From a very music oriented family, his older brother Jim Seals sang with a 1950s musical group called The Champs who had a 1958 hit single with the song "Tequila", and who then teamed up with Dash Crofts in the mid-1960's to perform as Seals & Crofts. Dan's other brother is country musician Eddie Seals. He is a cousin of singers Johnny Duncan, Troy Seals, Chuck Seals and Brady Seals (of Little Texas and Hot Apple Pie fame).
Taught by his father to play the upright bass, in high school, Dan joined with piano-playing friend John Ford Coley to perform first as part of Dallas pop/psych group "Southwest F.O.B." (Freight On Board) whose material has been re-released on CD by the Sundazed label. When the group disbanded, he continued performing with Coley as England Dan & John Ford Coley. The two would eventually have several hits performing singing pop rock harmonies such as I'd Really Love To See You Tonight. After 7 albums, they disbanded in 1980 and since then Dan has been performing as a solo artist.
Between 1985 and 1990, Seals scored 10 #1 hits, 7 of them consecutively, on the country charts. His first #1 was "Meet Me in Montana", a 1985 duet with Marie Osmond. His first #1 as a solo artist, "Bop", won the Country Music Association Award for best single in 1986 and had some crossover success as well; the song reached #10 on the adult contemporary charts and #42 in the Billboard Hot 100. Seals and Osmond also won a CMA award as Vocal Duo of the Year in 1986.
Dan, his brother Jim, and Dash Crofts are members of the Bahá'í Faith and say that they derive a lot of their inspiration from the faith's teachings.
Although Dan was a touring artist for the rest of the 1990s, he did release a few more albums on smaller labels throughout the decade, such as Fired Up in 1994, his final album for Warner Bros. He signed to Intersound and released In a Quiet Room, comprising acoustic versions of his earlier hits in 1995. He then switched to TDC and released In a Quiet Room II in 1998, followed by Make It Home in 2002.[7]
In 2008, Seals completed radiation treatments for mantle cell lymphoma at Vanderbilt in Nashville and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and received a stem cell transplant in December of that year at NIH in Maryland. Seals died at the age of 61, on March 25, 2009, at his daughter's home following those treatments.[8]
Love Is the Answer
Dan Seals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A ticket to paradise
I can't stay here any more
And I've looked high and low
I've been from shore to shore to shore
If there's a short cut I'd have found it
But there is no easy way around it.
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
Who knows why
Someday we all must die
We're all homeless boys and girls
And we are never heard
It's such a lonely, lonely,lonely world
People turn their heads
And walk on by
Tell me is it worth just another try
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
Tell me, are we alive
Or just a dying planet?
What are the chances?
Ask the man in your heart for the answers
And when you feel afraid
Love one another
When you've lost your way
Love one another
And when you're all alone
Love one another
And when you're far from home
Love one another
And when you're down and out
Love one another
And when your hopes run out
Love one another
And when you need a friend
Love one another
And when you're near the end
Love, we got to love,
We got to love one another
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
The opening lines of Love Is the Answer are a plea for escape from the struggles of life. The singer desperately seeks a way out and has searched for a shortcut to paradise but has been unsuccessful. The tone of the first two verses communicates a sense of restlessness and despair. However, the chorus provides the needed answer as it illuminates the prevailing message of the song - love. In the face of life's uncertainties, only love offers a way out of the darkness. The line "Love is the answer, shine on us all, set us free" sums up the core message perfectly. The next verse focuses on the inevitability of death, which is a scary thought for many. The singer empathizes with all humanity, particularly the homeless, who are typically marginalized and voiceless. The world can seem lonely and cold, which explains why some people turn a blind eye to the suffering of others. However, in the bridge, the singer urges listeners to get in touch with their hearts and seek answers from within. They acknowledge that life can be tough, but love can make everything bearable. The final verse reiterates the message of the song as the singer urges listeners to love one another. The song's key takeaway is that love is the answer to all of life's questions and struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Name your price
The singer is willing to pay any cost for a ticket to paradise.
A ticket to paradise
The singer wants to leave their current life and go to a better place.
I can't stay here any more
The singer is unhappy with their current situation and needs a change.
And I've looked high and low
The artist has tried many things to improve their situation.
I've been from shore to shore to shore
The artist has searched far and wide for answers or solutions.
If there's a short cut I'd have found it
The singer believes they have exhausted all possible options.
But there is no easy way around it.
The singer realizes that there is no simple solution to their problems.
Light of the world, shine on me
The artist is asking for a spiritual or divine intervention.
Love is the answer
The artist believes that love is the solution to their problems.
Shine on us all, set us free
The artist hopes that everyone can be free from suffering and find happiness through love.
Who knows why
The singer is acknowledging that some things in life can not be explained.
Someday we all must die
The artist recognizes that death is an inevitable part of life.
We're all homeless boys and girls
The singer identifies with the struggles of feeling lost or without a place in the world.
And we are never heard
The singer feels ignored or overlooked by society.
It's such a lonely, lonely,lonely world
The singer feels isolated and alone in the world.
People turn their heads
The artist observes that people often ignore the suffering of others.
And walk on by
The artist notes that people can be indifferent or passive to others' struggles.
Tell me is it worth just another try
The singer is questioning whether it is worth continuing to try to find a solution to their problems.
Tell me, are we alive
The singer is contemplating the meaning and purpose of life.
Or just a dying planet?
The artist is questioning whether humanity is slowly destroying the planet.
What are the chances?
The artist is acknowledging the uncertainty of the future.
Ask the man in your heart for the answers
The artist suggests that people can find answers within themselves through introspection.
And when you feel afraid
The singer acknowledges that fear is a natural and common emotion.
Love one another
The artist believes that showing love and compassion to others can overcome fear and negativity.
When you've lost your way
The singer recognizes that people can feel lost or directionless in life.
And when you're all alone
The singer understands the feeling of being isolated.
And when you're far from home
The singer recognizes that people can feel out of place or uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.
And when you're down and out
The artist acknowledges that people can experience hardship and adversity.
And when your hopes run out
The artist acknowledges the feeling of hopelessness.
And when you need a friend
The singer recognizes the importance of human connection and support.
And when you're near the end
The singer acknowledges the inevitability of death and the need to find meaning in life.
Love, we got to love,
The artist emphasizes the importance of love as a force for good in the world.
We got to love one another
The artist believes that everyone can contribute to a better world by showing compassion and love to others.
Contributed by Eva C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.