The Zombies disbanded. In the early 70's, Blunstone re-emerged as a solo act, and scored several major hits. The music featured rhythm guitar now and ranged from string arranged melodies, to rock, to American folk. The Zombies were never far away; for instance, "Andorra", written by co-Zombies Rod Argent and White, is a remake of "Time of the Season".
"One Year" was his first solo album.
In the late 70's Colin lent his voice to The Alan Parsons Project, a logical progression from his solo work, as can be heard in a song such as "Old and Wise".
Colin is currently touring and recording again with Rod Argent, another founder member of the Zombies, performing both new material and hits from their joint and solo careers.
Andorra
Colin Blunstone Lyrics
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The sun set on the left
The rounded mountains pointed
To the black clouds in the West
Hey, there's a darkness
In the sky that's not the night
Hey, there's a rain cloud there
(Chorus:)
What do I tell you, it's always the same:
When you run for the sun, you catch the rain
As soon as we reached Barcelona
The cold wind touched the beach
The sun we left in London
Is away beyond our reach
Hey, I said darling:
It seems a waste of time
Hey, all I do is sit
And drink our Spanish wine
What do I tell you, it's always the same:
When you run for the sun, you catch the rain
Of all the tales of Granada
They tell of Islam's run
They lived beneath the Moorish lord
Beneath a Moorish sun
Oh, how we yearned to turn
Our faces to that glare
When down from the mountains
Came the rain to soak our hair
What do I tell you, it's always the same:
When you run for the sun, you catch the rain
What do I tell you, it's always the same:
When you run for the sun, you catch the rain
The song "Andorra" by Colin Blunstone takes the listener on a journey through different locations and experiences where the desire for sunshine and warmth is thwarted by unexpected rain and cold winds. The use of geographical locations such as Andorra, Barcelona, and Granada creates a feeling of travel and adventure, but also a sense of displacement and disorientation as the singer tries to escape from the cold, gloomy weather of London. The opening lines set the tone for the song as the mountains of Andorra point to the dark clouds in the west, suggesting that even at the beginning of the journey, the hope for a sunny day is clouded by uncertainty.
The chorus "when you run for the sun, you catch the rain" serves as a reminder that chasing after happiness or trying to escape from problems is often futile, and that life's difficulties cannot be easily overcome or avoided. The melancholy tone of the song is enhanced by the use of minor chords and the repetition of the chorus, which emphasizes the idea of a recurring pattern of disappointment and disillusionment. The longing for warmth and light is contrasted with the reality of cold winds, rain, and darkness, creating a sense of frustration and resignation.
Overall, "Andorra" is a poignant reflection on the human condition, where hope and disappointment are intertwined, and the pursuit of happiness is often more elusive than we imagine.
Line by Line Meaning
The nearer we got to Andorra
As we approached Andorra, the scenery began to change with the sun setting in the west and the mountain peaks pointing at the dark clouds.
The sun set on the left
The setting sun was on the left side of our sight.
The rounded mountains pointed
The peaks of the mountains were pointing at the sky.
To the black clouds in the West
The mountain peaks were pointing at the black clouds on the west side of the sky.
Hey, there's a darkness
Attention was called to the darkness which was present in the sky.
In the sky that's not the night
The darkness was not the result of the coming of the night.
Hey, there's a rain cloud there
A concern was raised about the presence of a rain cloud in the sky.
That's shutting out the light
The rain cloud was blocking the sunlight.
What do I tell you, it's always the same:
The repeated disappointment of hope was expressed.
When you run for the sun, you catch the rain
The realization that chasing after happiness and sunshine can lead to disappointment and sadness was highlighted.
As soon as we reached Barcelona
Upon arriving in Barcelona, the weather changed with the arrival of a cold wind at the beach.
The cold wind touched the beach
The wind blowing made contact with the beach sand.
The sun we left in London
The sunny weather we left back in London.
Is away beyond our reach
It was impossible to retrieve the sunny weather we had left behind.
Hey, I said darling:
The singer called on their partner's attention.
It seems a waste of time
The artist felt that it was pointless to sit and drink Spanish wine while hoping for better weather.
Hey, all I do is sit
The artist pointed out that all they had been doing was sitting and drinking wine.
And drink our Spanish wine
The singer highlighted that they were drinking wine from Spain.
Of all the tales of Granada
Of all the narrations about Granada.
They tell of Islam's run
They tell of the historic Islamic presence and influence in Granada.
They lived beneath the Moorish lord
The people lived under the rule of the Moorish lord.
Beneath a Moorish sun
The people enjoyed the sunny weather under Moorish rule.
Oh, how we yearned to turn
The singer expressed their strong desire to look up at the bright sunlight.
Our faces to that glare
They wished to expose their face to the bright sunlight.
When down from the mountains
When descending from the mountains.
Came the rain to soak our hair
The rain came down and wetted their hair.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRIS WHITE, ROD ARGENT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind