From 1964, Andrews supported his nascent career as a singer/songwriter by working as a schoolteacher, before becoming a full-time professional musician in 1966.
Andrews has produced 15 successful albums singing his own songs, many of which have also been recorded by other artists.
His emotive The Soldier transmits the same quiet desperation of a soldier about to die "in conflict" as Wilfred Owen's Dulce Et Decorum Est, though in a very different setting. In fact, the contrast of a battlefield to a commonplace urban setting and the proximity of children makes the situation even more poignant and the waste of a young life even more tragic.
Hey Sandy on the album Writer of Songs is another description of the senseless loss of a young life in conflict. It is based on the death of a female student, Sandra Scheuer, who was shot by the Ohio National Guard at the Kent State University in the USA anti-war demonstration of 1970, although, unlike the Sandy of Andrews' song, the real student was not directly involved in the demonstration. The album version of the song is an unusual, but powerful, arrangement, in which the first verse is sung to the accompaniment of a solo double bass, played by Danny Thompson. The recording was never issued in America until Kent State University's commemorative cd released in 2005. It reached number 2 in the New Zealand chart in November 1972.In stark contrast, his Boothferry Bridge and Gift of a Brand New day reflect the contentment of the simple pleasures of everyday life.
Many of Harvey's supposedly 'unavailable' Albums (like Writer of Songs) can actually be ordered directly from his web site (just follow the 'music' link) http://www.harveyandrews.com/ .. sadly some of them really are out of print.
A Most Peculiar Man
Harvey Andrews Lyrics
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That's what Mrs. Riordan said and she should know;
She lived upstairs from him
She said he was a most peculiar man.
He was a most peculiar man.
He lived all alone within a house,
Within a room, within himself,
He had no friends, he seldom spoke
And no one in turn ever spoke to him,
'Cause he wasn't friendly and he didn't care
And he wasn't like them.
Oh, no! he was a most peculiar man.
He died last Saturday.
He turned on the gas and he went to sleep
With the windows closed so he'd never wake up
To his silent world and his tiny room;
And Mrs. Riordan says he has a brother somewhere
Who should be notified soon.
And all the people said, "What a shame that he's dead,
But wasn't he a most peculiar man?"
Harvey Andrews's song, A Most Peculiar Man, tells a story of a man who was considered peculiar by everyone around him. Mrs. Riordan, who lived upstairs from the man, describes him as peculiar, and he is referred to as such multiple times throughout the song. The man lived alone, within a house, a room, and within himself, indicating that he was isolated from the world around him. He had no friends and seldom spoke, and no one ever spoke to him because he wasn't friendly, and he didn't care. The man was different from everyone else, and that made him stand out, not in a positive way, but in a negative one, and that's usually what happens when someone is different from what is considered to be normal.
The song takes a darker turn when it is revealed that the most peculiar man died. He turned on his gas and went to sleep with the windows closed. He chose a silent death over a living in a world he didn't fit in. Mrs. Riordan talked about his brother, who should be notified of his death, and people talked about what a shame it was. Still, they couldn't help but mention that he was peculiar, that he had lived a life that didn't make sense to them, that he was different. The song leaves the listener with a profound sense of sadness, as it becomes clear that even after death, the man is still considered peculiar.
Line by Line Meaning
He was a most peculiar man.
The man was very unusual.
That's what Mrs. Riordan said and she should know;
Mrs. Riordan lived close to him and knew him better than most.
She lived upstairs from him
She lived in the apartment above his.
He lived all alone within a house,
He resided by himself in a house structure.
Within a room, within himself,
He spent most of his time confined to one room, in isolation.
He had no friends, he seldom spoke
He didn't socialize and rarely communicated.
And no one in turn ever spoke to him,
As a result, people didn't reach out or interact with him either.
'Cause he wasn't friendly and he didn't care
The man was unfriendly and didn't show any interest in engaging with others.
And he wasn't like them.
He differed significantly from everyone else in the area.
Oh, no! he was a most peculiar man.
Overall, he was an extremely odd individual.
He turned on the gas and he went to sleep
He committed suicide by inhaling gas and falling asleep.
With the windows closed so he'd never wake up
He closed the windows to ensure that the gas would have a lasting impact.
To his silent world and his tiny room;
He died alone in his small living space, in complete silence.
And Mrs. Riordan says he has a brother somewhere
Mrs. Riordan is aware of his relative.
Who should be notified soon.
The brother should be informed of his passing in a timely manner.
And all the people said, "What a shame that he's dead,
Those who knew of his death expressed sadness.
But wasn't he a most peculiar man?"
However, they couldn't overlook the fact that he was an unusual individual.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ash Wheeler
Fantastic