Flaming Youth was an obscure British band known as a forerunner of what wou… Read Full Bio ↴Flaming Youth was an obscure British band known as a forerunner of what would later be called 'space rock', the group recording an album in 1968 before breaking up. Today, the band is more known as the original group of English singer-songwriter Phil Collins, then 18 years of age, who was the group's drummer, although Flaming Youth's critical acclaim has caused a cult following.

The band consisted of keyboardist Brian Chatton (born Brian Charles Chatton, 19 July 1948, Bolton, Lancashire, England), Ronnie Caryl (on bass guitar), Gordon Smith on guitar and bass, and Collins on drums. Toward the group’s end, Rod Mayall briefly joined on organ, and the group became more free-form.

The group released an album, 'Ark 2', in 1969. In November 1969, the British music magazine, NME, reported that the concept album was the subject of an hour long television special, which the group had filmed in the Netherland. The LP was released on the Fontana Records label to some critical but no commercial success. There was also a follow-up single recorded, “Man, Woman, and Child”. After a brief tour, the group dissolved.

Collins and Caryl both auditioned for Genesis the following year, although Caryl was not successful.[2] Caryl later played with Collins as his guitarist on his solo tours. Collins also kept in touch with Chatton, playing on at least one song by the band Boys Don't Cry on their second album.

The Planets
Flaming Youth Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

i. Mars – Bringer of War

We don't want to fight you, it's a lousy war
I tell you it's murder out here
My best buddy got it in the eye
Now he ain't seeing things too clear

We all know that you've got your job to do

We don't mean it personally at all
But while you bloody rotten bastards threaten our way of life
We're gonna get you by the balls

My momma was a flower-child back in sixty-six
My daddy ran the Village Voice
I burnt my draft-card like the other guys
But Sam said "Boy, there ain't no choice"

So we're lying here, cold with sweat and fear
Answering Liberty's call
And while you bloody rotten bastards threaten our way of life
You're gonna get it in the balls

So we're lying here, cold with sweat and fear
Answering Liberty's call
And while you bloody rotten bastards threaten our way of life
You're gonna get it
You're gonna get it
You're gonna get it in the balls

ii. Venus – Bringer of Peace

Mackie's gone on rubber, while our Debbie digs her brother
And their Des is doing well on the game
Eddie's got some notion that to get the right emotion
You've got to make it out in the rain

It's love, it's love
Or something of the kind
But eighty combinations
Don't bring peace of mind

Peter likes to show it and Penny loves to blow it,
On a rainy day she puts it away:
Johnnie takes a hard line trying to score among the big time
Who come around to Annabelle's to play.

It's love, it's love
Or something of the kind
But eighty combinations
Don't bring peace of mind

iii. Mercury – The Winged Messenger

Takin' all the hits, makin' all the, breakin' all the hits
Takin' all the, makin' all the hits
Breakin' all the hits

Your Happy Station

Wakin' with the news, makin' with the, breakin' with the news
Wakin' with the, makin'with the news
Breakin' with the news

Communication

M...marvellous
M...magnanimous
M...much more music and fun to keep you gay

iv. Jupiter – Bringer of Jollity

So nice to have a party
So nice to see you there
No need for conversation
So nice to sit and stare

Such entertaining people
So elegant and smart
Would someone pass the matches
And let the party start?

That amiable feeling
You only find with friends
You'll know them so much better
Before the party ends

Thanks for a lovely evening
It must be time for bed
I'll ring you in the morning
To find out what I said

v. Saturn – Bringer of Old Age

Pray for the man of one hundred and thirty four
Features as firm as a boy of fifteen
With no wrinkles or blemish he's smooth as a pebble
And tries to remember the course of his life

His heartbeat is steady, the heart of a truck-driver
Lungs of a college-girl hit by a tram
His kidneys are plastic, his genital functions
Controlled by a motor attached to his thigh

Only his mind's his own
With all its reason flown

Pray for the man with a life never ending
Pray for the man who is living, living, living, living, ...

vi. Uranus – The Magician

Trick cyclist, take me with for the ride
You say I've got a damaged ego somewhere inside
A case of deep depression on account of the repression
That I got while I was sucking at my mother's breast

That he got while he was sucking at his mother's breast

Trick cyclist, let you into my soul
Fifty one-hour sessions and you say I'll be whole
You say I'm ineffectual on account of I'm bisexual
Due to lactic malnutrition at my mother's breast

Due to lactic malnutrition at his mother's breast

Trick cyclist, gotta cast me a spell,
I need the mumbo-jumbo that you do so well:
I've got to get transference for the beneficial furtherance
Of an integrated, liberated, animated, unfrustrated personality

vii. Neptune – The Mystic

When Man throws God right out of the window
It ain't so much a case of
He don't believe in nothing,
But more a case that he
Believes in anything and everything... like

Maharishi, numerology, astrology, guru guru - shedoo bedoo
Transcendental meditation, Yin and Yang, macrobiotic food – shedoo bedoo
Scientology, black magic, Tarot, table turning and Voodoo
And U F Os
U F off.
Naturism, yoga, student power, black is beautiful – oh yeah!

Extra-sensory perception, love-ins and Joanna Southcott's Box – shedoo bedoo
God, you'd never credit all the things that ordinary people do...

Overall Meaning

Flaming Youth’s “The Planets” is a seven-part suite that encompasses different moods that are representative of each planet. The lyrics delve into personal narratives, social commentary, and spiritual exploration. The first movement, “Mars – Bringer of War,” highlights the futility of war and the idealism of pacifists. The voice of a young soldier is heard, recounting the horror that he experiences on the front line while fighting a war that he doesn’t believe in. He describes his friend getting injured, which has left him blinded in one eye. The soldier expresses his anger toward his enemy while acknowledging that they are also pawns in the war. The chorus inside the movement expresses his intent to fight back but also implies that war only brings destruction and loss.

“Venus – Bringer of Peace” follows, presenting a sharp contrast to the previous movement. The movement is marked by a sense of tranquility and optimism that speaks about love and romance. The lyrics delve into the various shades of love that people experience, from familial love to erotic love. The lyrics come across as a commentary about society’s preconceived notions about love and the many facets that it brings.

“Mercury – The Winged Messenger” is a short instrumental interlude that features undulating keyboards, frenetic drumming, and psychedelic guitars layering on top of each other. It creates a sonic image of a messenger darting from one place to another, delivering news and messages with haste and efficiency.

“Jupiter – Bringer of Jollity” marks the fourth movement and is one of the most vibrant and dynamic pieces of the suite. Its “party-like” atmosphere invites people to interact, mingle with each other, and share their joy. The lyrics describe the feeling of a party, where people are free to let their hair down, enjoy, and indulge in whatever they want. They also allude to the frivolity of social interaction, where the partygoers may not care at all about each other’s true nature.

“Saturn – Bringer of Old Age” is the fifth movement and is characterized by somber tones and melancholic emotions. The lyrics paint a picture of an elderly man who has lived a long life and fears losing his mental faculties as time goes by. The lyrics describe the man as seemingly perfect in every other way, except for his age. The phrase “Only his mind's his own/With all its reason flown” alludes to the man’s sense of losing control over his life.

“Uranus – The Magician,” the penultimate movement, is about self-exploration through therapy. The lyrics narrate the experience of a young man seeking the help of a therapist to overcome his issues. The movement highlights the absurdity inherent in therapy and the somewhat mystical, metaphysical nature of the idea of self-discovery.

“Neptune – The Mystic” is the album’s closer and highlights the new age spirituality that rose in the ’60s and ’70s. The lyrics talk about the different belief systems that people subscribe to, from numerology and astrology to table-turning and black magic. The lyrics also poke fun at the supposed “enlightened” people who subscribe to these belief systems while refusing to accept the presence of God in their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

We don't want to fight you, it's a lousy war
We don't have personal issues with the enemies, but we hate the situation we are in

My best buddy got it in the eye Now he ain't seeing things too clear
My closest friend got injured and might become visually impaired because of the war

But while you bloody rotten bastards threaten our way of life We're gonna get you by the balls
We perceive the enemies as a threat to our way of living, that's why we're ready to fight back

It's love, it's love Or something of the kind But eighty combinations Don't bring peace of mind
There are many types of love, but even a thousand of them won't guarantee happiness

Takin' all the hits, makin' all the, breakin' all the hits Takin' all the, makin' all the hits Breakin' all the hits
The music entertainer does everything to please their audience

M...marvellous M...magnanimous M...much more music and fun to keep you gay
The music broadcaster promises to provide excellent music and exciting content

Such entertaining people So elegant and smart Would someone pass the matches And let the party start?
The host praises their guests and suggests starting the party soon

Pray for the man of one hundred and thirty four Features as firm as a boy of fifteen With no wrinkles or blemish he's smooth as a pebble And tries to remember the course of his life
The man is very old but appears youthful, he's trying to recall his entire life

Only his mind's his own With all its reason flown
Only his mind is functioning, although without proper reason

Trick cyclist, take me with for the ride You say I've got a damaged ego somewhere inside A case of deep depression on account of the repression That I got while I was sucking at my mother's breast
A patient seeks the magician's help for his deep-seated psychological issues stemming from his childhood

Trick cyclist, gotta cast me a spell, I need the mumbo-jumbo that you do so well: I've got to get transference for the beneficial furtherance Of an integrated, liberated, animated, unfrustrated personality
The patient expresses his intention to be under the magician's spell, for him to develop a fully functional personality

When Man throws God right out of the window It ain't so much a case of He don't believe in nothing, But more a case that he Believes in anything and everything... like
At times, people become open to other beliefs because of their rejection towards God, leading them to explore various options

Naturism, yoga, student power, black is beautiful – oh yeah! Extra-sensory perception, love-ins and Joanna Southcott's Box – shedoo bedoo God, you'd never credit all the things that ordinary people do...
The world is full of various beliefs and practices, many of which ordinary people follow

Contributed by Ryan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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