The group consisted of Les Emmerson, Brian Rading, Ted Gerow, Mike Belanger and Rick Belanger. Originally recording and touring as The Staccatos, they chose the title of their second album (1969) as the new name for the band.
In 1969, the band recorded "Moonshine (Friend of Mine)" for an unsuccessful movie The Moonshine War starring Alan Alda. "Signs" was originally released in 1970 as the B-side to the unsuccessful single "Hello Melinda Goodbye". Re-released in 1971 on the A-side, "Signs" reached number 3 on the Billboard charts. Their second single, "Absolutely Right", reached number 26. Other Canadian hits included "Moneyback Guarantee" and "I'm A Stranger Here".
The group disbanded in 1975 to pursue solo careers. Since 1986, they have continued to reunite for several concerts a year.
This group was known for its strong harmonic vocals—all five members could sing lead vocals—its solid rhythm and classic rock keyboards/guitar sound.
The band would inspire the group Tesla to record a live album in 1990, Five Man Acoustical Jam, which included a cover of "Signs".
History
Ted Gerow (keyboards) Brian Rading (bass) Rick 'Bell' Belanger (drums) Les Emmerson (vocals, guitar) Mike 'Bell' Belanger (2nd drums)
The Staccatos had emerged from the Ottawa scene in the mid-'60's with financial backing from journalist Sandy Gardiner. He helped launch their first release to gain any prominence called "Moved To California". They began to receive more notice with gigs in Toronto's Yorkville Village after the release of "Half Past Midnight" (1967) which became a national hit.
Around this time they hooked up with Coca-Cola Company to share half an LP recorded at Hallmark Studios with The Guess Who called 'A Wild Pair' on Jack Richardson's Nimbus 9 Records. The album was a big seller prompting the band's U.S. label to release "Half Past Midnight" along with a commitment to record new material in L.A. Though they received a lot of hype in California from the record label, the group was seen as being 'too Beach Boy sounding' and The Staccatos records failed.
Taking a cue from their own 1968 2nd album, they soon changed their name to The Five Man Electrical Band in 1969 and commuted back and forth to Los Angeles recording sides for Capitol Records. The first single from this batch was "It Never Rains On Maple Lane".
When their deal with Capitol ended they signed to MGM Records who released "Moonshine (Friend Of Mine)" from the movie 'Moonshine War'. The record did little as did its follow-up "Hello Melinda Goodbye" which featured a b-side called "Signs" which garnered some interest on LA radio. MGM flipped the record over and re-issued it but nothing happened.
In 1971 Five Man Electrical band signed with a little label owned by writer Jimmy Webb and producer Dallas Smith called Lion Records. They re-issued "Signs" from the band's first full album Goodbyes & Butterflies (shortly after changing some cover art) and the single went to No.3 in the U.S. and No.4 in Canada selling more than 2 million copies worldwide.
Later in 1971 they released "Absolutely Right" which went to No.3 in Canada and Top-20 in the U.S. By 1973 they were exhausted and called it quits, though Emmerson continued recording as Five Man Electrical Band until 1975. After this, he remained in California and started a faltering label called Perfect Records. Following this he returned to Ottawa, resumed a solo career (with a brief stint in The Cooper Brothers).
Credit: Wikipedia.org
Werewolf
Five Man Electrical Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I looked in his room, his bed wasn't slept in at all last night
But Papa said "Ah, now Momma don't you go talking silly
He's just a young boy, he's just sowing his wild oats and that's arightâ??
But momma said "No, something real strange 'bout my Billy
Farmer down the road said he lost a few of his sheep last night
I know he's my own flesh and blood but he makes my blood run chilly
'Cause I saw from my window and he was on the hill just screaming at the moonâ??
Is it any wonder
We hate to see the sun go down
And is it any wonder
We hate to see the full moon coming 'round
So Papa said "I guess there's only one thing to do 'bout Billy
Hand me down my gun son and bring along that silver dinner bellâ??
But Momma "Papa I beg you don't kill him
'Cause I just bear to think about my baby in hellâ??
He went down to the blacksmith got him out of bed and said
"Get your fire hot
Oh shut up your shutters close down your doors, we're gonna need all the heat you got
'Cause I want you to melt my silver bell down to a single shot
I got a job to do and I got to get it done before the sun comes upâ??
So is it any wonder
That we hate to see the sun go down
Then we heard a shot and I said "Papa got himâ??
Then we heard a scream and Momma smiled and said "Betcha Billy got himâ??
But when I opened up my eyes there was Papa standing in the doorway staring at the floor
And my big brother Billy never did come home no more
Now is it any wonder
We hate to see the sun go down
And is it any wonder
We to see the full moon coming 'round
The Five Man Electrical Band's song "Werewolf" is a story of a mother and father who were observing some strange behavior from their son, Billy. The lyrics narrate the mother's suspicion that there is something unusual about Billy as she discovered that he had not slept in his bed the previous night. The Farmer down the road also shared that he lost a few of his sheep the same night. The mother was worried as she saw Billy screaming at the moon while standing on a hill. The father thinks it is time to do something about Billy and goes to the blacksmith to get a silver bell melted down to a single shot. After hearing a shot and a scream, they assume Billy has been killed. However, when they opened their eyes, they found that Billy was gone, and they never saw him again.
The werewolf in the song is a metaphor of a person who is slowly turning into something else, with the full moon representing his transformation. The song portrays the fear and suspicion associated with a mysterious and uncertain happening, which people try hard to understand, but they ultimately fail to do so. The mother and father must face the reality that their son has gone through some sort of transformation and can no longer be present to them in the same way that he was before.
Line by Line Meaning
Momma said "There's something weird 'bout Billy
The singer's mother expresses concern about Billy's odd behavior
I looked in his room, his bed wasn't slept in at all last night
Billy did not sleep in his bed the previous night
But Papa said "Ah, now Momma don't you go talking silly
The singer's father dismisses the mother's concerns
He's just a young boy, he's just sowing his wild oats and that's aright??
The father suggests Billy is just behaving normally for his age
But momma said "No, something real strange 'bout my Billy
The mother continues to be worried about Billy's strange behavior
Farmer down the road said he lost a few of his sheep last night
A farmer reports losing sheep, suggesting Billy may be responsible
I know he's my own flesh and blood but he makes my blood run chilly
Despite being Billy's mother, the singer is frightened by his behavior
'Cause I saw from my window and he was on the hill just screaming at the moon??
The mother personally witnessed Billy screaming at the moon
Is it any wonder
A rhetorical question suggesting that the events of the song are not surprising
We hate to see the sun go down
A feeling of foreboding at the end of the day
And is it any wonder
A rhetorical question suggesting that the events of the song are not surprising
We hate to see the full moon coming 'round
A feeling of fear and dread associated with the full moon
So Papa said "I guess there's only one thing to do 'bout Billy
The father decides to take action regarding Billy's behavior
Hand me down my gun son and bring along that silver dinner bell??
The father prepares to deal with Billy using a gun and a silver bell
But Momma "Papa I beg you don't kill him
The mother pleads with the father not to harm Billy
'Cause I just bear to think about my baby in hell??
The mother is worried about Billy's fate in the afterlife
He went down to the blacksmith got him out of bed and said
The father seeks the help of a blacksmith
"Get your fire hot
The father instructs the blacksmith to prepare his forge
Oh shut up your shutters close down your doors, we're gonna need all the heat you got
The father wants the blacksmith to close up shop and focus entirely on his request
Cause I want you to melt my silver bell down to a single shot
The father needs the silver bell melted down into a bullet
I got a job to do and I got to get it done before the sun comes up??
The father is on a time constraint and needs to finish the task before sunrise
Then we heard a shot and I said "Papa got him??
The family hears a gunshot, and the artist assumes the father dealt with Billy
Then we heard a scream and Momma smiled and said "Betcha Billy got him??
The family hears a scream which the mother interprets as Billy getting the better of the father
But when I opened up my eyes there was Papa standing in the doorway staring at the floor
The family discovers the father did not succeed in dealing with Billy
And my big brother Billy never did come home no more
Billy is gone, and the family is left to speculate about his fate
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER SCOTT SHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeffreybarkin3177
@@debbiebrown4420
Most Appreciated!
We Can TRULY Make MAGIC if we Really Desire, and "Haunting Songs" by Talented Artists like THE FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND can SURELY HELP Remind Us of THIS...
Don't You Agree?
Ageism of Art or Talent should NOT hurt its Significance or VALUE.
Don't you Agree?
Curious...
😀
@24WESJULY
The Five Man Electrical Band (originally known as The Staccatos from 1963–68) is a Canadian rock group from Ottawa. They had many hits in Canada, including the top 10 entries "Half Past Midnight" (1967) (as The Staccatos), "Absolutely Right" (1971) and "I'm a Stranger Here" (1972). Internationally, they are best known for their 1971 hit single "Signs".[1] The Staccatos made their debut as a recording act in 1965, with their early singles being written by the team of Craig and Emmerson. After releasing a non-charting single on a small independent label, the group signed to Capitol Records of Canada, and their second single, "Small Town Girl", made it into the Canadian top 20. Several follow-ups also cracked the top 40, and The Staccatos were rising stars in their native country.
Rebirth as Five Man Electrical Band (1969-75)
The group's new single "It Never Rains On Maple Lane" with B side "Private Train" was a mild success in Canada; the A-side appeared at #67 on the charts, but after two weeks on the charts the single was flipped over and B-side "Private Train" made it into the top 40, peaking at #37. Their album, meanwhile, contained a mixture of new material and older recordings originally released as by The Staccatos (including "Half Past Midnight") and was similarly successful in Canada. Follow-up singles failed to chart. At the end of 1969, the band ended their relationship with Capitol and signed with MGM Records.
The band's first two singles on MGM (released in 1970) both charted in the mid-50s in Canada. The group's 1970 album Good-byes and Butterflies created a minor controversy with a front cover picture that featured a marijuana plant; the album was withdrawn and subsequently reissued with a new cover.
In 1971, the band had their first international success when their label reissued the second MGM single "Hello Melinda, Goodbye/Signs", originally recorded in Los Angeles, with the sides reversed.[2] Disc jockeys and the public immediately took to "Signs" (written by Les Emmerson); it reached #4 in Canada, #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and went to #1 in Australia for nearly two months. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in August 1971.[3]
In the next few years a number of charting singles were release: "Absolutely Right", "Money Back Guarantee", "Werewolf", "I’m A Stranger Here" and several others, all written by Emmerson. Outside of Canada, most of these were minor hits, but the band continued with a steady flow of releases and concert dates. In 1972, the band issued Coming Of Age, their third album as Five Man Electrical Band. Emmerson, who was more interested in recording in the studio than in playing live, also established a parallel solo career in 1972.
Mike Bell, now going by his birth name of Michael Belanger, left the group partway through the recording of their 1973 album Sweet Paradise, and bassist Brian Rading left just as the album was being finished. The album produced several hit singles, including "I'm A Stranger Here", their highest-ever charting hit in Canada. Emmerson, Gerow and Rick Belanger attempted to keep things going with new players for a time, producing singles in 1974 and '75, with minimal chart success outside of Canada.
Rick Belanger left the group in 1974, leaving Emmerson and Gerow as the only remaining permanent members of the ostensibly "Five Man" band. Shortly thereafter, when 1975's "Johnny Get A Gun" peaked at a lowly #69 in Canada, Emmerson and Gerow decided to disband the Five Man Electrical Band. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Man_Electrical_Band
@jeffreybarkin3177
HEY...
One should not critique WARREN ZEVON who was SUCH a GIFTED Songwriter and Producer, TOO!
However, I fully Agree that The FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND are SO DESERVING of Greater RESPECT!
TRULY and CERTAINLY...
In Fact, #ABSOLUTELY Too!
@jeffreybarkin3177
SADLY, we LOST this MAESTRO and Talented Artist way, WAY TOO Young!
IMAGINE how DIFFICULT it was for His Son to Finish his Final Songs and Masters?
JUST IMAGINE!
So SO SAD as SIR WARREN ZEVON was BEYOND BRILLIANT, he was One of the Greatest and The FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND are surely in Such ESTEEMED Company!
❤
@brucebrinkley1765
I was 14 the first time I heard this, 64yrs old now found it on my music videos few weeks ago brings back memories
@markaber7549
Been looking for this for 35 years. Thanks for finding it
@ripp846
My uncle, Dallas Smith produced this record. He was one of those cool uncles, who had long hair and produced records in LA. RIP.
@jennifermarlow.
I just turned 65, and wanted to say about your uncle .. "LEGEND". Take care, friend. x
@shevetlevi2821
Very cool.
@mousiespanks2379
I had a K-tel album when I was a kid called Superstars Greatest hits and this song was on that album. I had to look it up because I haven't heard it in a long time. Thanks for the memories of my youth.
@johnharding6014
Great song from when i was young
@modernmilner9836
Naturally, the full moon brought me here.
@kevinbonner6133
Hadn’t thought about this song in sooooo many years. Just tonight I started singing it for no reason at all. Happy to say when I played the song I realized I got most of the words correct . . . .
@crystalbelle2349
Thank you. The lyrics and music to this popped into my head tonight so had to see if it had came back to anyone else recently bc my memory is almost gone; or so I thought. Yet, sitting here alone at midnight this came back so I keyed in the lyrics and found it. You read as the most recent who had the same experience. I’m now 60 years of age so really hoped to hear it again and YouTube didn’t disappoint. Glad we both found it. Yes, I had the lyrics right too, which is amazing considering I now have Parkinson’s LoL. Long term memories come easier that what happened yesterday for me, but this was a unique experience. I DO love music bc it never changes. Enjoy the rest of your life and enjoy the music. 🎶 :) ^..^