In 1977, Bragg formed the punk rock/pub rock band Riff Raff, and toured London's pubs and clubs. The band released a series of singles, which did not receive wide exposure. He also worked in Guy Norris Records in Barking. Bragg became disillusioned with his music career, and in May 1981 joined the British Army as a recruit destined for the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars of the Royal Armoured Corps. After three months, he bought his way out of the army for £175 and returned home, having attended basic training but having never served in a regiment as a soldier.
Bragg began performing frequent concerts and busking around London, playing solo with an electric guitar. His roadie at the time was Andy Kershaw, who became a BBC DJ (Bragg and Kershaw later, in 1989, appeared in an episode of the BBC TV programme, Great Journeys, in which they travelled the Silver Road from Potosí, Bolivia, to the Pacific coast at Arica, Chile). Bragg performing at South by Southwest in 2008.
Bragg's demo tape initially got no response from the record industry, but by pretending to be a television repair man, he got into the office of Charisma Records' A&R man Peter Jenner. Jenner liked the tape, but the company was near bankruptcy and had no budget to sign new artists. Bragg got an offer to record more demos for a music publisher, so Jenner agreed to release them as a record. Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy was released in July 1983 by Charisma's new imprint, Utility. Hearing DJ John Peel mention on-air that he was hungry, Bragg rushed to the BBC with a mushroom biryani, so Peel played a song from Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy although at the wrong speed (since the 12" LP was, unconventionally, cut to play at 45rpm). Peel insisted he would have played the song even without the biryani and later played it at the correct speed.
Within months, Charisma had been taken over by Virgin Records and Jenner, who had been laid off, became Bragg's manager. Stiff Records' press officer Andy Macdonald – who was setting up his own record label, Go! Discs – received a copy of Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy. He made Virgin an offer and the album was re-released on Go! Discs in November 1983.[citation needed] In 1984, he released Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, a mixture of political songs (e.g., "It Says Here") and songs of unrequited love (e.g., "The Saturday Boy"). The following year he released Between the Wars, an EP of political songs that included a cover version of Leon Rosselson's "The World Turned Upside Down" – the EP made the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart and earned Bragg an appearance on Top of the Pops. Bragg later collaborated with Rosselson on the song, "Ballad of the Spycatcher". In 1985, his song "A New England", with an additional verse, became a Top 10 hit in the UK for Kirsty MacColl. After MacColl's early death, Bragg always sang the extra verse in her honour. In 1984–1985 he toured North America.
In 1986, Bragg released Talking with the Taxman about Poetry, which became his first Top 10 album. Its title is taken from a poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky and a translated version of the poem was printed on the record's inner sleeve. Back to Basics is a 1987 collection of his first three releases: Life's A Riot With Spy Vs. Spy, Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, and the Between The Wars EP. Bragg released his fourth album, Workers Playtime, in September 1988. With this album, Bragg added a backing band and accompaniment.
In May 1990, Bragg released the political mini-LP, The Internationale. The songs were, in part, a return to his solo guitar style, but some songs featured more complicated arrangements and included a brass band. The album paid tribute to one of Bragg's influences with the song, "I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night", which is an adapted version of Earl Robinson's song, "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night", itself an adaptation of a poem by Alfred Hayes.
The album Don't Try This at Home was released in September 1991, and included the song, "Sexuality", which reached the UK Singles Chart. Bragg had been persuaded by Go! Discs' Andy and Juliet Macdonald to sign a four-album deal with a million pound advance, and a promise to promote the album with singles and videos.[citation needed] This gamble was not rewarded with extra sales, and the situation put the company in financial difficulty. In exchange for ending the contract early and repaying a large amount of the advance, Bragg regained all rights to his back catalogue.[citation needed] Bragg continued to promote the album with his backing band, The Red Stars, which included his Riff Raff colleague and long-time roadie, Wiggy.
Bragg released the album William Bloke in 1996 after taking time off to help raise his son. Around that time, Nora Guthrie (daughter of American folk artist Woody Guthrie) asked Bragg to set some of her father's unrecorded lyrics to music. The result was a collaboration with the band Wilco and Natalie Merchant (with whom Bragg had worked previously). They released the album Mermaid Avenue in 1998, and Mermaid Avenue Vol. II in 2000. A rift with Wilco over mixing and sequencing the album led to Bragg recruiting his own band, The Blokes, to promote the album. The Blokes included keyboardist Ian McLagan, who had been a member of Bragg's boyhood heroes The Faces. The documentary film Man in the Sand depicts the roles of Nora Guthrie, Bragg, and Wilco in the creation of the Mermaid Avenue albums.
In 2004, Bragg joined Florida ska-punk band Less Than Jake to perform a version of 'The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out' for the Rock Against Bush compilation.
At the 2005 Beautiful Days Festival in Devon, Bragg teamed up with the Levellers to perform a short set of songs by or associated with The Clash in celebration of Joe Strummer's birthday. Bragg performed guitar and lead vocals on "Police and Thieves", and performed guitar and backing vocals on "English Civil War", and "Police on my Back".
In 2007, Bragg moved closer to his English folk music roots by joining the WOMAD-inspired collective The Imagined Village, who recorded an album of updated versions of traditional English songs and dances and toured through that autumn. Bragg released his album Mr. Love & Justice in March 2008. This was the second Bragg album to be named after a book by Colin MacInnes. In 2008, during the NME Awards ceremony, Bragg sang a duet with British solo act Kate Nash. They mixed up their two greatest hits, Nash playing "Foundations", and Bragg redoing his "A New England". Bragg also collaborated with the poet and playwright, Patrick Jones, who supported Bragg's Tour.
In 2008, Bragg played a small role in Stuart Bamforth's film "A13: Road Movie". Bragg is featured alongside union reps, vicars, burger van chefs and Members of Parliament in a film that explored "the overlooked, the hidden and the disregarded."
He was involved in the play Pressure Drop at the Wellcome Collection in London in April and May 2010. The production, written by Mick Gorden, and billed as "part play, part gig, part installation", featured new songs by Bragg. He performed during the play with his band, and acted as compere.
Bragg curated the Leftfield stage at Glastonbury Festival 2010.
He took part in the Bush Theatre's 2011 project Sixty Six where he has written a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible.
Bragg performed a set of the Guthrie songs that he had set to music for Mermaid Avenue during the Hay Literary Festival in June 2012. Mermaid Avenue Vol. III and Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions were also released in early 2012.
On 18 March 2013, Bragg released his latest studio album, five years since Mr. Love & Justice, titled Tooth And Nail. It featured 11 original songs, including one written for the Bush Theatre, and a Woody Guthrie cover. Stylistically, it continues to explore genres of Americana (music) and Alternative country, both of which he has said he has been playing and writing regularly since Mermaid Avenue (1998).
In November 2017, he released all six tracks from the mini-album Bridges Not Walls as downloads and CD through the Billy Bragg website and other sellers, followed by the single Full English Brexit through Cooking Vinyl.
A Lover Sings
Billy Bragg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That lost a lot in the translation
When I think of all the time that I spent
Sitting on the edge of your bed in anticipation
Of you giving in and us living in sin
A hot day, the smell of hairspray
And the sound of a shower running softly
The first time you came back for coffee
The way you took it amazed me
Walking in the park, kissing in the dark
And my head against your pillow
Late at night a lover sings
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
I say Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
There is no real substitute
For a ball struck squarely and firmly
And you're the kind of girl who wants to
Open up the bottle of pop too early in the journey
Our love went flat just like that
It doesn't matter the color of the car
But what goes on beneath the bonnet
Is there a flag that flies above your heart
And is my name writ there upon it
Wedding cake and toothache
Equals love and pain
Walking in the park, kissing on the carpet
And your tights around your ankles
Late at night a lover thinks of these things
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
I say Adam and eve are finding out all about love
Adam and Eve are finding out all about
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
Teresa and Steve are finding out all about love
In "A Lover Sings," Billy Bragg sings about a relationship that has lost its spark but still holds deep memories. The song explores how love tends to change over time and how it can be difficult to recapture the same passion that existed in the early days of a relationship. The opening lines, "You and I are victims of a love/ That lost a lot in the translation," suggest that the couple's love has been lost somewhere in communication or interpretation. Bragg feels nostalgic as he remembers the precious moments he spent with his lover, like "sitting on the edge of [her] bed in anticipation" of sinning with her, "walking in the park, kissing in the dark," or "late at night when a lover sings."
The lyrics suggest that the couple had a strong sexual bond, but eventually, the relationship went flat, and the love they once had faded away. This idea is further enforced when Bragg sings, "Our love went flat just like that." The song's central message is about the inevitable demise of love and how it's important to cherish the moments we have with our lovers while we have them.
Line by Line Meaning
You and I are victims of a love
Our relationship is characterized by circumstances that are beyond our control and have caused us pain or disappointment.
That lost a lot in the translation
Our love has been hindered or misunderstood due to a lack of understanding, communication, or cultural differences.
When I think of all the time that I spent
I reflect upon and analyze the duration of our relationship and all the memories that we shared.
Sitting on the edge of your bed in anticipation
I waited eagerly to engage in sexual intimacy with you because I had strong feelings of attraction and desire towards you.
Of you giving in and us living in sin
I hoped that you would reciprocate my feelings and participate in sexual activity with me, regardless of the societal norms or religious beliefs that would deem our actions sinful.
A hot day, the smell of hairspray
I remember a warm day when the scent of hairspray wafted in the air, reminding me of a past encounter with you.
And the sound of a shower running softly
I recall hearing the muted sound of a shower running in the background, evoking sensory memories of a moment when I was with you in a bathroom.
It's things like this that remind me of how I felt
These small, sensory details trigger a flood of emotions and nostalgia within me as I revisit the thoughts and feelings I experienced in that moment shared with you.
The first time you came back for coffee
I vividly recall the moment when we first shared a drink together and became more intimate in our relationship.
The way you took it amazed me
I was impressed and charmed by your unique preferences or habits, such as your beverage choices.
Walking in the park, kissing in the dark
We had tender, romantic moments such as walking through a park late at night and sharing kisses in the shadows.
And my head against your pillow
We shared intimate moments in bed together, with my head resting upon your pillow.
Late at night a lover sings
During the quiet, reflective moments of the night, I allow myself to express and bask in the emotions of love.
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
The human condition of love and relationships is a topic and experience that has existed since the beginning of time and is familiar to all individuals.
I say Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
I personally identify with the experiences and emotions of those in the past, present, and future who explore their own romantic relationships.
There is no real substitute
There exists no equal or interchangeable alternative that can replace or replicate a specific, integral aspect of a relationship.
For a ball struck squarely and firmly
A precisely executed action, such as hitting a ball, represents a desirable quality in a potential partner or relationship.
And you're the kind of girl who wants to
You possess a particular set of values, aspirations, and desires that are unique to you as an individual.
Open up the bottle of pop too early in the journey
You have a tendency to act impulsively or impatiently, without considering the consequences or further outcomes of your actions in a relationship.
Our love went flat just like that
Our relationship lost its vigor, flavor, and excitement abruptly and unexpectedly, akin to carbonation disappearing from a soft drink.
It doesn't matter the color of the car
Surface level or materialistic traits, such as the color of a car or other superficial qualities, hold no true significance in determining the worth or success of a relationship.
But what goes on beneath the bonnet
Instead, the true value and quality of a relationship lies within the underlying, internal components that drive it, such as the individual personalities, values, and goals of the involved parties.
Is there a flag that flies above your heart
Do you possess and express a clear, distinguishing set of beliefs, principles, or values that matter to you and influence your actions in a relationship?
And is my name writ there upon it
Do you consider me or our relationship to be significant or integral in your life, and express that through your words or actions?
Wedding cake and toothache
Love, commitment, and marriage can contain moments of joy and celebration, as well as times of pain, hardship, and sacrifice.
Equals love and pain
The emotional experience of love is not limited to feelings of positivity or happiness, but can encompass a broad range of both pleasant and unpleasant feelings.
Walking in the park, kissing on the carpet
We shared intimate and romantic moments in a variety of settings and locations, both public and private.
And your tights around your ankles
Our moments of intimacy involved removing clothing, such as when you removed your tights in a private moment shared between us.
Late at night a lover thinks of these things
In times of reflection and solitude, I allow myself to dwell on past intimate moments and the emotions associated with them.
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
The human condition of love and relationships is a topic and experience that has existed since the beginning of time and is familiar to all individuals.
I say Adam and eve are finding out all about love
I personally identify with the experiences and emotions of those in the past, present, and future who explore their own romantic relationships.
Adam and Eve are finding out all about
The exploration and discovery of love, both its joys and challenges, is a universal and timeless human endeavor.
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
The human condition of love and relationships is a topic and experience that has existed since the beginning of time and is familiar to all individuals.
Teresa and Steve are finding out all about love
Love is a universal experience and pursuit that transcends societal boundaries, and is experienced and explored by all individuals, regardless of their culture, gender, or race.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Billy Bragg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dominick Alcid
You and I are victims of a love
That lost a lot in the translation
When I think of all the time that I spent
Sitting on the edge of your bed in anticipation
Of you giving in and us living in sin
A hot day, the smell of hairspray
And the sound of a shower running softly
It's things like this that remind me of how I felt
The first time you came back for coffee
The way you took it amazed me
Walking in the park, kissing in the dark
And my head against your pillow
Late at night a lover sings
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
I say Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
There is no real substitute
For a ball struck squarely and firmly
And you're the kind of girl who wants to
Open up the bottle of pop
Too early in the journey
Our love went flat just like that
It doesn't matter the color of the car
But what goes on beneath the bonnet
Is there a flag that flies above your heart
And is my name writ there upon it
Wedding cake and toothache
Equals love and pain
Walking in the park, kissing on the carpet
And your tights around your ankles
Late at night a lover thinks of these things
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
I say Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
Adam and Eve are finding out all about
Adam and Eve are finding out all about love
Teresa and Steve are finding out all about love
Bill Carr
Amazing song. Amongst the most poignant lyrics I have ever heard and the sublime Hammond Organ sound of Kenny Craddock thrown in. All of the superlatives in the world could not get close to describing it.
criiistube
i think this might be one of the best songs ever recorded
john gonzalez
Unadulterated, heartfelt, pure and simple poetry.
jay grannell
Dude is a fucking Shakespeare
AutPen38
That line "Your tights around your ankles; late at night a lover thinks of these things" just slays me.
Mach 2Media
Unmatched poignancy. Pure genius.
Oxmix64
I like the line about Teresa and Steve after Adam and Eve.There is timeless theme in this song that we all can relate to.
Nig Le
Superb. Got all of billy's early albums on vinyl. 👍👍
kuchcache
Met this in college (circa 1988). Love it more today. Beautifully poignant.
Irespectyouropinion
So many wonderful memories from this album and Billy's early shows , Kilburn changed my whole view of how music should be played..thanks Billy I owe you a pint.