Brinsley Schwarz was popular in the U.K. and many European territories, touring Great Britian in 1972 as an opening act for Paul McCartney & Wings. The band also tried playing the UK's regional pub & hall circuit with artists Dave Edmunds, Atomic Rooster, Ducks DeLuxe, and the Grateful Dead, even headlining the first Glastonbury festival. In addition to Schwarz and Nick Lowe on bass & vocals, the band featured American Billy Rankin on drums, and Bob Andrews on Hammond B-3 organ, with additional guitarist Ian Gomm added in 1970.
Brinsley Schwarz signed a contract with manager Dave Robinson, who developed a plan to earn the group some wide scale publicity. They first played America on a fiasco laden press junket opening for Van Morrison at the Fillmore East in New York City in 1970 but were not well rested or well received. The group never toured the states again. Before breaking up in 1975, they released a total of 12 albums and 21 singles for United Artists. The band also notably were the first group to play live in 1973 on the BBC's 'Old Grey Whistle Test' programme and had a cameo in the film 'Stardust' with David Essex.
In 1970, Brinsley Schwarz released Despite It All, which had a definite country sound to it, and later added Ian Gomm to the band. Their wild performances soon garnered the band a large fanbase on the London pub rock scene, at venues such as 'The Tally Ho' in Kentish Town. Along with other bands like Eggs Over Easy, Brinsley Schwarz was soon dubbed "pub rock" by rock journalists. They sounded, at times, very much like The Band, with Schwarz's guitar work influenced greatly by Robbie Robertson's.
1972's ironic take on country rock, Nervous on the Road, received excellent reviews but did not reach the charts; neither did a series of singles or Please Don't Ever Change (1973). They continued recording for a time, but broke up in 1975.
Schwarz and Andrews joined Graham Parker & the Rumour, later Andrews moved to New Orleans and now plays in Dos Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar and has a web page www.neworleanspiano.com.
Rankin joined Terraplane and then Big Jim Sullivan's Tiger.
Lowe and Gomm both began solo careers, achieving moderate mainstream success, including Lowe's (1980) single "Cruel to Be Kind", originally Brinsley Schwarz's composition, and Gomm's 1979 hit "Hold On."
Lowe went on to greater acclaim than any other member, starting off as Stiff's in house producer he recorded the debut discs of Elvis Costello, The Damned & The Pogues, recorded several albums with Rockpile and had some late 70s solo hit singles. Lowe married Johnny Cash's step daughter Carlene Carter Cash for a spell in the 80's, and later made a million from the inclusion of Curtis Stigers' cover version of "(What's So Funny About) Peace Love & Understanding" on the multi-platinum soundtrack to Whitney Houston's film "The Bodyguard".
Gomm, once described in a 1971 NME issue as "the best guitarist in Britain" attempted a solo career, and later became a Welsh studio owner & record producer who worked with The Stranglers and Alexis Korner.
The original version of Elvis Costello's hit "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding," written by Lowe, was released by the band in 1974 on their album The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz and also featured on the multi million selling soundtrack of the movie The Bodyguard, where it was performed by Curtis Stigers.
Brinsley Schwarz Discography:
Brinsley Schwarz (April 1970)
Despite It All (December 1970)
Silver Pistol (October 1971)
Nervous on the Road (September 1972)
Please Don't Ever Change (October 1973)
The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz (July 1974)
The Last Album (June 1975)
Rarities (July 2000)
Don't Lose Your Grip On Love
Brinsley Schwarz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't lose your grip on love
Take me higher and higher
Like a jet plane flies
But don't lose your grip on love
Why do you despise this travelin' man?
Even though he's doing the best that he can
How come you don't hear him when he says, honey
Don't lose your grip on love
Don't lose your grip on love
Take me higher and higher
Like a jet plane flies
But don't lose your grip on love
Said he was a fire sign when he last come by
But fire sign or water sign, you can still hear him cry
He put up a statue then burnt down the town
And the first word his tongue spoke when he came 'round was
Don't lose your grip on love
Don't lose your grip on love
Take me higher and higher
Like a jet plane flies
But don't lose your grip on love
And when he was in trouble and was feeling so low
His friends had deserted him and he had no place to go
He looked like a dead man but be that as it may
Well I thought he was joking when I heard him say
Don't lose your grip on love
Don't lose your grip on love
Take me higher and higher
Like a jet plane flies
But don't lose your grip on love
The song "Don’t Lose Your Grip On Love" by Brinsley Schwarz seems to be about the importance of holding onto love despite challenging circumstances. The chorus encourages not letting go of love, while the verses tell the story of a traveling man who is working hard but not being appreciated by others around him. Despite this, he remains committed to love and its importance in his life. The singer recalls a time when the man was in trouble and had no friends to turn to, but still held onto love as a source of comfort and strength.
The lyrics suggest that love is something that can uplift and propel us forward, like a jet plane soaring higher and higher. However, the challenges of life can sometimes make it difficult to hold onto love. The traveling man may be seen as a metaphor for the struggles that people face in life, but the song reminds us to stay steadfast and not lose our grip on what really matters. Overall, the song emphasizes the power and importance of love in difficult times and encourages listeners to hold onto it tightly.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't lose your grip on love
Don't let go of your love and affection towards others
Don't lose your grip on love
Keep holding on to love and don't let it slip away
Take me higher and higher
Elevate me and make me feel greater than before
Like a jet plane flies
As fast and as high as a plane rushing through the sky
But don't lose your grip on love
Even though we're ascending, don't forget about holding on to love
Why do you despise this travelin' man?
Why do you hate this man that is always moving around?
Even though he's doing the best that he can
Despite trying his hardest, he is still criticized
Working for peanuts as is his wont
He's working for low wages, as he often does
How come you don't hear him when he says, honey
Why aren't you listening to him when he calls out to you?
Said he was a fire sign when he last come by
He mentioned that his astrological sign was a fire sign during his previous visit
But fire sign or water sign, you can still hear him cry
Regardless of his astrological sign, he's still emotional and heartbroken
He put up a statue then burnt down the town
He initially created something great, but eventually destroyed it all
And the first word his tongue spoke when he came 'round was
The first thing he said when he returned was
And when he was in trouble and was feeling so low
When he faced difficulties and was deeply depressed
His friends had deserted him and he had no place to go
His friends abandoned him and he was left homeless
He looked like a dead man but be that as it may
Despite appearing lifeless, let's not dwell on that
Well I thought he was joking when I heard him say
At first, I believed he was just making a joke when he said
Contributed by Joshua L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.