Clifford T. Ward typified the early 70s bedsitter singer-songwriter with a series of albums that were at best delightful and at worst mawkish. Ward left grammar school before A-levels to work as a clerk, but by 1962 was fronting local beat group Cliff Ward and the Cruisers. The group changed their name to Martin Raynor and the Secrets and made their recording debut for EMI Records in 1965, before recording several more tracks as the Secrets for CBS Records.
In 1967 Ward enrolled at Worcester teacher training college to study English and divinity, after which he taught at Bromsgrove high school. His debut album appeared on disc jockey John Peel's brave-but-doomed Dandelion Records label in 1972. His second album and his first release for Charisma Records, Home Thoughts, proved to be his finest work and gave him wider recognition. Ward constructed each song as a complete story sometimes with great success.
The beautiful "Gaye" became a UK Top 10 hit but surprisingly the stronger "Home Thoughts From Abroad" and the infectious and lyrically excellent "Wherewithal" failed to chart. Mantle Pieces and Escalator contained a similar recipe of more harmless tales like the minor hit "Scullery" with affecting lyrics like; "You're my picture by Picasso, you'd brighten up any gallery'.
Ward's refusal to tour and promote his songs did not help endear the singer to his record company, however, and he switched to the Phonogram Records label for 1975"s No More Rock 'N' Roll. In later years although still recording the occasional album and still reluctant to perform live, Ward received kudos as a songwriter with his material being recorded by artists such as Cliff Richard, Art Garfunkel and Justin Hayward.
He was struck down with multiple sclerosis in 1987 and his health rapidly deteriorated. He managed to record 1991's vinyl-only album Laugh It Off, and friends and colleagues pieced together two more albums of new songs, out-takes and demos to give the ailing Ward some financial assistance. He finally succumbed to pneumonia December 18th 2001.
STAINS
Clifford T. Ward Lyrics
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You'd know how your love stains
I got ink all on my fingers
From words I can't explain
This solitary life is turnin' me about
My thoughts they all seem tainted
And the stains they won't come out
Been too long inside a colour that was fast
It's not too late
T' put this heart of mine in some shape
Come and wash away this heartache, and pain
Don't let it stain.
If you were here with me
You'd know your love still stains
Traces of your make-up
Pillow cases, eyebrow crayons
Broken glasses, cryin' tears and fingers bled
Down upon the carpet where the green turned into red
It's been too long inside a house that's full o' you
With nothin' left to show - memories seeping through.
It's not too late
T' put this heart of mine in some shape
Come and wash away this heartache, and pain
Don't let it stain.
Walkin' aimlessly from room to room
Where the air is stained with your perfume
Pictures on the wall
Seem to shine no more
And the colours are no longer true.
It's not too late
T' put this heart of mine in some shape
Come and wash away this heartache, and pain
Don't let it stain.
It's not too late
T' put this heart of mine in some shape
Come and wash away this heartache, and pain
Don't let it stain.
(Repeat and fade).
The lyrics of Clifford T. Ward's song "Stains" seem to narrate the grief and heartache of a person hopelessly in love with someone who has left them. The person describes how their love for the other persists, leaving behind physical and emotional stains that they cannot seem to wash away. The line, "I got ink all on my fingers from words I can't explain" suggests that the singer has been trying to express their feelings through writing, but they remain obscure and indecipherable. The person is haunted by memories of their past with their lover and feels that everything around them bears marks of their presence, from the make-up traces to the broken glasses and tears on the carpet.
The singer's pain is so great that they feel lost in their own house and unable to escape their memories. The line "pictures on the wall seem to shine no more, and the colours are no longer true" suggests that they can no longer take pleasure in the things they once enjoyed before the relationship ended. Despite this, the song suggests that there is still hope for the singer, and that it is not too late for them to heal themselves and move on from their heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
If you were here with me
The singer wishes the person they love were present.
You'd know how your love stains
The singer is affected by the impact of the love they received.
I got ink all on my fingers
The singer is metaphorically stained by love, and can't explain it.
From words I can't explain
The artist finds it impossible to express their emotions accurately.
This solitary life is turnin' me about
Living alone is causing emotional turmoil.
My thoughts they all seem tainted
The singer's mind is overwhelmed by a feeling of regret.
And the stains they won't come out
The singer is unable to move on from the impact of the love they once had.
Been too long inside a colour that was fast
The artist has been stuck in a particular emotional state for a long time.
Now the dye 's run out, stainin' up my past.
The feeling that was once grounding the artist has moved on, and it's made them question past decisions.
It's not too late
There's still a chance to make things right.
T' put this heart of mine in some shape
The singer wants to heal emotionally.
Come and wash away this heartache, and pain
The artist seeks comfort from the person they love.
Don't let it stain.
The singer wants to move on and not let the past affect their future.
Traces of your make-up
The singer has something from the person they love that serves as a reminder of them.
Pillow cases, eyebrow crayons
The singer has physical objects that tie them to the person they love.
Broken glasses, cryin' tears and fingers bled
The artist has physical injuries that remind them of the past.
Down upon the carpet where the green turned into red
The artist had a specific experience with the person they love that left a lasting memory.
It's been too long inside a house that's full o' you
The singer has been stuck emotionally in the house they once shared with their lover.
With nothin' left to show - memories seeping through.
The singer realizes that memories are all that remain of the love they once shared.
Walkin' aimlessly from room to room
The artist is lost and unsure of how to cope.
Where the air is stained with your perfume
The scents that remind of the past impact the artist emotionally.
Pictures on the wall
Old photographs serve as a reminder of the past.
Seem to shine no more
The singer finds that what was once a good memory, now is no longer so.
And the colours are no longer true.
The artist finds the world to hold less color than it once did.
(Repeat and fade).
The song repeats its message, solidifying the singer's wishes to move on from past hurt.
Contributed by Matthew E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.