Josh Joplin Group- "Camera One"

[ChartKid]

This was a song that was #1 on Triple A this time in 2001. I loved the song and still enjoy listening to it now. Unfortunately it didn't even break out of N&A on pop. Does anyone else remember this one or even know of it for that matter? Does anyone know what the song is really about?

[FreakyFlyBry]

I do remember this song, and I liked it.

[irice22]

I like it.

[Mega248]

This was a great song, though not quite as great as Howiedayfan makes it out to be.;)

[singingsparrow]

At first hearing this song I thought, "Oooohhhhhh...it's the latest R.E.M single!". Then, after hearing it was a new artist (also from Athens, Georgia) named Josh Joplin, I was like "Whhhhaaaaaaaa?"

Josh Joplin sounds just like Michael Stipe to me, not to mention his lyrics written in a similar style to his and even the sound of their band having a deep resemblance to Peter Buck and Mike Mill's guitar work.

A few times I heard another song from them, one about "saving people from burning buildings" or something. I forget, as Josh is apparently doomed to be a one hit wonder.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[iceman]

Why this wasn't at least a minor pop hit I don't understand. A friend of mine who normally listened to poppy music (boybands, Britney etc.) even liked this one.

This was a #1 hit on my chart.

[Radical347]

Sincerely, said:

This was a great song, though not quite as great as Howiedayfan makes it out to be.;)

Sure it is. It's the best song ever. The first time I heard it on Hiits 106 I thought it was one of the best sounding songs I'd ever heard, and then when I paid attention to the lyrics it totally blew me away. I still like it more every time I hear it. I can put this on repeat every day for a few hours and not get sick of it. It's that good.

I got it to be about something like there's a story from each person's life, and you don't need to be in front of silver screens to be important or happy, and just because you're in front of one doesn't mean you won't have doubts anyway, or something like that.

I don't know why lots of people I've talked to said they confused them with REM -- although a bunch of their other songs sound like REM demos, this one has a different style, probably due to Jerry Harrison production.

The song about saving people from burning buildings is called "Gravity," and Artemis screwed up JJG's career by releasing that as the 2nd single instead of "Matter" or "I've Changed" or "Undone." Sadly, I'd consider him more of a 0 hit wonder... :'(

[singingsparrow]

HowieDayFan said:

Sure it is.  It's the best song ever.    The first time I heard it on Hiits 106 I thought it was one of the best sounding songs I'd ever heard, and then when I paid attention to the lyrics it totally blew me away.  I still like it more every time I hear it.  I can put this on repeat every day for a few hours and not get sick of it.  It's that good.

I got it to be about something like there's a story from each person's life, and you don't need to be in front of silver screens to be important or happy, and just because you're in front of one doesn't mean you won't have doubts anyway, or something like that.

I don't know why lots of people I've talked to said they confused them with REM -- although a bunch of their other songs sound like REM demos, this one has a different style, probably due to Jerry Harrison production.

The song about saving people from burning buildings is called "Gravity," and Artemis screwed up JJG's career by releasing that as the 2nd single instead of "Matter" or "I've Changed" or "Undone."  Sadly, I'd consider him more of a 0 hit wonder...  :'(

Isn't "Camera One" about the Suddenly Susan star David Strickland who committed suicide, who was found dead in 1999 at the Oasis Motel hanging from a bed sheet strung from a ceiling beam?

I seriously believe that is the story behind the song, and to back up my thoughts on it, David was actually very happy just a couple weeks before the suicide, saying the following:

"I'm just trying to do a bunch of different things, I'd love to direct an episode next year of 'Suddenly Susan.' I think that's the best part about the entertainment business. I'd even like to try to get into a garage band. I'd like to be 30, 38, 39 and doing something really great and sort of have this look back and say, 'He's worked consistently. There's something nice about that."

Compare that to these lyrics in the third verse:

The sunny - haired son of Hollywood
Lost his faith in all that's good
Closed the curtain, unplugged the clock
Hung his clothes on the shower rod
But he didn't get undressed
And no, he didn't seem depressed

I'm not sure how you'd define "sandy" as a color, but Strickland's complex mood seems to echo through these lyrics.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Nicholas2.0]

Mega248 said:

This was a great song, though not quite as great as Howiedayfan makes it out to be.;)

I'm splitting hairs here, but I'd replace "great" with "really good."

[johnnywest]

The only time I ever heard this song was on Casey's Top 60 year-end survey of 2001. It was a great song and I taped it off the radio but unfortuately lost the tape.

[reception]

I like it.

[BillboardBoy]

One of my favorite songs of 2001.

[BillboardBoy]

When I first heard "Pictures of You" by The Last Goodnight, this is the song I thought of.

[WotUNeed]

Wonderful song. Love it.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

I don't think I heard this song until a few years after and now I listen to it occasionally when it comes on my "Essentials" playlist on my ipod. I really do quite like it!

[thirddegree50123]

When I first heard "Pictures of You" by The Last Goodnight, this is the song I thought of.

Me too. Wow, I thought I was the only one! I liked this song too. Never heard it on the radio. Just saw the video a couple times on VH1. It should've been a bigger hit.