Christie was a British pop band formed at the end of the 1960s.
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Christie was a British pop band formed at the end of the 1960s.
In addition to Jeff Christie (born Jeffrey Christie, 12 July 1946, Leeds, Yorkshire, England) - vocalist, bassist and songwriter; they initially included guitarist Vic Elmes and drummer Mike Blakely (born Michael Blakely, 12 January 1947, Bromley, Kent, England) who is the younger brother of The Tremeloes' Alan Blakely.
Jeff Christie had initially worked with several bands including The Outer Limits, who released "Just One More Chance"/"Help Me Please" (1967) and "Great Train Robbery"/"Sweet Freedom" (1968), and Acid Gallery, whose single "Dance Around The Maypole" (1969) was written by Roy Wood.
That year Jeff Christie offered his composition "Yellow River" to The Tremeloes. They recorded it to release as a single, but when they changed their minds they allowed Christie to use the backing track themselves. The result was a UK number one hit in May 1970, and subsequently #23 in the U.S..
The follow-up single, "San Bernadino" (October 1970) reached UK Number 7 and Number 1 in Germany, but only U.S. #100. Both tracks became flash songs on their eponymous debut album of that year, and it stayed on U.S. Billboard chart for ten weeks. But the trio failed to sustain a lasting career, and Blakley was replaced by Paul Fenton just before the release of the band's second album, For All Mankind (1971).
Lem Lubin (ex-Unit Four Plus Two) was added to the line-up for Iron Horse (1972), but the title track proved to be the band's final hit single. The departure of Fenton and Lubin hastened the demise of the original line-up, but Jeff Christie returned with new members Terry Fogg (drums), Roger Flavell (bass), and Danny Krieger (guitar). A 1974 single "Alabama"/"I'm Alive" failed to resurrect the band's fortunes, and new members Tony Ferguson (guitar) and Roger Willis (drums) were brought in to join Christie and Flavell.
Jeff Christie disbanded the group in 1976. He released two solo singles for the RK label in 1980, and since then has written advertising jingles and appear on classic hits shows singing his greatest hits.
"Jo Jo's Band", written by Elmes, was a chart-topper in Argentina and Brazil, while the last Christie hit, "Navajo", was Number 1 in Mexico.
Jeff Christie reformed the band in 1990 with members of UK band Tubeless Hearts, Kev Moore, Simon Kay and Adrian 'Fos' Foster. They tried to represent United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1991, but were unsuccessful. They continued to tour for a further twelve years all over Europe, Russia and Israel, recording intermittently.
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Singer/Songwriter from the Northwich area.
Original songs and hundreds of covers you’ll know.
Influences:
Jackson Browne, Andy Shauf, Julien Baker, John Martyn, Bon Iver/Justin Vernon, Radiohead, Pinegrove, Fenne Lily, Mitski, Bob Seger, Frightened Rabbit, Elliot Smith, Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder, Joan Armatrading, Phoebe Bridgers, City and Colour, Fleetwood Mac, Nick Drake, Paolo Nutini, Damien Rice, Regina Spektor, Sharon Van Etten, Joni Mitchell, Red Hot Chili Peppers/John Frusciante, Tracy Chapman, Jose Gonzales, Rhye
Alabama
Christie Lyrics
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With a tombstone in my memory, I headed my wagon south
My possessions numbered but a few, When I started my journey
Just a shotgun and a Bowie knife, And a banjo on my knee
Alabama, you sure look good to me
Alabama, just you wait and see
When I find you, I'll stay around you
With a packsack on my shoulder, And a fresh water canteen
I set out into the future, To find out my destiny
For a thousand miles or more I came, Just to see what I could see
With a yearning for a better life, And a reason to believe
Alabama, you sure look good to me
Alabama, just you wait and see
When I find you, I'll stay around you
And build a brand new dream
I set my sights upon a new tomorrow
With no sorrow
Alabama, you sure look good to me
Alabama, just you wait and see
When I find you, I'll stay around you
And build a brand new dream
The lyrics to "Alabama" by Christie tell a story of a person leaving their home with just a few possessions and heading south towards Alabama. The person is leaving behind a tombstone in memory of someone or something, and is traveling with just a shotgun, Bowie knife, and banjo. They are on a search for a better life and a reason to believe, and are hopeful that Alabama will provide them with that new dream. Along the way, they encounter challenges but persevere with a positive outlook towards the future.
The lyrics can be interpreted in different ways, with some seeing it as a story of a physical journey to a new place, while others interpret it as a journey towards self-discovery and personal growth. The banjo, which is mentioned twice in the lyrics, is a common symbol of Southern culture and music, further emphasizing the setting of the song.
Overall, the song has a hopeful and optimistic tone, with the singer looking forward to a new beginning and a better life. The repetition of "Alabama, you sure look good to me" throughout the song reinforces this sentiment and creates a sense of longing for a new home.
Line by Line Meaning
I had ten cents in my pocket, When I left my father's house
I left my father's house with only ten cents in my pocket.
With a tombstone in my memory, I headed my wagon south
I left with the memory of a tombstone and headed south in my wagon.
My possessions numbered but a few, When I started my journey
I had very few possessions when I started my journey.
Just a shotgun and a Bowie knife, And a banjo on my knee
My possessions only consisted of a shotgun, a Bowie knife and a banjo.
Alabama, you sure look good to me
Alabama appears to be a good place to me.
Alabama, just you wait and see
I have faith that Alabama will prove to be a good place for me.
When I find you, I'll stay around you
When I reach Alabama, I plan to stay there.
And build a brand new dream
I hope to build a new life for myself in Alabama.
With a packsack on my shoulder, And a fresh water canteen
I carried a packsack with me and a canteen of fresh water.
I set out into the future, To find out my destiny
My journey was a quest to determine my destiny.
For a thousand miles or more I came, Just to see what I could see
I traveled over a thousand miles just to explore and see what was out there.
With a yearning for a better life, And a reason to believe
I had a strong desire for a better life and a belief that I could find it.
I set my sights upon a new tomorrow, With no sorrow
I looked towards a new and better tomorrow without sadness or regret.
Contributed by Stella G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.