Born James Alan Hull in Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne on 20th February1945, he became a member of the band The Chosen Few alongside keyboard player Mick Gallagher in 1962. He supported himself one year by working as a nurse at a mental hospital while appearing as a folk singer and guitarist in local clubs before helping to form Brethren and Downtown Faction, which evolved into Lindisfarne in 1970. He also released a one-off solo single, "We Can Swing Together", which was re-recorded with the group on their first album, Nicely Out of Tune, and became a regular favourite in their stage performances.
As the group's most prolific songwriter and joint lead vocalist, Hull came to be regarded as its leader. In 1972, dissatisfied with the sound and critical reception of their third album Dingly Dell, he considered leaving the group, but instead he and joint lead vocalist Ray "Jacka" Jackson formed a new six-piece Lindisfarne the following year, leaving the three other original members to form Jack the Lad. He also released a first solo album, Pipedream, in the same year, and published a book of poems, Mocking Horse.
Lindisfarne disbanded in 1975, and Hull released a second solo album, Squire, then formed the short-lived Radiator, which also included drummer Ray Laidlaw of Lindisfarne and Jack the Lad. At the end of 1977 the original line-up of Lindisfarne reformed after a well-received Christmas show at the Newcastle City Hall which was broadcast on local radio. Thereafter he combined his musical career as front man of the group with a solo career. He was also a staunch Labour Party activist.
In 1994, he recorded Back to Basics, a live all-acoustic survey of the best of his songwriting from 1970 onwards. On 17th November 1995 whilst working on a new album, Statues & Liberties, Hull died suddenly of a heart thrombosis, at the age of fifty.
Golden Oldies
Alan Hull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
when Johnny Lennon opened every door
and Bobby Dylan sung a song for you
there was nothing better to do.
And it was easy to say I love you
the melody was clean and true
and in the morning it did not deserve to you
Tell me where are my golden oldies
I wonder what went wrong
tell me where are my golden oldies
I wonder what happened to your song.
I suppose we have to carry on
the world is waiting for another song
and in the meantime what has been and done
sure was a whole lot of fun.
Tell me where are my golden oldies
I wonder what went wrong
tell me where are my golden oldies
I wonder what happened to your song.
In Alan Hull's song "Golden Oldies," he nostalgically reminisces about the music of his past and the way it made him feel. The song opens with a reference to 1964, when The Beatles and Bob Dylan were at their peak and their music was opening doors for a generation. Hull's tone is wistful as he reflects on the easy way that people used to say "I love you" and the clean, true melodies that characterized the music of that era. He paints a picture of a simpler time, when people could still recall the words to songs that they had heard years ago.
Despite the memories of the past, Hull acknowledges that it is time to move on and look to the future, acknowledging that the world is waiting for another song. He ends the song by wondering what went wrong with the music of today, and lamenting the loss of the songs that used to mean so much to him.
Overall, "Golden Oldies" is a melancholy look back at the music of the past and the way it made people feel. Hull's lyrics paint a picture of a simpler time, when love was easier and the music was more pure.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember back in 64,
Do you recollect an event in 1964?
when Johnny Lennon opened every door
When John Lennon of the Beatles became the talk of the town and a sensation.
and Bobby Dylan sung a song for you
When Bob Dylan sang lyrics that spoke to you on a personal level.
there was nothing better to do.
At that time, there was nothing more enjoyable than listening to music.
And it was easy to say I love you
It was simple to express love and admiration using the lyrics from a song.
the melody was clean and true
The tune was straightforward and authentic, and it resonated with people.
and in the morning it did not deserve to you
Even after you woke up in the morning, the music still touched your heart.
you could still recall another two.
You could easily remember at least two more songs that you loved.
Tell me where are my golden oldies
Please inform me of the whereabouts of my cherished oldies but goodies.
I wonder what went wrong
I'm perplexed as to what caused the downfall of these beloved classics.
I suppose we have to carry on
I suppose we must keep moving forward regardless of the situation.
the world is waiting for another song
The world is anticipating the next big hit song that will capture everyone's attention.
and in the meantime what has been and done
Until then, we need to enjoy and appreciate the classics that we've already encountered.
sure was a whole lot of fun.
It was a great time, with music that brought so much joy and happiness.
Tell me where are my golden oldies
Please let me know about the location of my precious classics.
I wonder what went wrong
I'm curious about what happened that caused these music gems to lose their charm.
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.