1) The Monitors was an Australian synth po… Read Full Bio ↴This is for three groups:
1) The Monitors was an Australian synth pop band of the early 1980s. They were primarily a studio group which involved a collaboration between Mark Moffatt and Terry McCarthy, featuring various vocalists.
Their biggest single was "Singin' In The '80s" which was released in 1980 and reached #16 on the Australian singles charts. The song was co-written by Moffat and McCarthy, with Kim Durant providing the vocals on the chorus. The video featured Gayle & Gillian Blakeney lipsyncing the vocals, the sisters went on to become television hosts on children's television show Wombat and actresses on television soap opera Neighbours. The video for the song famously featured the singers in the makeup used by rock group KISS.
Mark Moffatt has performed as a guitarist with other artists and bands. He is also a music producer and engineer who has worked with such artists as The Saints, Richard Clapton, Tim Finn, Renee Geyer, Mondo Rock, Mental As Anything, Jimmy and the Boys, Jenny Morris and Melinda Schneider.
Terry McCarthy went on to became a successful advertising executive.
Ricky Fataar went on to become a music producer.
2) The classic Motown group which began as "The Majestics" in 1964 and became The Monitors circa 1965. Group members included Richard Street (lead/background vocals), Warren Harris (background vocals), John "Maurice" Fagin (background vocals, and Sandra Fagin (lead/background vocals). The group was active until 1969-70 when Richard Street left to begin his gradual replacement of Paul Williams in The Temptations, a position he would hold for many years to come.
3) The band based in Orebro, Sweden. They debuted nov 17th at a local event.
Erik Osmark - Lead vocals/guitar
Alexander Heimonen - Synthesizer
Andreas Odelberg - Base/vocals
Simon Perrson - Lead guitar/vocals
Gustav Bruno - Drums
Greetings
The Monitors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is Uncle Sam
I want to take you
To a far off land
I need you
Oh, I need you
Yes, I need you
To lend a helping hand
Said goodbye
To all my buddies
Say hello
To your new friends
'Cause you're in the army now
And your new life has just begun
I need you
Oh, I need you
Yes, I need you
To lend a helping hand
I can just see me now
With a rifle in my hand
I'm gonna have to say
Goodbye to my girl
And I hope she doesn't
Find another man
And baby, baby
While I'm away
Please, please write everyday
Oh no, no
Please don't take me, Uncle Sam
You're in the army now
Goodbye, baby
So long, friends
Goodbye, baby
I hope to see you again
I need you
(Come on, boy)
Oh, I need you
(We're gonna make a man out of you)
Yes, I need you
To lend a helping hand
(This one training
You're not gonna miss)
Come on, boy
Whatta mean you've never heard of KP
I don't care if it's 4 in the morning
There is a right way
A wrong way
And there's my way
You'll do it my way
Come on, boy
On the double
Get in step, boy
Come on, now
March, march
Your mama's a long ways off, boy
So stop your crying
March
Get in step, boy
Left, right
Left, right
I said get in step, boy
Left
The song "Greetings" by The Monitors is a commentary on the political climate of the United States during the Vietnam War era. The song is told from the perspective of Uncle Sam, a symbol of the United States government, who is calling out to young men to come and fight in a "far off land." The lyrics are poignant and depict the struggles that young soldiers faced when they were drafted into the army.
The song opens with Uncle Sam introducing himself and telling the listener that he wants to take them to a far-off land. He then proceeds to say how much he needs them and implores them to lend a helping hand. The second verse talks about the soldier saying goodbye to his friends and hello to his new life, as he enters the army. The song then shifts to the soldier's perspective, as he talks about having to leave his loved ones behind and hoping that his girlfriend doesn't find another man while he is away. He then pleads with her to write to him every day.
The last part of the song is Uncle Sam commanding the soldier to march and get in line, as he tries to make a man out of him. The lyrics in this part of the song are symbolic of the strict military discipline that soldiers were subjected to during their training. Overall, "Greetings" is a powerful commentary on the Vietnam War and the political climate of the time.
Line by Line Meaning
This is Uncle Sam
The singer is identifying himself as Uncle Sam
I want to take you
Uncle Sam wants to take the listener somewhere
To a far off land
The place where Uncle Sam wants to take the listener is far from home
I need you
Uncle Sam needs the listener's assistance
Oh, I need you
Uncle Sam needs the listener's help urgently
Yes, I need you
Uncle Sam is firm in his demand for the listener's help
To lend a helping hand
Uncle Sam wants the listener to help with something specific
Said goodbye
The artist said goodbye to someone
To all my buddies
The artist said goodbye to all his friends
Say hello
The artist is telling the listener to say hello
To your new friends
The listener has new friends in a new place
'Cause you're in the army now
The listener has joined the military
And your new life has just begun
The listener has a new life as a soldier
I can just see me now
The singer has a mental image of himself doing something
With a rifle in my hand
The singer has a rifle in his hand in the image
I'm gonna have to say
The artist will need to say something in the future
Goodbye to my girl
The artist will have to say goodbye to his girlfriend
And I hope she doesn't
The singer wishes that something won't happen
Find another man
The singer doesn't want his girlfriend to be with someone else
And baby, baby
The artist is addressing his girlfriend affectionately
While I'm away
The artist will be gone for a while
Please, please write everyday
The artist is pleading with his girlfriend to write to him often
Oh no, no
The singer is denying something
Please don't take me, Uncle Sam
The artist doesn't want to be taken by Uncle Sam
Goodbye, baby
The singer is saying goodbye to his girlfriend
So long, friends
The singer is saying goodbye to his friends
I hope to see you again
The singer hopes to see his loved ones again
Come on, boy
The artist is calling someone to follow him
Whatta mean you've never heard of KP
The artist is surprised that someone hasn't heard of KP and assumes everyone knows about it
I don't care if it's 4 in the morning
The singer doesn't care what time it is, following his instructions is important
There is a right way
The singer believes there is a specific correct way to do something
A wrong way
The artist believes there is an incorrect way to do something
And there's my way
The artist has his own preferred way to do things
You'll do it my way
The artist is telling someone to follow his directions exactly
On the double
The singer wants the listener to hurry up
Get in step, boy
The artist is telling someone to move in time with the instructions
March, march
The singer is telling someone to move by taking steps in time with the beat
Your mama's a long ways off, boy
The listener's mother is far away
So stop your crying
The singer wants the listener to stop crying
Left, right
The artist is giving instructions on what steps to take
I said get in step, boy
The artist is emphasizing the importance of following his instructions exactly
Left
The singer is telling someone to move their left foot
Contributed by Caroline W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.