His career:
At the age of nineteen, he earned an ARCT in classical piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music, in Toronto. Upon graduation, he enjoyed modest local success with the band Rhinegold in 1976.
After Rhinegold broke up in 1981, Lawrence Gowan began a successful solo career under his surname, "Gowan", releasing his self titled debut on Columbia Records in 1982. This album Gowan contained his first singles "Victory" and "Keep Up The Fight". His 1985 album Strange Animal was his first real Canadian commercial breakthrough, spawning the hit singles "A Criminal Mind", "(You're A) Strange Animal" and "Cosmetics". The album was produced by David Tickle (Prince, Split Enz, Sting, U2 ) and featured Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel) on bass / Chapman stick, and Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel) on drums. His 1987 follow up Great Dirty World was also produced by Tickle and again featured Tony Levin on bass but had session percussionist Nigel Olsson (Elton John) on drums. This album's arrangements were assisted by Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel) and gave him another breaking hit single, "Moonlight Desires," which featured Jon Anderson (Yes) on backing vocals.
1990's Lost Brotherhood featured Rush's Alex Lifeson on guitar', however, it was a commercial disappointment, and Gowan elected to pursue a change in his musical direction. Taking a more subdued, acoustic approach, he released an adult contemporary album ...but you can call me Larry in 1993, using his full name for the first time, and Lawrence Gowan returned to the Canadian charts with three strong singles: "When There's Time For Love", "Soul's Road", and "Dancing On My Own Ground". Gowan subsequently released critically acclaimed The Good Catches Up in 1995, which was produced by Eddie Schwartz (The Doobie Brothers, Paul Carrack), but the album did not generate singles or radio airplay. In 1997, Gowan released two live CDs: Sololive - No Kilt Tonight containing a strong rendition of Ragtime's classic "King Chanteclerc Rag", and Au Québec with an evocative cover of Harmonium's "Pour Un Instant", as well as his first French song, "Stéphanie", which was dedicated to his supportive Quebec fan base.
In 1997, Gowan released "Healing Waters" as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales after her death. However, despite what many believe, this song was not originally written for this purpose. It was, in fact, used in its original form in the 1995 soundtrack for the movie 'When The Bullet Hits The Bone' (starring Jeff Wincott), which was two years prior to the infamous accident that killed Diana. Although this song is not actually listed in the movie's credits, it plays a significant role within the film. After the Princess' death, the lyrics were modified by Gowan into the version that fans have come to know.
Gowan's classic "A Criminal Mind" was covered in 2005 by Canadian hip-hop artist Maestro; and Gowan appears in the song's video with his vocals sampled on the recording.
In February 2006, Lawrence Gowan did four orchestra accompanied concerts in London, Ontario and Kitchener, Ontario. On March 23rd, 2010, The Return of the Strange Animal was released by Linus Entertainment featuring remastered versions of the original recordings packaged alongside a documentary on the making of his breakthrough CD at Tittenhurst Park with Peter Gabriel's band mates. The disc features some of the original demo recordings, two new songs, and full resolution videos, including an animated cartoon entitled "The Checkmate: Ominous Spiritus 2010". The disc closes with a Live recording of "Criminal Mind" featuring his current band, Styx.
Gowan has guest-starred on the Canadian animated comedy series Chilly Beach, and he has also displayed a passionate love for ice hockey by playing for The Rock & Roll All-Stars, a celebrity team that participates in charity events across Canada.
Keep Up The Fight
Gowan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel emotion in my feet
My head is reeling
My heart is pumping to a beat
My face bleeds with desire
My soul feeds the fire
Keep up the fight
I feel my head begin to spin
You come on so strong
And I can feel you start to win, do me in
When I fall the pain starts to scream
But you won't crush my dream
Keep up the fight
I often wonder
Should I yell for help
But now I know
I'm in it for myself
You want to hear me say you beat me
Delete me, defeat me
Oh, no
I've been knocked down
I've been dragged out before
But you can't hold me
I pick myself up from the floor
Come on, give me more
I'm here and I've come here to win
I'll never give in
Keep up the fight
In Gowan's song Keep Up The Fight, the lyrics speak of a deep desire and determination to keep fighting even when faced with challenges and obstacles. The metaphorical use of the boxing ring is evident in the opening lines, as the bell rings and the singer is filled with emotion and adrenaline. There is a sense of defiance and strength in the chorus as he repeats the words "Keep up the fight," reaffirming his will to persevere.
As the song progresses, the storm hits, and the singer feels his head begin to spin. The opponent appears to be winning, and he is on the verge of defeat. However, he maintains his composure and refuses to be defeated despite suffering pain and setbacks. He knows he is in it for himself and will not be defeated. The lyrics even suggest that there is an element of enjoyment in the fight, as they say, "Come on, give me more."
Overall, the song is an anthem of perseverance and determination in the face of adversity, and it encourages listeners to keep fighting and never give up.
Line by Line Meaning
When the bell rings
As soon as the battle begins,
I feel emotion in my feet
I get a rush of energy through my body,
My head is reeling
I feel dizzy with excitement,
My heart is pumping to a beat
My heart is racing with adrenaline,
My face bleeds with desire
I am passionate about winning and will do whatever it takes,
My soul feeds the fire
My inner strength is fueled by my desire to succeed,
Keep up the fight
Don't give up, keep pushing forward.
When the storm hits
When things get tough,
I feel my head begin to spin
I become overwhelmed and disoriented,
You come on so strong
Opponents try to overpower me,
And I can feel you start to win, do me in
I feel like I am losing the fight,
When I fall the pain starts to scream
Failure hurts,
But you won't crush my dream
I won't let a loss stop me from achieving my goals,
I often wonder
I sometimes question,
Should I yell for help
Should I ask for assistance,
But now I know
I realize,
I'm in it for myself
I am responsible for my own success,
You want to hear me say you beat me
Opponents want me to admit defeat,
Delete me, defeat me
Get rid of me, crush my spirit,
Oh, no
But that won't happen.
I've been knocked down
I've experienced failure before,
I've been dragged out before
I've faced defeat,
But you can't hold me
I won't be kept down,
I pick myself up from the floor
I regain my strength and keep going,
Come on, give me more
I am ready for the challenge,
I'm here and I've come here to win
I am determined to be victorious,
I'll never give in
I won't let failure defeat me,
Keep up the fight
I will persist until I win.
Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
wild4queen
I never tire of watching this one!
wild4queen
I still haven't tired of watching this video!
wild4queen
I love this video!
wild4queen
I love his eyes.
NBAXXX
gowan looks much younger in this vid
gowangirl
That's because he WAS!
Colangelo U Vint Wine
The boxer in the blue trunks, Pat McWilliams.
Lexipants
Totally seconded!
wild4queen
Gah, he's so cute.....