By 1970, they had joined McGuinness Flint, and penned the folkish UK Top 10 hit singles "When I'm Dead and Gone" and "Malt and Barley Blues" - Produced by the Legendary Glyn Johns.
In the wake of the Singer-Songwriter phenomenon, they formed the duo Gallagher and Lyle in 1972, recording four albums: Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, Willie and the Lapdog, Seeds, and The Last Cowboy again under the auspices of Glyn Johns - but it was not until their fifth album, Breakaway in 1976, did they chart again with the hits "Heart On My Sleeve", and "I Wanna Stay with You", both of which reached Number 6 in the UK Singles Chart. Art Garfunkel's cover of "Breakaway" was also a hit at the time and Don Williams took "Stay Young" to No. 1 in the Country Charts which saw the G&L song receive in excess of 1m airplays on American Radio, the duo also penned and performed "A Heart in New York",which was later performed by both Simon and Garfunkel and Garth Brooks in their concerts in Central Park to audiences of 500,000 and 750,000, respectively.
Showdown
Gallagher and Lyle Lyrics
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I know you, you're soft and warm
Don't act so hurt and hard, and far away
Okay so we had our showdown
Okay so we had our showdown
Okay so we had our showdown
You know it's best for us
And though it really hurts
And in the end there's nothing beats
A good old heart to heart
And now we've had our showdown
Okay so we had our showdown
Okay so we had our showdown
But if that's the way you want it
If that's the way you want it
Then I'll take a trip
And I'll just pack my grip
And in the morning
I'll just slipaway showdown, showdown
Now it's all been said, we've done our crying
You're still here, and so am I
Let's try again, this time with no lying
C'mon you can't leave me now
Okay so we had our showdown
Okay so we had our showdown
But if that's the way you want it
But if that's the way you want it
Then I'll leave you now
Though I don't see how
I can go, when I know I want to stay
Showdown
Showdown
But if that's the way you want it
If it's really the way you want it
I'll take a trip
And I'll just pack my grip
And in the morning
I'll just slipaway
Showdown
Showdown...
The song "Showdown" by Gallagher and Lyle is a ballad about a rocky relationship between two people who have reached a point where they can no longer keep their feelings bottled up. The song speaks to the idea of conflicts and the need for discussing problems in a relationship. It details a couple who have reached a point where they realise that they must have a 'showdown' in order to save their relationship. The lyrics urge the other person to come back and talk things through. The song is blended with powerful guitar solos and a chorus that provokes deep emotion.
The singer tells his lover that he wants to have his say and encourages her not to be so hurt and distant. He acknowledges that they had a showdown, but argues that it was for the best because they needed to air their differences. Despite the pain, they both feel, they also acknowledge that the confrontation was necessary. They also agree to work at their relationship and not to repeat the same mistakes.
After their showdown, the couple has reached a point of honesty and vulnerability, and they recognise that they both have more to say to one another. They both agree to start again, to be truthful to each other, and start trusting each other. The song's lyrics show the beauty of forgiveness and the strength of facing difficult issues, ultimately leading to an authentic and natural bond that is based on mutual love and respect.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to me babe, let me have my say
I want to express myself, please give me the chance to speak
I know you, you're soft and warm
I understand your nature, you're gentle and affectionate
Don't act so hurt and hard, and far away
Do not isolate yourself from me, act like your true self
Okay so we had our showdown
We've had our confrontation and discussed the issues
You know it's best for us
It's for our own good and well-being
And though it really hurts
Although it's painful
Just like a poison it had to come out
It was toxic, we needed to address it and remove it from our relationship
And in the end there's nothing beats
Ultimately, nothing is better
A good old heart to heart
Than having an honest and sincere conversation
But if that's the way you want it
If that's what you truly desire
Then I'll take a trip
I'll go away for a while
And I'll just pack my grip
I'll just bring my belongings
And in the morning
The following day
I'll just slip away
I'll quietly leave without causing a fuss
Now it's all been said, we've done our crying
We've said everything there is to say, we've expressed our emotions
You're still here, and so am I
We're both still present, we haven't given up on each other
Let's try again, this time with no lying
Let's give it another shot, but this time, let's be truthful with each other
C'mon you can't leave me now
Please don't leave me, we can still work things out
Though I don't see how
I'm unsure how we can mend our relationship
I can go, when I know I want to stay
Even though I want to stay with you, I'll leave if it's what you truly want
Writer(s): GRAHAM LYLE, BERNARD GALLAGHER
Contributed by Daniel D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.