Stewart and Gouldman were straight pop-song-writers, who created the band’s most accessible songs; Godley and Creme were the experimental half of 10cc, featuring an Art School sensibility and cinematic writing. All are skilled multi-instrumentalists, vocalists, writers, and producers, and each could perform convincingly as lead singers, leading to favourable comparisons with The Beatles.
The band achieved its greatest commercial success during the 1970s.
In 1976 ... Godley & Creme left, releasing records under that name before making a significant contribution to the development of the music video in the 80s.
In 1977 ... 10cc embarked on an international tour with guitarist Rick Fenn, keyboardist Tony O'Malley and additional drummer Stuart Tosh and recorded a live album in 1977, "Live And Let Live", which mixed the hits with material from the previous three albums.
Fenn, Tosh, Burgess and keyboardist Duncan Mackay were full members of the band and performed on 1978 album "Bloody Tourists", which provided the band with their third UK No.1 single, the reggae-styled "Dreadlock Holiday".
1977-1983 ... After the departure of Godley and Creme, Stewart and Gouldman opted to continue as 10cc, bringing in to the studio drummer Paul Burgess, who had up to that point been their tour backup drummer. Their first album as a three piece band was "Deceptive Bends".
1984-1992 ... Separate projects - after 1983, the band went into recess as Stewart did produce recordings for Sad Café and Gouldman produced tracks for The Ramones before teaming up with Andrew Gold to form the synth-pop group Wax.
1992-1995 ... In 1992 the original four members reunited to record "Meanwhile", an album produced by Gary Katz of Steely Dan fame. ...the album was not a "reunion" in the strict sense of the word. All the album's songs were written by Stewart and Gouldman ... Creme and Godley agreed to guest on the album to fullfil their obligation to Polydor records.
1999-2009 ... since 1999 Gouldman has toured as 10cc consisting of Rick Fenn, Paul Burgess, Mick Wilson, Mike Stevens and/or Keith Hayman, with occasional guest appearances by Kevin Godley. The band has embarked on several national tours of the UK and various dates throughout the World playing 10cc hits, plus a section of Gouldman's hits written for others. Their first gig was at Ronnie Scotts jazz club in Birmingham in 1999.
Additional info:
There is much speculation about where the name of the band comes from but the general consensus was that it is named after the average amount of ejaculate in a single male orgasm. However one will find that the average is about 3cc ...the name "10cc" in fact comes from a dream: Jonathan King, the person who signed them, dreamed of a band called 10cc topping the charts in both the UK and America - see: snopes.com/music/artists/10cc.asp
Tokyo
10cc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chrome plated, squeaky clean
Oh Tokyo, oh Tokyo
Oh Tokyo I love you
You're trembling, you're choking
But you're magical to me
Oh Tokyo, oh Tokyo
Kimonos, and Geisha girls
From grade one, down to three
Oh Tokyo, oh Tokyo
Oh Tokyo I love you
Land of the rising sun
You have taken my heart away
With your beauty you nearly blinded me
In your beauty I want to stay
I bow to you with my heart
I think of you every day
When I dream you are there beside me
But when I waken you're far away
Perfection, in miniature
With tiny hands, smiling eyes
Oh Tokyo, oh Tokyo
Oh Tokyo I love you
Tokyo
when i dream you are there beside me
The song "Tokyo" by 10cc is a beautiful tribute by the British rock band to the city of Tokyo, Japan. The lyrics express the singer's deep love and admiration for the city's beauty and appeal. He describes Tokyo as being "transistorised, and anodised, chrome plated, squeaky clean," portraying the modern and flashy, yet immaculate face of the city. Despite the rapid industrialization and technological advancements, Tokyo still holds a magical charm for the singer. Its trembling and choking sensations, perhaps symbolizing the city's vulnerabilities or flaws, seem only to strengthen its mystique.
The song goes on to depict the unique aspects of Tokyo's culture, with references to the traditional clothing items "kimonos" and "Geisha girls." Even the education system is highlighted through the line "from grade one, down to three," further showcasing the fascination the city elicits from the singer. He bows before the city, confessing his love for it and how its beauty nearly blinded him. He dreams of Tokyo, and in his dreams, the city is always by his side. Still, when he wakes up, reality hits, and Tokyo is far away.
Line by Line Meaning
Transistorised, and anodised
There's a very modern, tech-savvy sleekness to Tokyo
Chrome plated, squeaky clean
The city is pristine and polished and looks slick
You're trembling, you're choking
In the face of Tokyo's beauty, the person is overwhelmed with emotion
But you're magical to me
Despite being initially overwhelming, Tokyo is still captivating
Kimonos, and Geisha girls
The traditional aspects of Japan are very present in Tokyo
From grade one, down to three
Even young schoolchildren reflect the country's cultural heritage
Land of the rising sun
Tokyo is a quintessential part of Japan's identity and essence
You have taken my heart away
The city has made a deep impact on the person and they are emotionally invested in it
With your beauty you nearly blinded me
Tokyo is so stunningly beautiful that looking at it is almost overwhelming
In your beauty I want to stay
The person is so moved by Tokyo's beauty and grandeur that they want to stay there forever
I bow to you with my heart
The person respects and reveres Tokyo, not just with their physical body but with their deepest emotions
I think of you every day
Tokyo has left a profound impact on the person, so much so that they think of it daily
When I dream you are there beside me
Even in the person's subconscious, Tokyo is present and important
But when I waken you're far away
The reality is that the person is far away from Tokyo and can't be there all the time
Perfection, in miniature
Tokyo is small but precisely engineered and executed, like a miniature model
With tiny hands, smiling eyes
Even the people of Tokyo are charming, friendly, and welcoming
Oh Tokyo, oh Tokyo
The refrain repeats the artist's love and admiration for Tokyo
Oh Tokyo I love you
The title and final line of the song state the singer's love for Tokyo one more time
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ERIC STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind