Born Graham Barnes in Nottingham England, Alvin Lee took up guitar at the age of thirteen. By the age of fifteen he had formed the group Jaybirds. Following in the footsteps of earlier beat groups such as the Beatles, the Jaybirds played the clubs in Hamburg, Germany to great local acclaim. On returning to London in 1966, the group changed its name to Ten Years After.
Ten Years After scored hits with many albums and became a popular touring band. The band gained note in America after their appearance at Woodstock in 1969.
Lee's guitar work on ‘I’m Going Home’ on the 'Woodstock' album and film remains a standard for many rock guitarists to emulate.
Ten Years After played a mix of rock and blues tinged with jazz. In 1973, Lee left Ten Years After to pursue a solo career.
His first work was a collaborative effort with American gospel singer Mylon LeFevre on an album entitled On The Road To Freedom; other artists on the album included George Harrison, Mick Fleetwood and Steve Winwood. A year later he formed the band Alvin Lee & Company and released a double live album recorded at the Rainbow in London, In Flight.
Lee continued to record albums and play live until his death in 2013, thrilling audiences with his guitar virtuoso and nimble fingered fret work.
Having recorded over twenty albums, some of the key solo works Alvin Lee has recorded are:
1973 On The Road To Feedom
1974 In Flight
1975 Pump Iron
1976 Let it Rock
1978 Rocket Fuel
1979 Ride On
1980 Freefall
1981 RX5
1986 Detroit Diesel
1992 Zoom
1994 I Hear You Rockin
1996 Live In Vienna
2004 In Tennessee
2007 Saguitar
2012 Still On The Road To freedom
Official Website: Alvin Lee
You can also see Alvin Lee & Ten Years After and / or Alvin Lee & Co and / or Ten Years After and or Alvin Lee & Ten Years Later and / or The Alvin Lee Band on Last.fm.
Let It Rock
Alvin Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey baby, let it rock
Hey mama, c'mon and rock
Let it rock, pretty mama
She rocks all night long
Hey baby, let it rock
Let it rock, pretty mama
She rocks all night long
Let it rock, pretty mama
Let it roll, pretty mama
Let it rock, little mama
She rocks all night long
Rock on, Zoots.......
The lyrics of Alvin Lee's song Let It Rock have a simple yet infectious quality to them that is highly suggestive of the spirit of rock and roll. The repetition of the phrases "let it rock" and "she rocks all night long" make for a highly danceable and celebratory tune that is geared towards encouraging listeners to let loose and have a good time. The call and response structure of the song, with lines like "Hey baby, let it rock" and "Hey mama, c'mon and rock", further emphasizes the communal and interactive nature of rock and roll music.
At the heart of the lyrics to Let It Rock is a deeply felt love and appreciation for the power of music to bring people together and create a sense of shared experience. The female subject of the song is portrayed as someone who is completely immersed in the groove of the music, rocking all night long and inspiring others to do the same. In this way, the song becomes a powerful tribute to the transformative nature of rock and roll music and the ways in which it can help us connect with each other on a deep, visceral level.
Line by Line Meaning
Rock on, baby
Encouragement to keep rocking and enjoying the music
Hey baby, let it rock
Asking the listener to embrace the music and let loose
Hey mama, c'mon and rock
Encouraging a female listener to dance and have fun
Let it rock, pretty mama
Repeating the message to let the music take over and dance
She rocks all night long
Praising a female who dances well and enjoys music all night
Let it roll, pretty mama
Encouragement to keep dancing and letting the music take over
Let it rock, little mama
Addressing a younger female listener and asking her to enjoy the music
Rock on, Zoots
Continuing the encouragement to keep rocking and enjoying music
Contributed by Maya K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.