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.
This Life
Glenn Hughes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel so good inside, I'm on the mend
I broke this fever, it's a cryin' shame
We live and die, and then we live again!
This life is beautiful
This life is magical
This life is built on trust
Why do I have 2 work so hard?
I've been livin' for this life
Livin' for this life
Oh mother, thank you for my life
You've always been right there by my side
Just like the footprints in the sand
You make me see, you make me understand
Thank you for the morning sun
The crystal lake, another dawn
The mountain high, the valley low
The river wide, the falling snow
The happiness you gave 2 me
The love you give so endlessly
And you will live inside of me
Now I'm the proudest son you see!
The lyrics to Glenn Hughes's song "This Life" express a deep gratitude for the good things in life, both the big and the small, and the love and support of family. The song seems to be a reflection on life experiences, including sickness and recovery, hard work, and the beauty of nature. The opening lines address a father figure, expressing gratitude but also perhaps a sense of closeness and vulnerability. The lines "I feel so good inside, I'm on the mend / I broke this fever, it's a cryin' shame" suggest that the singer has been sick and is now feeling better, but that perhaps the experience has been difficult or emotional in some way. The lines "We live and die, and then we live again" suggest a sense of acceptance and resilience in the face of life's challenges.
The song also expresses a longing to simply enjoy life, as in the lines "This life is beautiful / This life is magical / This life is built on trust / And I just want 2 get on the bus." The sentiment here is one of wanting to simply live in the moment, to experience life's beauty and wonder, and to trust that everything will work out. The lines "Why do I have 2 work so hard?" suggest a frustration with the demands of everyday life, and perhaps a longing for simplicity or ease.
In the second stanza, the singer addresses a mother figure, expressing gratitude for all of the good things in life, both the natural world and the love and support of family. The lines "Thank you for the morning sun / The crystal lake, another dawn / The mountain high, the valley low / The river wide, the falling snow" suggest a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature, and the lines "The happiness you gave 2 me / The love you give so endlessly" express the immense love and gratitude the singer feels towards their mother. The final lines "And you will live inside of me / Now I'm the proudest son you see!" express a sense of connection and closeness that will endure even after the mother is gone.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh father, it's me your friend
The singer is talking to God, addressing him as a friend
I feel so good inside, I'm on the mend
The singer feels better now after a difficult phase of his life
I broke this fever, it's a cryin' shame
The fever is a metaphor for something that made him feel bad, and he regrets it
We live and die, and then we live again!
He believes in reincarnation and afterlife, and is not afraid of death
This life is beautiful
The singer is appreciating the beauty of life
This life is magical
The singer finds life to be magical and amazing
This life is built on trust
Trust is an essential component of life
And I just want 2 get on the bus
He is ready to go on a journey or a new phase of life
Why do I have 2 work so hard?
He questions why life requires hard work and struggle
I've been livin' for this life
He has been living life to the fullest
Oh mother, thank you for my life
The singer is now thanking his mother for his life
You've always been right there by my side
The singer acknowledges the support and love given to him by his mother
Just like the footprints in the sand
The mother has always been guiding him, like footprints in sand
You make me see, you make me understand
The mother has always helped him understand things
Thank you for the morning sun
He thanks his mother for all the beautiful things in life
The crystal lake, another dawn
He is appreciating nature and the beauty of everyday things
The mountain high, the valley low
The highs and lows of life
The river wide, the falling snow
The beautiful and natural things in life
The happiness you gave 2 me
The mother has given him happiness in life
The love you give so endlessly
The mother has given him unconditional love
And you will live inside of me
She will always be a part of him
Now I'm the proudest son you see!
He is grateful for his mother and is proud of her
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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