Her first hit in the United States is "Thunder and Lightning," released in May 1972. By August it reached #17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #12 on the U.S. Record World top 100 record chart and U.S. CashBox top 100, #18 on the Canadian RPM magazine charts, and #4 on the German hit list. It drove her first album, "Chi Coltrane", to stay on the charts for three months. The song "Go Like Elijah" also received considerable airplay, and held the #1 position on the Holland hit list for one month.
After her first album was released, she released the album Let It Ride early in 1974 (on the Columbia label), Greatest Hits and Best Of albums in 1975, and in 1977 another album, Road To Tomorrow as well as Silk & Steel in 1981 . She subsequently moved to Europe where she lived for a few years. She was voted Best Female Artist for two consecutive years). She released several albums on the Teldec label during the 1980s,[1] including Live! in 1982 (it reached #12 on the European charts),and Ready to Roll (1983), and The Message (1986). In the European “100 Best Musicians of the Century” list, she was listed in the top 50.[citation needed] Golden Classics was released in November 1996 (Collectibles label). She has done TV soundtrack work, and collaborated with Tangerine Dream in 1991. She returned to Los Angeles in 1993, where she built a recording studio and worked with underprivileged groups.
In 2009 Coltrane resumed her music career, releasing a new compilation "The Essential Chi Coltrane - Yesterday, Today & Forever". The collection featured material from her 1980s albums "Live!", "Ready to Roll", and "The Message". It also contained three new recordings, including the title track which featured a Paul Buckmaster string arrangement.
Coltrane's first comeback performance was a concert in Vienna at the Donounselfest in 2009, where she drew 100,000 people. She then did a tour in Holland in October of 2009. Her CD went to #55 on the charts within two weeks. She then signed with Sony and did another tour in Holland as well as a highly successful tour in Germany. She is now preparing for additional touring in Germany, and another tour in Holland as well as a tour in Switzerland. She has committed to working next on a studio album of new material, to be released in 2012.
Don't Forget the Queen
Chi Coltrane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's beautiful by candlelight
Sedately seated at his right
Transfixed before the fight
Making jest he calls her name
Her eyebrows lift up in disdain
Now who could take the monarch's place
'Cause she can tear down the castle
She can set the prisoners free
She can lead the ships to battle
Head her own monopoly
And everyone would follow
Dedicated to their queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
The jester needs material
The courtyard is his theatre
The best is yet to come if ear
Could penetrate the wall
The throne room is a sacred place
Where common folk would hesitate
To dare incur her royal rage
Oooh, King, make no mistake
'Cause she can tear down the castle
She can set the prisoners free
She can lead the ships to battle
head her own monopoly
And everyone would follow
Dedicated to their queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
The king and queen will dine tonight
She's beautiful by candlelight
Sedately seated at his right
Transfixed post royal fight
Respectfully he calls her name
And regally she wears her fame
The monarch need not he replaced
The Queen has bid him stay
She could tear down the castle
She could set the prisoners free
She could lead the ships to battle
Head her own monopoly
And everyone would follow
Dedicated to their queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
The song "Don't Forget the Queen" by Chi Coltrane is a powerful tribute to the strength and influence of a queen in a monarchy. The lyrics tell the story of a king and queen dining together, with the queen sitting by the king's side, beautiful by candlelight. Although she appears sedate and proper, the lyrics suggest that she is capable of great power, and that her subjects are devoted to her.
The verse "She can tear down the castle, she can set the prisoners free, she can lead the ships to battle, head her own monopoly" highlights the queen's strength, intelligence, and leadership. She is not merely a decoration or a figurehead; she is capable of changing the course of history. The lyrics suggest that the queen is feared and respected, and that she is the true ruler of the kingdom.
As the king calls her name, the queen responds with disdain, suggesting that she is irritated by the king's attempts at humor. The lyrics suggest that the queen is a serious person who does not tolerate disrespect. The throne room is described as a sacred place where common folk would hesitate to enter, and the queen is portrayed as having a royal rage that no one wants to incur.
Overall, "Don't Forget the Queen" is a powerful song about the strength and influence of a queen in a monarchy. The lyrics suggest that she is capable of great power, and that her subjects are devoted to her. The song is a tribute to the strong women who have ruled throughout history, and it serves as a reminder that women have always been capable of leadership, strength, and power.
Line by Line Meaning
The king and queen will dine tonight
The royal couple will have dinner tonight
She's beautiful by candlelight
The Queen looks radiant in the flickering light of candles
Sedately seated at his right
The Queen sits calmly at the King's side
Transfixed before the fight
Everyone is mesmerized by the upcoming battle
Making jest he calls her name
The King teases the Queen by calling her name
Her eyebrows lift up in disdain
The Queen reacts with displeasure to the King's teasing
Now who could take the monarch's place
The King wonders who could possibly replace him
Oooh, don't displease Her Grace
The Queen should not be upset or angry
She can tear down the castle
The Queen has power and can destroy the castle if she wants to
She can set the prisoners free
The Queen can release the prisoners from their captivity
She can lead the ships to battle
The Queen can command the navy in battle
Head her own monopoly
The Queen can run a successful business empire
And everyone would follow
People will follow the Queen's lead
Dedicated to their queen
People are loyal and devoted to the Queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
People are loyal and devoted to the Queen
The jester needs material
The jester wants something to make fun of
The courtyard is his theatre
The courtyard is where the jester performs
The best is yet to come if ear
The jester promises that his best performance is coming up
Could penetrate the wall
If people could hear through the wall, they would enjoy the jester's performance
The throne room is a sacred place
The throne room is a holy and important place
Where common folk would hesitate
Ordinary people would be afraid to enter the throne room
To dare incur her royal rage
People wouldn't want to risk getting on the Queen's bad side
Oooh, King, make no mistake
The King should be careful and not do anything to upset the Queen
And regally she wears her fame
The Queen is proud of her position and wears it with dignity
The monarch need not he replaced
There is no need to replace the current King
The Queen has bid him stay
The Queen wants the King to remain on the throne
Respectfully he calls her name
The King addresses the Queen with respect
She could tear down the castle
The Queen has power and can destroy the castle if she wants to
She could set the prisoners free
The Queen can release the prisoners from their captivity
She could lead the ships to battle
The Queen can command the navy in battle
Head her own monopoly
The Queen can run a successful business empire
And everyone would follow
People will follow the Queen's lead
Dedicated to their queen
People are loyal and devoted to the Queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
People are loyal and devoted to the Queen
Contributed by Zoe B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aline
The king and queen will dine tonight
She's beautiful by candlelight
Sedately seated at his right
Transfixed before the fight
Making jest he calls her name
Her eyebrows lift up in disdain
Now who could take the monarch's place
Oooh, don't displease Her Grace
'Cause she can tear down the castle
She can set the prisoners free
She can lead the ships to battle
Head her own monopoly
And everyone would follow
Dedicated to their queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
The jester needs material
The courtyard is his theatre
The best is yet to come if ear
Could penetrate the wall
The throne room is a sacred place
Where common folk would hesitate
To dare incur her royal rage
Oooh, King, make no mistake
'Cause she can tear down the castle
She can set the prisoners free
She can lead the ships to battle
head her own monopoly
And everyone would follow
Dedicated to their queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
The king and queen will dine tonight
She's beautiful by candlelight
Sedately seated at his right
Transfixed post royal fight
Respectfully he calls her name
And regally she wears her fame
The monarch need not be replaced
The Queen has bid him stay
She could tear down the castle
She could set the prisoners free
She could lead the ships to battle
Head her own monopoly
And everyone would follow
Dedicated to their queen
Dedicated to Her Majesty
All hail the king, All hail the king
All hail the king, All hail the king
But don't forget the queen.
@robertgalloway5638
And what makes her more amazing is the fact that she writes and composes most of her own music, plays the grand piano, and sings like no one i can compare her to. She has many very good songs and it is sad that she has not received the recognition or the airplay through the years she so rightfully deserves in the States. I have listened to her since 1972.
@peterruark645
This is powerful. As much as I love her first two albums, I have not explored her subsequent albums much. This shows a maturing in her songwriting. I’m glad to learn that she has remained popular in Europe, since here in the US this treasure has been ignored for the past 50 years.
@robertgalloway5638
You must check out the album Silk and Steel, which came out around 1981 and I believe her third album. This is my favorite album by her as much as I love the others. Goin Round and Don't forget the Queen are true masterpieces. And she is the Queen.
@collllroossk
Same here, I never listened to her later stuff... and it's great! The song "I'm gonna make you love me" brought to light her later songs for me.
@peterruark645
This is powerful. As much as I love her first two albums, I have not explored her subsequent albums much. This shows a maturing in her songwriting. I’m glad to learn that she has remained popular in Europe, since here in the US this cultural treasure has been ignored for the past 50 years.
@robertgalloway5638
The Silk and Steel Album is awesome as well.
@robertgalloway5638
Amazing composition and a unique, powerful voice full of raw emotion. My favorite female artist.
@ArBaCw
Without a doubt one of Chi's masterpieces.
@YourDekslocGardener
Thank you very much, a unique song, I was lost in it when I heard it first many many years ago and I've missed the album version. It gives me goosebumps of abnormal size especially from 3rd minut and out.