The precursor to BTO was the band Brave Belt, which was formed in 1970 by Randy Bachman and Chad Allan (both of The Guess Who), Robbie Bachman and Fred Turner. An original form of the group included musician Keith Emerson of The Nice (and later of Emerson, Lake & Palmer), but he was dropped due to illness. After two moderately successful Brave Belt albums came out, Allan was replaced by Tim Bachman, the third of the Bachman brothers, and the band changed its name to Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Hailing from Winnipeg, Canada as stated before, BTO released their first album under that name in the spring of 1973. Their second album was Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, and it became a massive hit in the US and their native Canada. It also yielded their best-remembered single, "Takin' Care of Business" written by Randy Bachman. BTO were one of the early hard rock bands which opted for songs backed by catchy melodies and powerful riffing. The band also promoted a strait-laced lifestyle due to the Mormon religious beliefs of Randy Bachman.
Tim Bachman left because of limited performance skills and personal lifestyle issues, and was replaced by Blair Thornton. The first album with the modified lineup, 1974's Not Fragile became a hit, including the #1 single "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". The band continued to steadily produce successful albums through the mid-1970s including Four Wheel Drive and Head On (both 1975).
After the release of Freeways in 1977, Randy Bachman left the group for a solo career and another band, Ironhorse. Randy was replaced by Jim Clench, formerly of April Wine, and BTO released a pair of albums before breaking up in 1979. They reunited in 1983, leading to a lawsuit between the brothers, as one group, led by Randy, toured as Bachman-Turner Overdrive and another, led by Robbie, toured as BTO (Robbie Bachman, Fred Turner, Blair Thornton, and Randy Murray). Interestingly enough, in 1984 the line up for Bachman-Turner's first studio LP in 5 years consisted of Randy and Tim Bachman, Fred Turner and Garry Peterson on drums. In 1986 they were the opening band for the newly reformed Van Halen. By that time Fred Turner had left the band, probably to join the "other" BTO. Robbie Bachman's BTO toured and performed until early 2005.
Musicians Randy Bachman and Fred Turner reunited in 2010 for a tour and collaboration on new songs. In 2010, they notably played the half-time show at the Grey Cup in Edmonton, AB.
Website: http://www.bachmanandturner.com/
Don't Let The Blues Get You Down
Bachman-Turner Overdrive Lyrics
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The face shows no pain but the beat is the same in New York
And speed is just a bird in the night
Carries sorrow as it flies no fixed flight
It's heard out there
You say your name is the same
But you're just not able to live white
You can't believe what is real
Because what's real for you, may not be right
And the alleys and streets stay the same
And you think you know what's to blame
It just ain't right
Don't let the blues get you down
Don't let the blues drag you around
The blues are gonna get ya
The blues are gonna get ya now
I said the blues are gonna get ya
The blues are gonna get you now
Well it's the same rhythm that's played in Memphis
The face is the same but the beat isn't played in New York
The people spin a web they can't see
And imagine what a world this could be
If they did things right
Don't let the blues get you down
Don't let the blues drag you around
The blues are gonna get ya
The blues are gonna get ya now
I said the blues are gonna get ya
The blues are gonna get you now
Don't let the blues get you down
Don't let the blues drag you around
Don't let the blues get you down
The blues are gonna get ya
The blues are gonna get you now
I said the blues are gonna get you
The blues are gonna get you now
I said the blues are gonna get you
The blues are gonna get you now
Yeow
The lyrics of Don't Let The Blues Get You Down by Bachman-Turner Overdrive examine the universal human experience of feeling down and overwhelmed by life's difficulties. The song's central message is that even though everyone experiences hardships and struggles, it's important to stay strong and not let those struggles define or defeat us. The lyrics evoke images of different cities - Memphis and New York - to underscore the idea that no matter where you go, life's hardships follow you. The "same rhythm" represents the cyclical nature of life and its ups and downs, while the mention of alleys and streets staying the same emphasizes the idea that no matter how much the world changes around us, some things will always remain constant.
The song also touches on the concept of perception and how it can affect how we experience the world. The line "you can't believe what is real because what's real for you, may not be right" highlights the idea that our own biases and perspectives can sometimes lead us astray. The lyrics ultimately suggest that to avoid letting the blues drag us down, we need to stay positive and look for the good in situations.
Overall, the lyrics of Don't Let The Blues Get You Down are a call to resilience and perseverance, urging listeners to stay strong in the face of hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's the same rhythm that's played in Memphis
The routine and monotony in one place is the same as another
The face shows no pain but the beat is the same in New York
People may not show their struggles, but they exist no matter the location
And speed is just a bird in the night
Hustling and moving fast may seem impressive, but it won't fly you away from sorrow
Carries sorrow as it flies no fixed flight
Even though one tries to move away from their problems, they still stay with them
It's heard out there
People can recognize this pattern in various places
You say your name is the same
You may present and identify yourself as the same person but something is off
But you're just not able to live white
You cannot live without troubles and fears, despite trying to present yourself that way
You can't believe what is real
It's hard to distinguish and accept what's happening and true in life
Because what's real for you, may not be right
What you perceive as real may not be the best for you
And the alleys and streets stay the same
The surroundings remain constant
And you think you know what's to blame
You believe you have identified the cause of your problems
It just ain't right
It's not fair or just
Don't let the blues get you down
Don't let hardships and struggles consume and defeat you
Don't let the blues drag you around
Don't let problems control and move you
The blues are gonna get ya
Hardship and struggle are inevitable
The blues are gonna get ya now
They might come unexpectedly or hit you harder sooner than expected
Well it's the same rhythm that's played in Memphis
Monotonous routine
The face is the same but the beat isn't played in New York
Appearances may be identical but the struggle is different in each place
The people spin a web they can't see
Individuals create complicated situations that they can't comprehend or navigate through
And imagine what a world this could be
Things could be better if people were aware and active about their problems
If they did things right
If people put in the effort to change and improve their situations
Don't let the blues get you down
Don't let the tough times get to you
Don't let the blues drag you around
Don't let problems control or move you
The blues are gonna get ya
Struggles and hardships are inevitable
The blues are gonna get ya now
They might come unexpectedly or hit you harder sooner than expected
Don't let the blues get you down
Don't let the struggles get to you
The blues are gonna get ya
Struggles and hardships are lying ahead
The blues are gonna get you now
They might come unexpectedly or hit you harder sooner than expected
I said the blues are gonna get you
I'm telling you that struggles are inevitable
The blues are gonna get you now
They might come unexpectedly or hit you harder sooner than expected
I said the blues are gonna get you
I'm telling you that hardships are inevitable
Yeow
An exclamation
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind