greenpeace Palace Concert Record Store Day release.

Details

LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs

Ape your father's sins, your mother's mood swings
To perfection
Fall into a spin, shed another skin
Strip away all your protection

Laugh at the wonder of it all
Laugh so loud you break the fall
And you see the gathering clouds
Cry at the sadness of the world
Cry so long you break its pull
Can you hear the gathering sounds
Ma-bah-oo

Do everything you fear
In this there's power
Fear is not to be afraid of

Laugh at the wonder of it all
Laugh so loud you break your fall
Can you hear the gathering sounds
Ma-bah-oo

Come, dip on in
Leave your bones, leave your skin
Leave your past, leave your craft
Leave your suffering heart
Come, dip on in
Leave your bones, leave your skin
Leave your past, leave your craft
Leave your suffering heart

Come on somebody
Do something out of character
Where's your primitive alien instinct
Leave it all behind
Somebody break away for God's sake
Alien instincts
An invitation to leave yourself behind