Their self-titled debut album featured backing by an orchestra organized by Robert John Godfrey. It was released in mid-1970 and was heavily touted by the musicians and the record label as the next big thing in orchestral rock, but met with overwhelmingly negative reviews and weak sales. Their second album, Once Again, was followed by a tour with a full orchestra under Godfrey's guidance. Godfrey departed over writing issues behind "Mocking Bird" – one of the group's most consistently popular tracks - so Martyn Ford was brought in to supervise the orchestral work for their third album, Barclay James Harvest and Other Short Stories. Years later Godfrey filed a lawsuit alleging he was owed composing credits and corresponding royalties on several of Barclay James Harvest's songs. By the release of their fourth album, Baby James Harvest, in 1972, the pressures of touring were beginning to affect the band.
After this album, they departed from EMI, moved management to Harvey Lisberg, and signed to Polydor; the move immediately resulting in greater sales. The next album, Everyone Is Everybody Else (1974) was voted 13th by listeners in Radio Caroline's 1977 Top 100 All Time Albums Chart. The band did a BBC Radio 1 session in 1974 for John Peel; Alan Freeman, however, would be the band's main champion on the station in the 1970s and again when he returned from 1989 to 1993. The double live album, Barclay James Harvest Live, which followed in late 1974, was the first to chart in the UK, reaching No. 40. Time Honoured Ghosts (1975), which has "Titles", recorded in the US, followed, and this too charted in the UK, reaching No. 32. Octoberon followed in 1976 and reached number 19 in the UK. They broke into the mainstream mainland European market with their 1977 set Gone to Earth, which contained the song "Poor Man's Moody Blues", a homage to the Moody Blues' song, "Nights in White Satin."
Wolstenholme – whose mellotron playing was a trademark of the band's sound in the 1970s – left in 1979 after the album XII (1978), as he began to suffer from clinical depression. He pursued a short solo career fronting the band Maestoso, before retiring from the music industry to farm. He remained inactive throughout the 80s before rejoining John Lees when BJH essentially split in two.
The remaining three members continued. In August 1980, they played a free concert in front of the Reichstag in West Berlin, with an estimated attendance of 250,000 people. They were the first Western rock band to perform in an open-air concert in East Germany (over two years before the Berlin Wall fell), playing in Treptower Park, East Berlin on 14 July 1987 to a 170,000-plus audience.
The band continued as a trio with regular guest-musicians until 1998. One album, Welcome to the Show, produced in 1990, was released under the abbreviated name BJH. However, because of criticism from fans, the full name was restored, albeit with the inclusion of the BJH moniker.
In 1998, musical differences amongst members of BJH saw the band essentially split into two different groups, each of which retained "Barclay James Harvest" as part of its name. John Lees released an album mixing new songs and classics of the band, entitled Nexus, under the name "Barclay James Harvest Through the Eyes of John Lees". Woolly Wolstenholme played in (and composed for) this band, subsequently resurrecting Maestoso to record and tour with new material, as well as back-catalogue favourites. Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard teamed up to record under the name "Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd". In 2006/7, Lees and Wolstenholme toured under the slightly modified band title "John Lees' Barclay James Harvest".
Mel Pritchard died suddenly of a heart attack in early 2004. Woolly Wolstenholme took his own life in December 2010, having apparently struggled with depression for many years. The two derivatives of Barclay James Harvest continue to record and tour to this day, and enjoy ongoing popularity, particularly in Germany, France, and Switzerland.
John Lees' Barclay James Harvest (since 1998)
This derivative of Barclay James Harvest features John Lees, bassist Craig Fletcher, drummer Kevin Whitehead and keyboard player Jez Smith. The band originally featured "Woolly" Stuart Wolstenholme on keyboards before his death in December 2010. The group formed in 1999 to record the album "Nexus". Craig Fletcher and Kevin Whitehead were from Wolstenholme's band "Maestoso", and John and Woolly were members of the original Barclay James Harvest. The band toured in the UK and Europe in 2006, and recorded the live album "Legacy" at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. Since then, the band has played at venues in the UK, but more so in the rest of Europe, where they achieve good success. The band toured again around the UK in 2009. They played at the Berlin Wall anniversary festival at the Brandenburg Gate, Bad Homburg in Germany with JLBJH's best attendance of 17,500 people, and more recently in Porto, Portugal with an attendance of 5,000. The band recently visited America, and played in Philadelphia. John Lees' Barclay James Harvest is currently signed and managed by Esoteric Recordings. Mark Powell, founder of the label, works as the band manager. In October 2013 JLBJH released "North", a studio album of all-new material, recorded at John's own Friamere Studios, on limited edition vinyl, CD and deluxe CD with a bonus disc recorded live at the Buxton Opera House. "North" was very well received, going on to become Cherry Red's biggest selling album of the fourth quarter of 2013. The band played nine gigs on a UK tour to promote the album, followed by a live radio concert for Christmas on German station SWR1. The band also formerly featured Jeff Leach and Mike Bramwell as guest musicians.
Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd (since 2002)
In 2001, Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard returned to the studio to record the album 'Revolution Days' along with former Sad Cafe members Ian Wilson and Michael Byron-Hehir, as well as Steve Butler, Steve Pigott (Cher, Mike and the Mechanics), and Rabbit Bundrick (The Who). 'Revolution Days' was released in 2002, and a touring band was put together with Holroyd and Pritchard; Michael Byron-Hehir on lead guitar and vocals; Ian Wilson on guitar and vocals; Steve Butler on keyboards, percussion, and vocals; Chris Jago on drums; and former BJH sideman Colin Browne on keyboards and vocals. The first show was at the Colmar Wine Festival in August 2002. In October and November of that year, they undertook their first European Tour. More tours and festivals followed in 2003.
In January 2004, the band performed at the 'Art on Ice' spectacular at the Zurich Hallenstadion with Roger Hodgson, John Helliwell and Bob Siebenberg of Supertramp, Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues and Jeremy Spencer of Fleetwood Mac. Upon returning to the UK, Mel Pritchard died from a suspected heart attack.
In January 2005, BJHFLH toured with Asia featuring John Payne as support, returning the favour on four UK shows in March of the same year. In 2006, they undertook the Classic Meets Rock Symphonic Barclay Tour with the 25-piece Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. In July 2007, they toured the UK. Les Holroyd and Michael Byron-Hehir also worked on Alan Simon's Excalibur II album, Les joining the stage show in 2010. Les also performed in the live show of Simon's Anne de Bretagne. In 2011, Les joined the Rock Meets Classic Tour along with Ian Gillan, Lou Gramm, Dan McCafferty with The Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, performing four BJH songs: "Hymn", "Mockingbird", "Ring Of Changes", and "Life Is For Living".
Still touring Europe, the band introduced an acoustic spot into the set, showcasing their vocal harmonies with old favourites like "Poor Boy Blues", "Friend of Mine", and "Crazy City". They recorded their 2012 winter tour.
External works
The band released a single "Breathless"/"When the City Sleeps" under the pseudonym of "Bombadil" in 1972. "Breathless", an instrumental, was credited to "Terry Bull" (actually John Lees). The B side "When the City Sleeps" was credited to "Lester Forest" (actually Woolly Wolstenholme), who also played every instrument and sang. This obscure track made an appearance on the soundtrack of the 2007 series Life on Mars, although it was not featured on the CD release.
Members
Barclay James Harvest (1966–1998)
Les Holroyd – vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards (1966–1998)
John Lees – vocals, guitars (1966–1998)
Mel Pritchard – drums, percussion (1966–1998; died 2004)
Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme – vocals, mellotron, keyboards, guitars (1966–1979; died 2010)
John Lees' Barclay James Harvest
Current members
John Lees – vocals, guitars (1998–present)
Craig Fletcher – bass (1998–present)
Kevin Whitehead – drums, percussion (1998–present)
Jez Smith – keyboards (2009–present)
Former members
Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme – vocals, mellotron, keyboards, guitars (1998–2010)
Guest musicians
Jeff Leach – keyboards (1998–2006)
Mike Bramwell – keyboards (2006–2009)
John Joseph Lees – cornet (2006, 2009)
Liz Fitzpatrick – trumpet (2009)
Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd
Current members
Les Holroyd – vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards (2002–present)
Colin Browne – keyboards, guitars (2002–present)
Steve Butler – guitars, keyboards (2002–present)
Michael Byron-Hehir – lead guitars (2002–present)
Louie Palmer – drums, percussion (2011–present)
Former members
Mel Pritchard – drums, percussion (2002–2004)
Ian Wilson – guitars (2002–2009)
Chris Jago – drums, percussion (2002–2003, 2004–2005)
Roy Martin – drums, percussion (2003–2004, 2006–2007)
Paul Walsham – drums, percussion (2005–2006, 2007–2011)
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barclay_James_Harvest
Studio albums
Barclay James Harvest (1970)
Once Again (1971)
Barclay James Harvest and Other Short Stories (1971)
Baby James Harvest (1972)
Everyone Is Everybody Else (1974)
Time Honoured Ghosts (1975)
Octoberon (1976)
Gone to Earth (1977)
XII (1978)
Eyes of the Universe (1979)
Turn of the Tide (1981)
Ring of Changes (1983)
Victims of Circumstance (1984)
Face to Face (1987)
Welcome to the Show (1990)
Caught in the Light (1993)
River of Dreams (1997)
Love Is Like A Violin
Barclay James Harvest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Playing soft and low
In your heart you held the strings
In my heart the bow
Together we made soft sweet music
Together we believed
In every day in every hour
You were like a mountain stream
Flowing fast and free
You were like the autumn leaves
Blowing from my tree
Together we made soft sweet music
Together we believed
In every day in every hour
Our love was everything, everything
First dance you were mine
First dance we made it
Last dance, last chance
You know I know you were wrong
You know you were wrong
You know for every feeling there's a song
After all the leaves had gone
You were winter snow
You were so cold and far away
I had to let you go
Together we made soft sweet music
Together we believed
In every day in every hour
Our love was everything, everything
First dance you were mine
First dance we made it
Last dance, last chance
You know I know
First dance you were mine
First dance we made it
Last dance, last chance
You know I know you were wrong
You know you were wrong
You know for every feeling there's a song
The opening line, “Love was like a violin playing soft and low”, sets the analogy of love being like a musical instrument. Love in this context was portrayed as gentle and soothing, not too loud or sharp. The singer signifies how their partner held the strings in their heart while they held the bow in theirs, implying a harmonious relationship where they are partners in creating beautiful music. The next verse compares the partner to a mountain stream and autumn leaves, elements of nature that evoke feelings of freedom and beauty. The imagery painted here suggests that the partner was vibrant, free-flowing, and beautiful, adding a layer of depth to their relationship. The idea of two lovers making music together extends to the chorus where they sing about how their love is everything to them. It’s a lovely and all-encompassing feeling that brings them happiness and meaning.
The next verse highlights how they had their “first dance” and reminisces about how it felt like they had made it together. The mention of the “last dance” signals how everything came to an end. The singer sings about how their partner was wrong in some way and how they knew they were wrong, but there was a song for every feeling, indicating that there was no right or wrong way to feel in love. In the final verse, the partner is compared to winter snow, a sharp contrast to the nature imagery used earlier. Winter snow is cold and distant, signaling the end of their relationship. The last chorus iteration is a repetition of the earlier one, but with one difference: the last lines, as opposed to ‘Our love was everything, everything’ now read, “You know I know you were wrong, you know you were wrong,” thus implying a sense of resentment and disappointment that love couldn’t be enough.
Line by Line Meaning
Love was like a violin
Love was delicate and beautiful like the sound of a violin
Playing soft and low
Our love was gentle and subtle
In your heart you held the strings
You had control over the emotions of our love
In my heart the bow
I was the one responsible for putting our love into motion
Together we made soft sweet music
Together, our love was harmonious and comforting
Together we believed
We had faith in each other and our love
In every day in every hour
Our love was constant and unwavering
Our love was everything
Our love was the center of both of our worlds
You were like a mountain stream
You were wild and free like a mountain stream
Flowing fast and free
You were unpredictable yet unstoppable
You were like the autumn leaves
You were fleeting yet beautiful, like the autumn leaves falling from a tree
Blowing from my tree
You were once a part of me but drifted away
First dance you were mine
Our first dance was a special moment when we were both fully dedicated to each other
First dance we made it
Our love began to blossom during our first dance
Last dance, last chance
Our final dance was a symbol of the end of our love story
You know I know you were wrong
We both knew that something was wrong with our love, but didn't want to admit it
You know for every feeling there's a song
Our love story had a song for every emotion we felt
After all the leaves had gone
After all of the beauty and vibrancy of our love had faded away
You were winter snow
You became cold and distant like the winter snow
You were so cold and far away
Our love became distant and disconnected
I had to let you go
I had to let go of our love and move on
Lyrics © MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LEES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Prayer [UK]
People who disliked this Song, never really unstanded the Beautifullness and Spirit of this Song and this superb Band too.
Pink Floyd and Barclay James Harvest and of course Mike Oldfield are for my Opinion the Crown of the progressive Rock Genre...
Pierre
This entire album is amazing.
Christian Bosch
Soviele schöne Erinnerungen an eine längst vergangene, aber tolle Zeit! Vielen Dank für dieses Juwel!
Elly Calegari
Wunderschöne Zeit... leider ist es vergangen... Melodien wie solche bringen die seltsam Intens gelebt- gefühlte Momente wieder zurück.
Grüße aus Petrópolis - RJ - Brasilien
Giuseppe Chiaramonte
Es war eine wunderschöne Zeit.....die erste schmusetänze ...die ersten Abenteuer!
Yiannos Georgantas
Gone to Earth, a classic, perfect album
The Prayer [UK]
Absolutely Yes...
Daniel Son
Reminds me of a special night in the winter of 78-79. Cold outside, very warm inside. Indeed: one of the greatest albums ever. Too bad not many folks discovered BJH!
smokeystables
Thank so much for posting BJH. I used to see them in concert and they are just one of the best! THANKS.
Ryan Coxx
nice song with many memories on this time...thx for posting