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.
Use That Power
Alvin Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should be people doing time
Dumping stuff in our sea, they're gonna kill you and me
Now I'm complaining, I'm pissed off
Where you gonna put this nuclear stuff
C.F.C. - P.C.P., what's that stuff
At the bottom of the sea
Hot house flowers, burning out
Ozone gone, another drought
Too much fat and all those sweets
Don't compare with your nuclear treats
Tote that barge, lift that bail
Don't go down that nuclear trail
You can't trust the air and breath
You better watch out for that Chernobyl cheese
Use that power - powerfull stuff
The lyrics of Alvin Lee's song "Use That Power" seem to be a call to action against environmental destruction caused by human activities. The first stanza discusses the dumping of harmful waste material into the sea, implying that it is unfair that people should be punished whilst those doing the harm go free. The second stanza highlights the imminent danger caused by the depletion of the ozone layer and rampant pollution. The lyrics mention unhealthy eating habits, the obesity crisis, and the temptation of nuclear energy. The chorus repeats the phrase "Use that power," perhaps some form of sarcastic encouragement towards people who have the ability to make a difference but refuse to do so.
The song overall could be interpreted as a protest against the lack of sustainability and environmental consciousness, and a lack of political action to stop harm to the planet. Alvin Lee seems to be disappointed by society and the way people treat the earth. The "power" mentioned in the chorus could be viewed as a reference to an alternate power source that uses environmentally friendly methods.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't no reason, ain't no rhyme
There is no justification for what's happening, it's just happening randomly
Should be people doing time
Someone should be held accountable for dumping toxic substances in the sea
Dumping stuff in our sea, they're gonna kill you and me
The act of polluting the ocean is dangerous and will eventually harm everyone, including those responsible
Now I'm complaining, I'm pissed off
I'm expressing dissatisfaction and frustration about what's happening
Where you gonna put this nuclear stuff
There is a problem of safe disposal of radioactive waste
C.F.C. - P.C.P., what's that stuff
What are these harmful chemicals that are being carelessly discarded in the sea?
At the bottom of the sea
The toxic waste is being dumped in the ocean floor
Use that power - powerfull stuff
We have the capability to create powerful sources of energy, but we should use it responsibly and safely
Hot house flowers, burning out
The earth's flora is deteriorating rapidly
Ozone gone, another drought
Without the protective ozone layer, our planet is suffering from more natural calamities like droughts
Too much fat and all those sweets
Our eating habits are unhealthy and cause physical harm to our bodies
Don't compare with your nuclear treats
Nuclear energy is not something to be enjoyed or consumed like sweets
Tote that barge, lift that bail
Some people are working hard, doing manual labor
Don't go down that nuclear trail
We should avoid the path of nuclear energy if it's not done in a safe way
You can't trust the air and breath
The environment is not healthy and the air we breathe may be polluted
You better watch out for that Chernobyl cheese
Radiation from nuclear disasters can have far-reaching consequences, even in food
Contributed by James O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.