Victory Dance

Album: Circuital (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Right before recording the album Circuital, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James had LASIK laser-eye surgery and the experience partially inspired this song. He explained to UK newspaper The Sun: "It was a supremely life-changing and psychedelic experience for me. I've worn glasses since I was a wee babe and to have my eyeballs sliced open and shot through with laser beams was unreal. It really made me focus on the concepts of clarity and victory... how only clarity of mind and path can lead to eventual victory."
  • In the lyrics, James hopes that all of the blood, sweat, and tears he poured into his work will pay off someday and he can celebrate with a victory dance. The band were probably doing just that after the release of Circuital, which gave them their highest entry on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart, peaking at #5.
  • In the second verse, James sings, "Hey, do you know that the meek, they shall inherit the earth?" This is a reference to the Bible verse, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," in Matthew 5:5. Meek is an adjective that's often used to describe a pushover who lacks the courage to stand up for himself, but the biblical definition of meekness is about the quiet strength and humble attitude that comes from being submissive to God.

    MMJ often explore spiritual themes in their songs, but they're critical of how organized religion is used to cause division instead of unity (see "Gideon").
  • The band recorded the album in the middle of a scorching Kentucky summer in a church gymnasium with no air-conditioning. Despite the heat - which James said actually added to the intensity of their performance - the venue provided an easygoing atmosphere they didn't have on their previous album, Evil Urges, which was recorded at Avatar Studios in Manhattan.

    "It was way more relaxed and comfortable," he told Uncut magazine in 2011. "We set ourselves up with Evil Urges to be in a pressure cooker, looking for a tension and energy from the city. This time it was all about familiarity and space and time. Both sides have their advantages and disadvantages."
  • This was used on the TV shows Big Little Lies ("Kill Me" - 2019) and The Secret Circle ("Bound" - 2011).

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Don Felder

Don FelderSongwriter Interviews

Don breaks down "Hotel California" and other songs he wrote as a member of the Eagles. Now we know where the "warm smell of colitas" came from.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.