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.
Wake Up Moma
Alvin Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I said wake up Moma, take my blues away
It's 2 o'clock in the morning
And I've had a busy day
Wake up Babe, I need a little company
Wake up Babe, just need some company
The blues got me so bad
Wake up Babe, before the night is gone
I said wake up Babe, before the night is gone
You're a real good woman
But you sleep too long
Wake up Moma, time to rise and shine
Wake up Moma, it's time to rise and shine
You make love to me so good baby
Make me feel so fine
The lyrics to Alvin Lee's song Wake Up Moma express the singer's need for comfort and companionship in the midst of blues that plague him late at night. The repetition of the phrase "wake up" underscores the urgency of his need for attention and affection from his partner, whom he characterizes as "a real good woman" who, despite this, sleeps "too long." The singer's blues stem from a long day of activity that has left him feeling drained and alone.
At its core, the song is a plea for connection and intimacy, as the singer seeks to alleviate his emotional pain through physical touch and closeness. The image of a sleeping partner suggests a distance that has developed between them, leading the singer to feel isolated and in need of affection. By the end of the song, however, the singer finds solace in the love-making that he shares with his partner, which he describes as "so good" and making him feel "so fine." In this sense, the song can be seen as ultimately optimistic, as it suggests that even in the midst of difficult times, there is always the potential for love and connection to heal our sorrows.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up Moma, chase my blues away
Asking his lover to wake up and help him get rid of his sadness
I said wake up Moma, take my blues away
Reiterating the need for his lover to wake up and relieve him of his sorrow
It's 2 o'clock in the morning
Telling his lover of the ungodly hour as he requests her company
And I've had a busy day
Informing his lover that he has been occupied all day and needs her presence to unwind
Wake up Babe, I need a little company
Addressing his lover with a sweet nickname and expressing his need for her companionship
Wake up Babe, just need some company
Reiterating his need for his lover's presence and affection
The blues got me so bad
Explaining the extent of his sadness and need for comfort
I'm in misery
Elaborating on the gravity of his negative emotional state
Wake up Babe, before the night is gone
Reminding his lover not to sleep through the night and miss their time together
You're a real good woman
Complimenting his lover on her virtues
But you sleep too long
Critiquing his lover's tendency to oversleep and asking her to change that habit
Wake up Moma, time to rise and shine
Encouraging his lover to wake up and start the day positively
Wake up Moma, it's time to rise and shine
Reiterating the need for his lover to wake up and seize the day
You make love to me so good baby
Complimenting his lover on her sexual prowess
Make me feel so fine
Expressing how good she makes him feel physically and emotionally
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALVIN LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Branimír Lang
This is really excellent blues rock music by Alvin.
Rdrokit Power - RockBlues & Roadhouse Music
Glad you enjoyed it.
joe egbert
they don't know what they missin' till they get it