Violet Grohl is playing a Dork's Night Out at London's 100 Club•
All Points East has revealed four days of free community events in Victoria Park•
BTS are turning London into a citywide celebration ahead of their 'ARIRANG' shows•
Steve Lacy has teamed up with SZA on new single 'is it cool?'
•
My First Time explore the urge to escape on new single 'Paris, Texas'•
deBasement have announced their new EP 'HARDBODY' and shared teaser track 'CUT THE LINE'•
Mura Masa and Ledbyher join forces on break-driven new single 'Needja'•
Beck and Sierra Ferrell have teamed up for a new version of 'Ride Lonesome'•
Baby Queen turns the spotlight on herself with new album 'I Hope You Don't Remember Me'•
Cara Delevingne has released new single 'Need It', co-written with Fiona Apple•
Empress Of has announced her new album 'Dream House', featuring Blood Orange and Cecile Believe•
Ravyn Lenae weighs up an old flame on new single 'Saturday Night'•
Cruz Beckham has announced his debut EP 'Wear & Tear'•
Brandon Flowers has 'Plans' ahead of his solo return 'Thrasher'•
Carly Rae Jepsen has dropped her new single 'On Wires' ahead of double album 'Day and Night'•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Violet Grohl is playing a Dork's Night Out at London's 100 Club•
All Points East has revealed four days of free community events in Victoria Park•
BTS are turning London into a citywide celebration ahead of their 'ARIRANG' shows•
Steve Lacy has teamed up with SZA on new single 'is it cool?'•
My First Time explore the urge to escape on new single 'Paris, Texas'•
deBasement have announced their new EP 'HARDBODY' and shared teaser track 'CUT THE LINE'•
Mura Masa and Ledbyher join forces on break-driven new single 'Needja'•
Beck and Sierra Ferrell have teamed up for a new version of 'Ride Lonesome'•
Baby Queen turns the spotlight on herself with new album 'I Hope You Don't Remember Me'•
Cara Delevingne has released new single 'Need It', co-written with Fiona Apple•
Empress Of has announced her new album 'Dream House', featuring Blood Orange and Cecile Believe•
Ravyn Lenae weighs up an old flame on new single 'Saturday Night'•
Cruz Beckham has announced his debut EP 'Wear & Tear'•
Brandon Flowers has 'Plans' ahead of his solo return 'Thrasher'•
Carly Rae Jepsen has dropped her new single 'On Wires' ahead of double album 'Day and Night'•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Dork
News
Features
Reviews
Magazine
Shop
Listings
Directory
Festivals
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS
Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Playlist Covers
Playlist Directory
Recommender
Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS
Music Video Directory
Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST
Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED
Dork Live
Dork Radio
Live
Live 24/7
Dork Radio
  1. Tracks
  2. James
  3. Hey Ma
  4. Semaphore

TRACK

James

Semaphore

Release date: 7th April 2008

From Hey Ma
Spotify More on James

About This Track

"Semaphore" is a track by James, from the album Hey Ma, released 7th April 2008. Full lyrics are available below.

About the Artist

James

James

Lyrics

Semaphore

I may as well try semaphore

As words no longer work

This fool was feeling cornered

And he acted like a jerk

He'd tell you he was sorry

If that made good the hurt

It's too late now for sorry

It's too late now for words

We survive

Despite our desire to stray

Hell to pay

Thought you knew

My desires

Innate it's not going away

I hope you're not going away

It's a question of convenience

How pain, with time, will fade

Surrendered to acceptance

Dark night gives way to day

It was meant to be a gesture

That mark across your face

It's too late now for sorry

It's too late now for grace

We survive

Despite our desire to stray

Hell to pay

Thought you knew

My desires

Innate it's not going away

Hell to pay

Thought you knew

Hell to pay

Thought you knew

Thought you knew

Thought you knew

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Hey Ma

2008
Listen
Album
Hey Ma
Hey Ma
James
Release year
2008
  1. —
Watch the music video

James — Semaphore

James — Semaphore
3:46

 

Semaphore

More from James

Albums & EPs

Yummy
Yummy
2024
Be Opened By The Wonderful
Be Opened By The Wonderful
2023
Be Opened By The Wonderful (40 Years Orchestrated)
2023
Live in Extraordinary Times
Live in Extraordinary Times

Explore

More tracks by James

  1. 50s Out TakesYummy + Pudding
  2. Activist SongYummy + Pudding
  3. Alaskan Pipeline (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  4. All Good Boys1999 Singles & B-Sides
  5. All I'm Saying (Radio Edit)Nothing But Love – The Definitive Best Of
  6. All the Colours of You (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  7. Arpen CharpYummy + Pudding
  8. Be My Prayer1992 Singles & B-Sides
  9. Beautiful Beaches (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  10. Born of Frustration (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis

Showing 10 of 50

If you like James

The Lightning Seeds

Shed Seven

Shed Seven

The Charlatans

The Charlatans

Inspiral Carpets

Inspiral Carpets

Ocean Colour Scene

Ocean Colour Scene

Cast

Cast

Dork
Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

June 2026

Latest issue variants

View archive
Dork, June 2026 (Bleachers cover)

Bleachers

Dork, June 2026 (Myles Smith cover)

Myles Smith

Dork, June 2026 (Towa Bird cover)

Towa Bird

Advertise|Support|About Dork|Privacy Policy|Genres|Years|Sitemap|RSS|Cookie settings
© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Powered by PlaywireAdvertise on this site.
Hey Ma
  • —Of Monsters & Heroes & Men
  • —I Wanna Go Home
  • —Semaphore
  • —72
  • —Upside
  • —Oh My Heart
  • —Bubbles
  • —Boom Boom
    • 2020
    Living in Extraordinary Times
    Living in Extraordinary Times
    2018
    The Greenpeace Palace Concert (23 November 1992)
    2016
    Wake Up Superman
    Nothing But Love – The Definitive Best Of
  • Dust Motes (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Many Faces (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Someone’s Got It in for Me (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • The Lake (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Alaskan Pipeline (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Laid (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Born of Frustration (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Top of the World (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Sometimes (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • She's a Star (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • We're Going to Miss You (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Sit Down (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Beautiful Beaches (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Tomorrow (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • All the Colours of You (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Magic Bus (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Love Make a Fool (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Moving On (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Space (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Riders (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Say Something (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Hello (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Medieval (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • The Shining (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Nothing but Love (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Ten Below (Live at the Acropolis)Live at the Acropolis
  • Goal Goal Goal1999 Singles & B-Sides
  • Be My Prayer1992 Singles & B-Sides
  • Christ Passion
  • Poolewe Day 1 Jam 4Yummy + Pudding
  • 50s Out TakesYummy + Pudding
  • Arpen CharpYummy + Pudding
  • Activist SongYummy + Pudding
  • Close EnoughYummy + Pudding
  • Deliver The DawnYummy + Pudding
  • Mine to LoseYummy + Pudding
  • RogueYummy
  • Something of a PleasureYummy + Pudding
  • Tell Me SomethingYummy + Pudding
  • Walk TallYummy + Pudding
  • Won’t Be the SameYummy + Pudding
  • Mobile GodYummy
  • HeyYummy

    • View all tracks by James →

    READ MORE ABOUT JAMESREAD MORE ABOUT JAMES
    READ MORE ABOUT JAMESREAD MORE ABOUT JAMES

    No coverage available for James yet.