1) A British… Read Full Bio ↴There are several artists using this name, chronologically:
1) A British rock band (1967 - 1973)
2) A disco group signed to New York Salsoul Records (1970's-1980's)
3) A Spanish indie pop band (1991 - 1993)
1) Family was British rock band from Leicester, England, active between 1967-1973. Their music has been described as a masterful blend of Blues-Rock, Prog-Rock, Art Rock and Psychedelia.
Family's debut single "Scene Through The Eye Of A Lens/Gypsy Woman" was released by Liberty in the autumn of 1967. While the single received praise from critics, it received very little airplay, due to its rather complex, uncommercial nature. Family's debut album, Music in a Doll's House, was released in July 1968 and it was produced by Traffic's Dave Mason and Jimmy Miller on a 4-track machine at Olympic Studios, London. The band's line-up: Roger Chapman (vocals/harmonica/tenor saxophone), Charlie Whitney (guitars/vocals), Rick Grech (bass/violin/cello/vocals), Rob Townsend (drums/percussion), and Jim King saxophone/flute/harmonica/vocals). Bandleader Tubby Hayes and his brass section played on "Old Songs New Songs". An extraordinarily ambitious album, 'Music In A Doll's House' marked an audacious beginning of what was a rather mixed career for Family. Many of the sounds conjured up in the studio had never been heard before - more incredible given that the album was created on a 4-track. The band's ability clearly transcended the available technology. Chapman's unusual vibrating delivery did not appeal to everyone, but it's a remarkable voice all the same. The musicianship and the unusual arrangements on this album found favour with fans who regarded it as a rather surreal musical feast. Music In A Doll's House is a truly innovative album and years ahead of it's time. The album charted respectably in the UK (reaching No. 35 in the UK album charts) and received considerable airplay from well-known British radio personality John Peel. It did not chart in the US. Interestingly, Mike Batt got his first big break in record production on this album by arranging "Mellowing Grey".
Family's 1969 follow-up, Family Entertainment, toned down the psychedelics of their previous offering, and featured their first UK hit "The Weaver's Answer." For the 1970 release A Song For Me, they developed a more aggressive sound, gaining them a larger European following. That year they played at several major rock festivals including the Isle Of Wight music festival and Holland's Kralingen Festival. Both of which were included in the documentary films Message To Love and Stomping Ground. The next release, Anyway, featured a side of a live performance of new material at Fairfield Hall in Croydon, England, as well as a side of new studio recordings.
The bar was raised in 1971 with Fearless, but the band's biggest success was yet to come, in 1972's Bandstand, featuring hits "Burlesque" and "My Friend the Sun". This was followed by the underrated but enjoyable It's Only a Movie, where the band's sound was augmented by Tony Ashton of Ashton Gardner and Dyke on piano.
Family disbanded in 1973 and former members went on to play in the bands King Crimson, the Streetwalkers and Stud.
2) Family were a disco group who formed in the 1970's and released the single 'Music (Listen To The Music)', on the Salsoul label which was later re-released on the Suss'd 2007 compilation 'Deep Disco Culture Vol. 2'.
3) Family was a Spanish indie band active 1991-1993 formed by Javier Aramburu and Iñaki Gametxogoikoetxea. They released just one album in 1993 titled Un soplo en el corazón," a tribute to the film by Louis Malle. In 2003 Spanish magazine Rockdelux released an album with the same songs played by other Spanish bands to celebrate 10 years from probably one of the best Spanish albums of 90's.
The Weaver's Answer
Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The pattern of my life gone by
Shown on your tapestry
Just for one second, one glance upon your loom
The flower of my childhood could appear within this room
Does it of my youth show tears of yesterday
Broken hearts within a heart as love first came my way
An added aura untold blends as I asked for her hand
Did your golden needle sow its thread virginal white
As lovers we embraced as one upon our wedding night
Did you capture all the joys, the birth of our first son
The happiness of family made a brother for the one
The growing of the brothers, the manliness that grew
Is it there in detail, is it there to view
Do the sparks of life grow bright as one by one they wed
To live as fathers, husbands, apart from lives they've led
Are my lover's threads cut off when aged she laid to rest
My sorrow blacking out a space upon our woven crest
A gathering for the last time as her coffin slowly lain
Ash to ashes, dust to dust, one day we will regain
Does it show the visits when grandchildren on my knee
But only hearing laughter when age took my sight from me
Lastly through these last few years of loneliness maybe
Does by sight a shooting star fade from your tapestry
But wait, there in the distance your loom I think I see
Could it be that after all my prayers you've answered me
After days of wondering I see the reason why
You've kept it to this minute for I'm about to die
Weaver of life, at last now I can see
The pattern of my life gone by upon your tapestry
The Weaver's Answer by Family is a song that depicts life as a tapestry woven by a weaver. The singer wants to take a glimpse at his own tapestry to try and figure out what his life has been like so far. He asks the weaver to show him not just the highs but also the lows of his life that make him the person he is now. It's said that when they were young, they had their first heartbreak, and as they grew older, he and his lover got married, had kids, and watched as their children got married and started their own families. The tapestry also shows the singer's aging process as he becomes blind and lonely, until he reaches his deathbed where he finally sees the whole tapestry of his life from start to finish.
The lyrics of The Weaver's Answer try to convey that life is a tapestry consisting of experiences good and bad, highs and lows, light and dark, love and pain. Each thread woven together creates the beautiful and unique pattern of an individual life. The singer comes to understand that their life was not perfect, but it was filled with love, laughter, and memories that they will carry with them always. In the end, they come to appreciate the vast woven tapestry of their life, despite its imperfections, making them grateful for every thread woven together to create their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Weaver of life, let me look and see
The persona is asking the weaver of life to have a glimpse of his life's pattern on the tapestry.
The pattern of my life gone by
The persona is talking about the past events that made up the pattern of his life.
Shown on your tapestry
The persona is talking about how the pattern of his life, from birth to death, is captured on the weaver's tapestry.
Just for one second, one glance upon your loom
The persona is requesting for a mere second to have a look at the loom and his life's pattern.
The flower of my childhood could appear within this room
The persona wonders if the tapestry captures the joy and beauty of his childhood years.
Does it of my youth show tears of yesterday
The persona wants to know if the tapestry captures the pain and sadness of his youthful years.
Broken hearts within a heart as love first came my way
The persona talks about the heartbreak and emotional pain he experienced when he first fell in love.
Did the lifeline patterns change as I became a man
The persona questions if the pattern of his life on the tapestry changed as he transitioned from childhood to adulthood.
An added aura untold blends as I asked for her hand
The persona discusses how a new dimension was added to his life when he proposed to his lover and got married.
Did your golden needle sow its thread virginal white
The persona enquires if the weaver used gold needle to symbolize the purity and innocence of his wedding night.
As lovers we embraced as one upon our wedding night
The persona reminisces the moment he and his lover became one on their wedding night.
Did you capture all the joys, the birth of our first son
The persona is curious if the tapestry captures the happiness they experienced at the birth of their first son.
The happiness of family made a brother for the one
The persona acknowledges the happiness of having a second son and growing as a family.
The growing of the brothers, the manliness that grew
The persona talks about the growth and maturation of his sons to manhood.
Is it there in detail, is it there to view
The persona is eager to know if the tapestry reveals the details of the growth of his family and loved ones.
Do the sparks of life grow bright as one by one they wed
The persona wonders if the patterns of his children's life grow brighter as each one gets married.
To live as fathers, husbands, apart from lives they've led
The persona acknowledges that his children have their own separate lives as fathers and husbands.
Are my lover's threads cut off when aged she laid to rest
The persona wishes to know if the tapestry records the death of his aged lover.
My sorrow blacking out a space upon our woven crest
The persona talks about the pain he experienced when his lover passed away and left a black space on their woven crest.
A gathering for the last time as her coffin slowly lain
The persona reminisces the last time the family gathered as they laid his lover's coffin to rest.
Ash to ashes, dust to dust, one day we will regain
The persona reflects on the fact that one day, they will all be reunited in death.
Does it show the visits when grandchildren on my knee
The persona wonders if the tapestry captures the moments he spent with his grandchildren.
But only hearing laughter when age took my sight from me
The persona acknowledges that when he aged and lost his sight, he relied on listening to hear his grandchildren's laughter.
Lastly through these last few years of loneliness maybe
The persona talks about the last few years of loneliness and limited contact with his family.
Does by sight a shooting star fade from your tapestry
The persona wonders if the tapestry captures the fleeting moments of his life, like a shooting star.
But wait, there in the distance your loom I think I see
The persona sees the weaver's loom in the distance and is filled with excitement.
Could it be that after all my prayers you've answered me
The persona wonders if his prayers have been answered by the weaver, showing him his life's pattern on the tapestry.
After days of wondering I see the reason why
The persona finally understands why he was granted this glimpse of his life's pattern on the tapestry after days of wondering.
You've kept it to this minute for I'm about to die
The persona realizes that the weaver has waited till the last minute of his life to show him his life's pattern on the tapestry.
Weaver of life, at last now I can see
The persona acknowledges that he can finally see and understand the pattern of his life on the weaver's tapestry.
The pattern of my life gone by upon your tapestry
The persona reflects on the pattern of his life, now captured on the weaver's tapestry.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN WHITNEY, ROGER MAXWELL CHAPMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Merlina
I can still remember when and where I was when I first heard this - eating Sunday dinner with my parents when it came on the radio during the 'chart rundown' on Radio 1. My parents were not at all impressed, but I was! It was the beginning of the discovery of a whole different kind of music for me, having only been listening to and buying chart singles at the time…
I've since learned about the origins of this song in Greek Mythology- this influence was acknowledged by Roger Chapman at one point.
The 'weavers' are actually female! It's based on the story of the mortal Arachne and the goddess Athena.
This song by a band called Spiral Dance reveals more of the original story, and I think musically they may well have been influenced by The Weavers Answer
https://youtu.be/GsyDwLu5r6w
Johan Sterk
The CORRECT lyrics ...
Weaver of life, let me look and see
The pattern of my life gone by shown on your tapestry
Just for one second, one glance upon your loom
The flower of my childhood could appear within this room
Does it of my youth show tears of yesterday
Broken hearts within a heart as love first came my way
Did the lifeline patterns change as I became a man
An added aura untold blends as I asked for her hand
Did your golden needle sow its thread virginal white
As lovers we embraced as one upon our wedding night
Did you capture all the joys, the birth of our first son
The happiness of family made a brother for the one
The growing of the brothers, the manliness that grew
Is it there in detail, is it there to view
Do the sparks of life grow bright as one by one they wed
To live as fathers, husbands, apart from lives they've led
Are my lover's threads cut off when aged she laid to rest
My sorrow blacking out a space upon our woven crest
A gathering for the last time as her coffin slowly lain
Ash to ashes, dust to dust, one day we will regain
Does it show the visits when grandchildren on my knee
But only hearing laughter when age took my sight from me
Lastly through these last few years of loniless maybe
Does by sight a shooting star fade from your tapestry
But wait, there in the distance your loom I think I see
Could it be that after all my prayers you've answered me
After days of wondering I see the reason why
You've kept it to this minute for I'm about to die
Weaver of life, at last now I can see
The pattern of my life gone by upon your tapestry
Malcolm Wilson
I am 66 years old and its 2020 and this song has been stuck in my head since 1969 it is without doubt an absolute classic and the lyrics leave me breathless.
peter rostron
ditto that
Knower
@peter rostron +me
Vaughan Green
We're the same age, and I can remember going down to the suburban record shop in my greatcoat and monkey boots and getting this fine EP.
Had very small grooves but was stereo (still quite rare in 1970), and this version has that crashing wah-wah guitar at the beginning.
Respect to TheRunner75 for uploading.
Pete Jones
Wow same here I'm 66 and still loving and playing family
Peter McDonald
I'm 69 and that's the year I heard this first - when t school before university. Some music stays with you forever and this is one piece that does. It's evocative taking me back to time and place when I hear it. Magic!
dotchew
Absolute masterpiece....still treasure the EP that I bought on the back of hearing a Family track in the film The Adventurers in 1970 called Young Love. I don't think that was ever released, but I found it on YouTube today after watching the film again. Lots of memories of when I was 17.....Roger Chapman, what a voice!
Lawrence Glaister
Could not agree more essential
Joe Hart
It sent shivers down my spine when I first heard it as a young man and it still does now.
Alexandros Deligiorgis
I first heard this song back in 1985, in a video clip. It took me 35 years to find it again, after a long and thorough research. A masterpiece.