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.
Real Life Blues
Alvin Lee Lyrics
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Brings me down so bad babe, when I read the daily blues.
So much heartache in the world, all the sickness and the war
Keep my head down in the sand, 'cause I just can't take no more
I'm talking 'bout trouble - too many reasons for the blues
I'm talking trouble - it's time we had some better news
They say we fight for peace, but I just can't take no more
So much killing in the world, terrorist victims by the score
So much trouble in the world babe, and I just can't take no more
I'm talking 'bout trouble - too many reasons for the blues
I'm talking trouble - it's time we had some better news
In Alvin Lee’s “Real Life Blues,” we hear the frustration and helplessness caused by the constant barrage of negative news and events in the world. Lee describes how reading or watching the news brings him down and fills him with despair. The heartache caused by the sickness and war in the world is too much to bear, and Lee feels that the only way to cope is to ignore it and “keep [his] head down in the sand”.
Lee also criticizes the idea of fighting for peace, as he sees all the violence and killing in the world, particularly from terrorists. The constant cycle of war and fighting is causing too much trouble and has become a ubiquitous part of life, leading to the “daily blues”. The song ends on a defiant note, as Lee calls for “better news” and a change in the world that will alleviate the suffering and pain.
Overall, "Real Life Blues" paints a bleak picture of the world and the effect that the constant barrage of negative news has on individuals. It is a plea for a better world, one that is free from the troubles and heartache that currently dominate the news cycle.
Line by Line Meaning
So much trouble in the world, I can't watch or read the news
There is too much negativity in the world and it's affecting me so much that I cannot even bring myself to watch or read the news.
Brings me down so bad babe, when I read the daily blues.
It's really depressing to read about all the negative things happening in the world, and it really affects my mood.
So much heartache in the world, all the sickness and the war
There is an overwhelming amount of pain and suffering in the world, especially with all the sickness and war going on.
Keep my head down in the sand, 'cause I just can't take no more
I try to avoid it as much as possible by ignoring what's happening and not paying attention, but it's really hard to deal with all the negativity.
I'm talking 'bout trouble - too many reasons for the blues
There are so many problems and struggles in the world that it's difficult to feel positive or hopeful.
I'm talking trouble - it's time we had some better news
We need more positive and uplifting news to counteract all the negativity we're bombarded with on a daily basis.
So much fighting in the world, God and country leads to war
There seems to be a lot of violence and conflict in the world, often fueled by religion or patriotism.
They say we fight for peace, but I just can't take no more
People often justify violence by claiming it's for the greater good, but it's hard to believe that when there is so much pain and suffering involved.
So much killing in the world, terrorist victims by the score
Terrorism has caused a lot of fear, destruction, and loss of life around the world.
So much trouble in the world babe, and I just can't take no more
Overall, the state of the world is really distressing and it's becoming harder to cope with all the negativity.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALVIN LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind