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/
Trial By Fire
Bachman-Turner Overdrive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Deals are being struck and the goods are laid down, there's no one to ask if its right
Lost in these depths are the youth now forgotten, and left to discover their way
No one will rescue them, can't catch them falling, chance is the game that they play
Suspicious of the people they meet, judgement is swift if they can't keep their feet.
And it's Trial by fire, the question is how to survive, trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
In the city they love, they must move very cautious, they're trapped they have no place to go.
Lost in these ruins are the dreams now forgotten, and life's highest price is being paid.
No one will rescue them, can't catch them falling, chance is the game that they play
Suspicious of the people they meet, judgement is swift if they can't keep their feet.
And it's Trial by fire, the question is how to survive,
Trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
Trial by fire, the question is how to survive,
Trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
Goin' round the streets of Philly, leaving only blackness
Lust for power, land, and wealth long lasting likeness is written in blood
Suspicious of the people they meet, judgement is swift if they can't keep their feet.
Trial by fire, the question is how to survive,
Trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
Trial by fire, the question is how to survive,
Trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
Trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
The song Trial By Fire by Bachman-Turner Overdrive paints a picture of the harsh reality faced by youth in the streets of the city. It is a place where deals are struck, and the goods are laid down with no one to ask if it’s right. The youth is left to discover their way, and nobody will rescue them if they fall. Chance is the game they play. The youth are suspicious of the people they meet, and they face swift judgement if they can't keep their feet. The city is a trap, and they have no place to go. Dreams are forgotten, and life's highest price is being paid.
The lyrics move to the hills with death waiting only to level the last fatal blow. In the city they must move very cautiously. The city has a lust for power, land, and wealth. Long-lasting likeness is written in blood. The chorus repeats the words "Trial by Fire." The question is how to survive. Does no one get out alive? It’s a call for survival and a warning to be cautious. The song evokes an intense sense of desperation and struggle for survival, mirroring the struggle for survival of youth on the streets facing harsh realities and a cold, apathetic society.
Line by Line Meaning
Out in the street, in the meat market beat, where life strives in the heat of the night
Life thrives on the city streets, where deals and agreements are made in the darkness of night.
Deals are being struck and the goods are laid down, there's no one to ask if its right
Transactions are being made with no regard for moral or ethical standards.
Lost in these depths are the youth now forgotten, and left to discover their way
Young people are lost in these streets, forgotten by society and forced to find their own path.
No one will rescue them, can't catch them falling, chance is the game that they play
There is no safety net to catch them and they rely on chance to survive.
Suspicious of the people they meet, judgement is swift if they can't keep their feet.
People are suspicious of each other and quick to judge.
And it's Trial by fire, the question is how to survive, trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
People must survive this harsh environment on their own, with no guarantee of survival.
Back in the hills like a cat, death waits only to level the last fatal blow
Life in the countryside is just as dangerous, with death lurking around every corner.
In the city they love, they must move very cautious, they're trapped they have no place to go.
People are trapped in the city, forced to move cautiously to avoid danger.
Lost in these ruins are the dreams now forgotten, and life's highest price is being paid.
Dreams are forgotten and lives are lost in the ruins of society.
Goin' round the streets of Philly, leaving only blackness
The city streets are filled with violence and destruction.
Lust for power, land, and wealth long lasting likeness is written in blood
The desire for power and wealth is so great that it is written in the blood of the people.
Trial by fire, does no one get out alive.
Survival in this world is not guaranteed.
Contributed by Cooper G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.