Hughes has carved a distinctive vocal style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is Hughes' calling card. He's known as a singer's singer: in fact, Stevie Wonder once called Hughes his favorite white singer.
Hughes, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, the Beatles and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.
The first important band Hughes was a member of that achieved notable success was Trapeze, while in 1973 he joined one of the most popular bands in the world, Deep Purple. The trailblazing hard-rock legends had just weathered the departure of vocalist Ian Gillan and bass guitarist Roger Glover, but guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice continued with the addition of Hughes and David Coverdale. Any skepticism was squelched with the 1974 release of Burn. This stunning album rejuvenated the band and stands tall among Deep Purple classics.
In the halcyon days, Purple headlined at the famous California Jam in 1974 in front of quarter of a million people. World tours via Purple's own jet plane, 'The Starship' and two more studio albums later, (the Hughes influenced Stormbringer and Come Taste the Band), Deep Purple finally split in 1976.
Now living in Los Angeles, Hughes' first solo album Play Me Out was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form Hughes/Thrall, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums, in particular he appeared on the vastly underrated Seventh Star, was officially credited as 'Black Sabbath Featuring Tony Iommi'. Hughes and Iommi remained friends and in the past few years they have released one brand new studio album together.
More commercial recognition came when the KLF dubbed Hughes 'The Voice of Rock', proudly featuring him on their international best selling hit single America- What Time is Love'
Since 1992, Hughes has toured extensively in Europe, Japan and South America in support of solo albums such as Blues, From Now On..., Feel, Addiction, The Way It Is, Return Of Crystal Karma, Building The Machine, Songs In The Key Of Rock, Soul Mover and Music For The Divine.
Soul Mover saw the continuation of the successful creative partnership with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith that began with Glenn's live DVD Soulfully Live in the City of Angels (2004). Soul Mover was voted 12th best album of the year by highly influential UK magazine CLASSIC ROCK.
After the release of his album Music For The Divine in 2006, 2007 saw Hughes make successful tours of Russia, South America, Italy, Norway and Spain, along with solo dates in London - at the prestigious Shepherds Bush Empire - Bulgaria and Greece. 2007 also saw Hughes headline at festival appearances in France and Norway. Hughes also took part in the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp in New York, which was highly successful and he also appeared as a guest presenter at the Classic Rock Awards in both 2006 and 2007. Another highlight of a diverse and colorful year were the 2 sold out solo shows at the famous Whisky in Los Angeles and BB King's in New York.
2008 saw Hughes undertake another extensive European tour; including a month long trek across Russia, festival appearances, and his first live shows in Belarus, Estonia and Romania. Another highlight was Hughes' appearance in London at the Childline Charity concert in March 2008 where he performed a short set of Deep Purple classics with Purple drummer Ian Paice. This was particularly poignant as it was the first time the pair had played together since the Purple days. Ironically, in June 2008, Hughes played in Liverpool, England for the first time in over 30 years; a triumphant and emotional return to the city where Deep Purple Mark IV played their final ever concert before disbanding in 1976.
Other highlights of 2008 include Hughes' live on air performance on the USA radio show Rockline, and his first appearance in New Zealand since 1975 with Deep Purple, when Hughes brought the house down at the G-Taranaki Festival in July.
Hughes' album, the 2008 release "First Underground Nuclear Kitchen"
Chad Smith again plays out of his skin on the drums, and Hughes has rarely - if ever - sounded more inspired, written with such grace, or sung with more passion.
Another world jaunt accompanied the release, carrying on into 2009 with tours of Europe, Russia, South America and selected shows in the States including sell out shows in LA and NYC.
2010 was one of the most exciting and prolific years in Hughes' career as it saw him recording and touring in a new supergroup project, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION with guitar star Joe Bonamassa, keyboard player Derek Sherinian (Dream Theatre) and drummer Jason Bonham, son of the late Led Zeppelin legend John Bonham. The band released their debut album on September 20th, 2010. The album went to #13 in the Official UK Album Chart and #1 in the Official UK Rock Album Chart. Produced and mixed by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, The Black Crowes, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Journey etc), this is yet another world-class musical statement that raises the bar for rock singing.
In November 2010, Hughes was awarded the ChildLine Award at Classic Rock's Roll of Honour.
Hughes and Black Country Communion released their second album, "2", in 2011, followed shortly afterwards, by their debut live tour encompassing the USA, UK and Europe. Their third release, "LIVE OVER EUROPE", recorded live while on the European leg of their debut tour, reached the Top 5 spot world-wide with releases on DVD, CD, Blu-ray and Vinyl.
Hughes had his AUTOBIOGRAPHY published in 2011, in both hard and soft cover editions. The Number 1 best seller is available at all good retailers, both online and at traditional brick & mortar stores!
In November 2011, Black Country Communion won the prestigious Classic Rock Breakthrough Artist of the Year award at the Classic Rock Awards in London, with Glenn collecting the award on behalf of the band.
2012 saw Hughes touring Russia as a solo artist and also South America as a member of the Rock and Roll AllStars, featuring his good friends Gene Simmons, Matt Sorum, and Joe Elliot amongst others. Hughes also did solo shows and guest appearances in the UK, Israel, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, China and Armenia but his main focus in 2012 was the writing, recording and press promotion for the third Black Country Communion album, "AFTERGLOW". Released worldwide in late October 2012, and again produced by Kevin Shirley, the album was another huge success for the band, and is possibly the most Hughes dominated album of the three, with many of the songs written solely by Glenn.
2013 saw Hughes embarking on some exciting new projects, with the best yet to come from this most eclectic, talented and inspired musician and songwriter.
Speak Your Mind
Glenn Hughes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Welcome baby, speak your mind
I'm waiting, won't you give me a sign
I'm walkin' on a fine line
I'm gonna make it right this time
Soon you will discover
Speak your mind
She's a prize fighter
She's the one who comforts me
I can feel we're gettin' tighter
Sweet as honey to the bee
Soon you will discover
Now you know you're the next in line
One way or another
Now it's time to speak your mind
I know you'll recover
'Cause you know that you're one of a kind
One way or another
Now it's time to speak your mind
Now you can't decide between the passion and pain
And you're reachin' inside
Now you're talkin' to god
When you close your eyes
And you just can't let it be
And you're tellin' yourself
Now you realize
There is a reason to set you free
Now it's time to speak your mind
Soon you will discover
Now you know you're the next in line
One way or another
Now it's time to speak your mind
I know you'll recover
'Cause you know that you're one of a kind
One way or another
Now it's time to speak your mind
by AleisterCrowley
The song "Speak Your Mind" by Glenn Hughes is a passionate and uplifting rock ballad about encouraging someone to open up and express their thoughts and feelings. The lyrics suggest that the singer is waiting for someone to share their innermost thoughts with them, and assures them that they will be understood and supported no matter what they say. There is a sense of urgency and determination in the lyrics, as the singer urges the other person to be brave and speak their mind.
The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the singer inviting the other person to share their thoughts: "Welcome baby, speak your mind, I'm waiting, won't you give me a sign, I'm walkin' on a fine line, I'm gonna make it right this time." The second verse introduces the idea of the other person being a "prize fighter" who provides comfort and support. The chorus repeats the message that it's time to speak up and be heard: "One way or another, now it's time to speak your mind, I know you'll recover, 'cause you know that you're one of a kind."
The bridge of the song is particularly powerful, with the lyrics describing the moment when the other person finally decides to speak their mind: "Now you can't decide between the passion and pain, and you're reachin' inside, now you're talkin' to god, when you close your eyes, and you just can't let it be." It's clear that this is a transformative moment for the other person, as they begin to confront their deepest fears and desires. The song ends on an optimistic note, with the chorus repeating the idea that speaking up is the first step towards healing and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome baby, speak your mind
Come on and say what's on your mind, don't hold back
I'm waiting, won't you give me a sign
I'm ready to listen, just give me a hint or signal
I'm walkin' on a fine line
I'm being careful not to say or do the wrong thing
I'm gonna make it right this time
I'll do my best to fix things and make it better
She's a prize fighter
She's strong and resilient, like a champion
She's the one who comforts me
She's the one who supports me and makes me feel better
I can feel we're gettin' tighter
I can sense that we're getting closer and more connected
Sweet as honey to the bee
She's as sweet and irresistible as honey is to a bee
Soon you will discover
You'll find out for yourself very soon
Now you know you're the next in line
You're the one who's up next, it's your turn to speak up
One way or another
In one way or another, you need to speak up
Now it's time to speak your mind
It's time to express yourself and share your thoughts and feelings
I know you'll recover
I'm confident that you'll be able to bounce back and be okay
'Cause you know that you're one of a kind
Because you're special and unique, and you have something important to say
Now you can't decide between the passion and pain
You're struggling to choose between something you love and something that hurts
And you're reachin' inside
You're digging deep and trying to figure out what you really want
Now you're talkin' to god
You're praying or seeking guidance from a higher power
When you close your eyes
You're shutting out distractions and focusing on your inner voice
And you just can't let it be
You can't ignore the situation or pretend it doesn't matter
And you're tellin' yourself
You're reassuring yourself that you can do this
Now you realize
You're coming to an understanding or epiphany
There is a reason to set you free
There's a good reason for you to speak up and let your voice be heard
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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