Stewart grew up in the coastal resort town of Bournemouth, Dorset. According to Songfacts, in days of youthful folly Stewart played in a beat group with later BBC DJ Tony Blackburn before moving to the capital to seek fortune and fame.
Having bought his first guitar from future Police guitarist Andy Summers, Stewart traded in his electric guitar for an acoustic guitar when he was offered a weekly slot at Bunjies Coffee House in London's Soho in 1965. From there, he went on to compete at the Les Cousins folk club on Greek Street, where he played alongside Cat Stevens, Bert Jansch, Van Morrison, Roy Harper and Ralph McTell
Although he had his share of the breaks, including a tenure at Bunjees coffee house and a record deal with CBS, life wasn't always easy for the young troubadour; his first serious love affair ended in disaster, and he experienced all the usual insecurities of the stranger in the big city trying to find his way.
In January 1970, Melody Maker named his second release Love Chronicles its Folk Album Of The Year, but in spite of his obviously carving out quite a name for himself, it was not until Year Of The Cat - the single and even more so the monster album - that he really shot to fame.
He emigrated to the United States as his career took off in the mid 1970s, and still lives in California. While studio albums are now few and far between, he still tours extensively in the United States, and, most years, in Europe. Recordings of concerts are often made available through his fan clubs.
Lord Grenville
Al Stewart Lyrics
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It's time to haul the anchor up and leave the land astern.
We'll be gone before the dawn returns.
Like voises on the wind.
Go and tell Lord Grenville that our dreams have run around.
There's nothing here to keep us in this shanty town.
None of us are caring where we're bound.
And come the day you'll hear them saying.
"They're throwing it all away".
Nothing more to say.
Just throw it all away.
Go and fetch the captain's log and tear the pages out.
We're on our way to nowhere now , can't bring the helm about.
None of us are left to doubt.
We won't be back again.
Send a message to the fleet , they'll search for us in vain.
We won't be there among the reaches of Spanish Main.
Tell the ones we left home not to wait.
We won't be back again.
And come the day you'll hear them saying
"they're trowing it all away".
Nothing more to say.
Just throwing it all away.
Out time is just a point along a line.
That runs forever with no end.
I never thought that we would come to find.
Ourselves upon these rocks again.
Go and tell Lord Grenville that the tide is on the run.........
The song "Lord Grenville" by Al Stewart narrates the tale of a group of sailors who have had enough of their mundane lives in a shanty town, and are ready to set sail on a voyage – seemingly to nowhere. The lyrics begin with a command to someone to inform Lord Grenville, who may be the captain or leader of the group, that the tide is in their favor and it's time to leave the land behind. There's a sense of urgency in the lyrics – they need to leave before dawn breaks. The sailors are restless, and their dreams have taken over. They don't care where they're headed, much like their voices that are carried away by the wind.
As the song progresses, the sailors destroy evidence of their past, tearing out pages from the captain's log, symbolizing that they don't want to look back. They are confident they won't return, and urge their loved ones back home not to wait for them. The chorus echoes the theme of throwing away their present existence, with the implied idea that it's all meaningless.
The final verse seems to be a reflection on the idea that time is never-ending, and although the sailors have found themselves at a dead-end, their journey will continue. The song ends on a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the futility of their journey and how they've abandoned everything in their quest for something unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Go and tell Lord Grenville that the tide is on the run.
Inform Lord Grenville that we need to leave soon as the tide is changing and we must set sail immediately.
It's time to haul the anchor up and leave the land astern.
We have to raise the anchor and set sail to leave the shores behind to explore new territories.
We'll be gone before the dawn returns.
We must leave early and fast to ensure that we reach our destination before dawn breaks.
Like voices on the wind.
Quietly, swiftly and seamlessly moving towards the destination.
Go and tell Lord Grenville that our dreams have run around.
Inform Lord Grenville that our current existence has become aimless and stagnant, and we need to seek new adventures.
There's nothing here to keep us in this shanty town.
We are tired of living in this small town and need to leave to bring a change in our lives.
None of us are caring where we're bound.
We aren't concerned about where we will end up but rather the journey we will embark upon.
Like voices in the wind.
Quietly, swiftly and seamlessly without any predetermined destination in mind.
And come the day you'll hear them saying.
Inevitably in the future, they will say something along these lines.
"They're throwing it all away".
Others will question and condemn our choice to abandon our current way of life.
Nothing more to say.
There's not much to say about our decision as we have made up our minds.
Just throw it all away.
It's time to let go and leave the past behind, including any regrets or hesitations.
Go and fetch the captain's log and tear the pages out.
We need to start afresh, discarding everything that has been recorded previously.
We're on our way to nowhere now, can't bring the helm about.
We are sailing towards the unknown, and there's no turning back.
None of us are left to doubt.
We are confident about our journey, and we don't have any doubts.
We won't be back again.
We won't be returning to the life we have left behind, and there's no turning back.
Send a message to the fleet, they'll search for us in vain.
Notify the other ships that they won't find us near the Spanish coast, as we are on a unique and unsure route.
We won't be there among the reaches of Spanish Main.
We won't be in the familiar territory or among the usual company.
Tell the ones we left home not to wait.
Communicate to our loved ones, not to anticipate our soon return.
We won't be back again.
Our voyage won't be ending anytime soon.
And come the day you'll hear them saying.
One day, people will undoubtedly be commenting negatively upon our choices.
"They're throwing it all away".
Others will question and condemn our choice to leave a familiar life behind.
Nothing more to say.
There's not much to say about our decision as we have made up our minds.
Just throw it all away.
It's time to let go and leave the past behind, including any regrets or hesitations.
Our time is just a point along a line.
Our existence is short and insignificant, just another phase of our lives.
That runs forever with no end.
The timeline that we are existing in is infinite, endless with no determined end.
I never thought that we would come to find.
I never expected that our journey would lead us to a phase of life like this.
Ourselves upon these rocks again.
We are caught against the same obstacles we've faced in the past, with little prospects for a better future.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALISTAIR IAN STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind