In 1970 EMI switched the band to its new, “progressive” Harvest label, and with the popularity of the blues boom receding, Cooper and the band began to emphasise the more rock-based elements of their style on such albums as Tightly Knit (1971) and Rich Man (1972).
They also began to focus on the lucrative US market, touring in support of acts such as Canned Heat and the Steve Miller Band. After defecting from EMI to Polydor, the band had its breakthrough in 1973 via FM/Live, recorded at a New York show that was also broadcast live on radio. The recording lucidly captured their powerful stage show and was their biggest-selling album to date, catapulting them from support act to headliners. Slimmed down to a four-piece, the name was also shortened to the Climax Blues Band.
Their great success came in 1976 when Cooper’s Couldn’t Get It Right made No 3 in the US chart and the UK Top 10. The song was later covered by the Fun Lovin’ Criminals.
Moving to Warner’s, the group continued to record prolifically as an album-orientated act. They reached the US Top 20 for a second time in 1981 with I Love You, written by Holt, who left the following year to form Grand Alliance. By the end of the 1980s their popularity on the US live circuit was waning, and they began to spend more time playing on the European blues scene. The 1994 live album Blues from the Attic was evidence that they remained a potent force.
Colin Cooper: British musician who formed the Climax Blues Band
Colin Cooper was an enduring figure on the blues scene for 40 years as the leader of the Climax Blues Band. A powerful vocalist and talented multi-instrumentalist, he formed the group in 1968 at the height of the British “blues boom” which also produced bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After and Chicken Shack.
The group went on to enjoy Top 20 hits with Cooper’s composition Couldn’t Get It Right in 1976 and I Love You five years later, both of which were bigger hits in the US than in Britain. Although the band’s line-up altered radically over the years, Cooper remained a constant presence, and the group was still active when he died.
Colin Francis Richard Cooper was born in Stafford in 1939. He began his professional career when he formed the R&B combo Hipster Image in 1964, taking the lead vocals and playing guitar and saxophone. After building a strong local following, the group transferred to London in 1965 taking over the Spencer Davis Group’s residency at the Flamingo club, Soho, a fabled home of British R&B where Zoot Money, Georgie Fame and Graham Bond cut their teeth. They secured a recording deal with Decca in 1966 but their only single, Can’t Let Her Go, failed to chart, despite being produced by Alan Price of the Animals. When the group broke up, Cooper returned to the Potteries where he formed the Gospel Truth. However, inspired by the emergence of a second wave of British blues bands such as Jethro Tull and Fleetwood Mac, Cooper and the guitarist Peter Haycock soon recast the band as the Climax Chicago Blues Band, recruiting the bass player Richard Jones, the drummer George Newsome, Arthur Wood on keyboards and second guitarist Derek Holt. The group signed to EMI in 1969 and its first two albums, on EMI’s Parlophone subsidiary, were impressive exercises in the hardcore 12-bar blues style forged by the great Chicago bands who backed Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, although Cooper’s use of wind instruments occasionally led them into jazzier territory.
Despite suffering from cancer, Cooper continued to play with the band until weeks before his death. When not playing music, he attempted — and usually completed — The Times crossword every day.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
Colin Cooper, musician, was born on October 7, 1939. He died of cancer on July 3, 2008, aged 68.
They are also called or known as The Climax Blues Band.
Running Out of Time
Climax Blues Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can hear the people call
Some folks, they got everything
And I got nothin' at all
I don't want revolution
I just want a little something
While I sit and do my thing
Lookin' for a silver lining
Searchin' for a sign
If we're gonna make it, make it quick
Because we're runnin' out of time
Can't do things I want to
'Cause that's what money's for
I do things I don't want
Gonna cost me even more
Tomorrow is tomorrow
And a million years away
But I serve up every morning
To the mem' of yesterday
Lookin' for a silver lining
Searchin' for a sign
If we're gonna make it, make it quick
Because we're runnin' out of time, yeah
Money's makin' money
It's just the way it always is
People are makin' people
Who've got no way to pay
Lookin' for a silver lining
Searchin' for a sign
If we're gonna make it, make it quick
Because we're runnin' out of time
Because we're runnin' out of time
Because we're runnin' out of time
The Climax Blues Band's song "Running Out of Time" is a commentary on the struggle of everyday life, particularly the difficulty of carving out a meaningful existence when the structures of society are against you. The song begins with the singer expressing his desire to "ride across the country," but he quickly realizes that he has "nothin' at all" and that "some folks, they got everything." This line establishes the theme of economic inequality that runs through the song.
The singer then expresses his desire for "a little something" but rejects the idea of revolution. He recognizes that change is needed but doesn't want to take extreme measures to achieve it. This is an interesting twist on traditional protest songs, which often advocate for revolutionary action. The singer suggests that the revolution will come on its own, without his intervention.
The next verse of the song focuses on the singer's struggles with the passage of time. He is constantly "lookin' for a silver lining" and "searchin' for a sign" that things will get better. But he recognizes that time is running out, and that he needs to act quickly if he wants to make a difference. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "Because we're runnin' out of time," emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Overall, "Running Out of Time" is a powerful commentary on the struggle for economic and social justice. The song combines a catchy melody with insightful lyrics, making it a classic protest song that still resonates today.
Line by Line Meaning
Ride across the country
Traveling across the country on a ride.
I can hear the people call
Hearing people call out and express themselves.
Some folks, they got everything
Some people are fortunate and have everything they want.
And I got nothin' at all
Not having anything at all.
I don't want revolution
Not wanting a major change or uprising.
I just want a little something
Desiring just a little something of value.
While I sit and do my thing
Continuing with one's own activities.
The revolution's coming
A change or uprising is imminent.
Lookin' for a silver lining
Searching for a positive aspect or hope in a difficult situation.
Searchin' for a sign
Looking for a signal or indication of something.
If we're gonna make it, make it quick
If we are going to succeed, we must act quickly.
Because we're runnin' out of time
Because time is running out.
Can't do things I want to
Being unable to do what one desires due to lack of resources.
'Cause that's what money's for
Money is necessary to do things one wants.
I do things I don't want
Doing things one does not want to do.
Gonna cost me even more
Having to pay more for doing things one does not want to do.
Tomorrow is tomorrow
The future is yet to come.
And a million years away
The future seems very far away.
But I serve up every morning
Continuing with daily activities each morning.
To the mem' of yesterday
Focusing on memories of the past.
Money's makin' money
Money is generating more money on its own.
It's just the way it always is
This is simply how things typically happen.
People are makin' people
People are creating more people.
Who've got no way to pay
These people do not have money to pay for their needs or desires.
Because we're runnin' out of time
Time is running out.
Because we're runnin' out of time
Time is running out.
Because we're runnin' out of time
Time is running out.
Contributed by Christopher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Corey Cooper
What a kick ass song on a superb album. So glad they played this on WNEW-FM in the 70's. Thanks Elena, good job!
johnny zell
Ride across the country
I can hear the people call
Some folks, they got everything
And I got nothin' at all
I don't want revolution
I just want a little something
While I sit and do my thing
The revolution's coming
Lookin' for a silver lining
Searchin' for a sign
If we're gonna make it, make it quick
Because we're runnin' out of time
Can't do things I want to
'Cause that's what money's for
I do things I don't want
Gonna cost me even more
Tomorrow is tomorrow
And a million years away
But I serve up every morning
To the mem' of yesterday
Lookin' for a silver lining
Searchin' for a sign
If we're gonna make it, make it quick
Because we're runnin' out of time, yeah
Money's makin' money
It's just the way it always is
People are makin' people
Who've got no way to pay
Lookin' for a silver lining
Searchin' for a sign
If we're gonna make it, make it quick
Because we're runnin' out of time
Because we're runnin' out of time
Because we're runnin' out of time
dumena
Pete Haycock!
Chrisann turk
Need the name of the song getting rich quick by a really cleaver trick
Frank Viering
Mole on the Dole from their Rich Man album.
Fatboy Russ
Mole on the dole.