Born to a Welsh father and English mother, Protheroe joined a local church choir when he was 12 years old and started piano lessons at about the same time. The music of Cliff Richard and the Shadows inspired him to start learning the guitar. He joined a rock band called The Coasters as lead singer in 1961 and also joined an amateur theatre group called The Studio Theatre at around the same time.
First job was a library assistant for a year followed by three years as a student technician in a hospital pathological laboratory.
Musical influences around this time were Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Josh White, Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry and Brownie Mcghee, Dave Brubeck, and the choral church music of Bach.
Brian joined the folk group, Folk Blues Incorporated (FBI) when he was 19, while at this time listening to Bob Dylan and especially The Beatles.
He came to London with FBI in 1965 and played in folk clubs in and around London.
"The three of us lived in one room of a flat in south London owned by a blues singer called Gerry Lockran. We had no money and lived fairly rough for about three months before we gave it up and went home. During this time we met Paul Simon who was playing the same clubs as us."
In 1966, Brian began his career as an actor. His first job was with his local repertory theatre in Salisbury. He worked there for about 7 months then spent the next 5 years in various theatre companies around England, developing his musical skills as well as becoming an experienced actor.
In 1968 he worked for nearly two years in a theatre company in Lincoln in north east England where he met Martin Duncan who was also a musician, writer and actor. Over the next few years they collaborated on various musical and artistic projects.
"When we wrote together Martin would usually write the lyrics and I would set them to music. I was quite conventional in my approach to song writing but Martin had a more anarchic style and a wonderful surreal sense of humour that would force me into unusual musical forms."
During 1973 Brian lived in a flat in London's Covent Garden.
"I wasn't working much as an actor and wasn't in a relationship at the time but was writing the occasional song. I wrote a song called "Pinball" one weekend about my life at the time and made a simple home demo of it along with a couple of other songs."
Later in 1973 Brian was playing the part of a pop singer in a play called "Death on Demand" when a representative from Chrysalis Records heard a song he had written for the show.
"He asked if I had any other material so I played him my home demos. He liked them and I was offered a recording contract."
Brian's first single, "Pinball" was released in August 1974 followed by Pinball. This was followed over the next couple of years by two more albums - "Pick-Up" and "I/You."
Brian's acting career continued and in 1976 he starred in the London Production of the rock musical, "Leave Him to Heaven" at the New London theatre.
Basta Records collected his first three albums, remastered and released them as a box set with a "new" disc of unreleased material. The package was called "Brian's Big Box" and was the first time his material was available in more than two decades.
With the development of the internet, his recordings became more available to the fans that remembered him from the 70s, and he is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and has begun recording again.
The 2005 album "Citysong" was released by Basta as "Brian Protheroe's New Single and 17 Bonus Tracks." It also included two homemade movies to accompany the single. It was also released on iTunes.
In 2006, EMI released "Pinball and Other Stories," a career retrospective, with the included tracks having been remastered at Abbey Road studios.
His personal web page includes his extensive Theater/TV/Movie experience.
As a pianist Brian is a big follower of Dr. John and Randy Newman.
Every Roman Knows! is the official BP fan page.
Money Love
Brian Protheroe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did you know there was a man
Tell a lie tell a lie
Tell a lie while you can
Can you feel? Can you feel?
Can you feel money Love?
Is it real? Is it real?
Money Love can help you on
Heal you and sustain you
But never turn your back upon
How money love it can change you
Satisfy, Satisfy
Satisfy if you can
Tell a lie spend a lie
Spend a lie you tiny man
Money love will fill your head
Feed you and obey you
But very softly you must tread
Or in the ground she will lay you
Did you know? Did you know?
Did you know there was a man
Tell a lie tell a lie
Tell a lie while you can
Can you feel? Can you feel?
Can you feel money Love?
Is it real? Is it real?
Is it real money love?
The song Money Love by Brian Protheroe is about the all-consuming desire for money, how it can change a person and ultimately lead to their downfall. The lyrics employ a questioning tone, asking if the listener knows about the dangers of pursuing money love. The first verse urges the listener to tell a lie before it's too late, highlighting the deceitful nature of those who crave money.
The chorus asks if the listener can feel money love and questions its reality. The lyrics suggest that money love can provide material comfort and security, but it can also transform a person and lead to their downfall. The second verse warns the listener to be cautious of the power of money love, which can feed and obey them, but also destroy them if they are not careful. The final repetition of the chorus reiterates the questions about the reality of money love.
Overall, Money Love speaks to the seductive power of money and how its pursuit can lead to ruin. The song encourages listeners to be aware of the dangers of money love and to tread carefully when pursuing it.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you know? Did you know?
The singer is asking if the listener knows about something important.
Did you know there was a man
There was a man the listener should be aware of.
Tell a lie tell a lie
The singer is encouraging the listener to lie.
Tell a lie while you can
The singer is emphasizing the importance of taking advantage of the opportunity to lie while the listener still can.
Can you feel? Can you feel?
The singer is questioning whether or not the listener is able to feel something specific.
Can you feel money Love?
The question is asking if the listener is able to experience the attraction and desire towards the acquisition of material wealth, which is called 'Money Love'.
Is it real? Is it real?
The singer is questioning whether 'money love' is actually real.
Is it real money love?
The question is asking whether the listener truly feels the attraction and desire towards the acquisition of material wealth, which is called 'Money Love'.
Money Love can help you on
'Money Love' can assist in improving one's life.
Heal you and sustain you
'Money Love' can enhance your physical, material, and emotional situation.
But never turn your back upon
The listener should never forget the power and influence of 'Money Love'.
How money love it can change you
'Money Love' can alter one's behavior and perception.
Satisfy, Satisfy
The singer is urging the listener to seek satisfaction.
Satisfy if you can
The listener should pursue satisfaction if it's available to them.
Tell a lie spend a lie
The singer is encouraging the listener to use deceit for material gain.
Spend a lie you tiny man
The listener should use lies and deceit to their advantage, even if they are not very powerful or influential.
Money love will fill your head
The listener should expect to become obsessed with the acquisition of material wealth, which is called 'Money Love'.
Feed you and obey you
The acquisition of money will provide the listener with physical nourishment and power over others.
But very softly you must tread
The listener should go about pursuing wealth with caution and subtlety.
Or in the ground she will lay you
If the listener is careless or reckless in their pursuit of wealth, they will become buried or consumed by it.
Writer(s): Brian Protheroe
Contributed by Julia P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.