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.
Anna
Harvey Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There, hear the knock, this time it′s our door
Anna, my love, be brave at this hour
And don't let them see Anna cry
The days that we've had, they′ve passed into years
The shadows we′ve had have been shadows of tears
Don't let them see that we too have our fears
Anna, my love, now I can stand
Now I can face them with love in my hand
Now I can speak for the ones of my land
They have taken, shaken from sleep
Anna, my love, we must dress and go down
My best Sunday suit, your best evening gown
They'll march and parade us right through the town
But don′t let them see Anna cry
Anna, my love, we saw they were strong
Which faction was right, which party was wrong
But Anna, my love, we argued too long
Now don't let them see Anna cry
Anna, my love, now I can stand
Now I can face them with love in my hand
Now I can speak for the ones of my land
They have taken, shaken from sleep
Anna, my love, it′s time now I'm sure
There, hear the knock, this time it's our door
Anna, my love, be brave at this hour
And don′t let them see Anna cry
No, don′t let them see Anna cry
The song "Anna" by Harvey Andrews depicts a tumultuous time in history where two opposing factions are fighting for control in a region causing chaos amongst its citizens. The lyrics speak to a couple named Anna and the singer, who are determined to face the situation together despite the fear and uncertainty that they both feel. The song brings to light the human side of conflict and the shared emotional toll it takes on those caught in the middle. The repetition of the line "don't let them see Anna cry" emphasizes the need to be strong, as showing vulnerability could be interpreted as a sign of weakness, making them easy targets.
Throughout the song, the singer refers to "the ones of my land" and suggests that they have been taken and shaken from sleep, implying a sense of violation and upheaval. The reference to dressing up in their best attire as they are "marched and paraded right through the town" highlights a loss of individuality and dignity, forced to conform to norms that they do not identify with. Anna and the singer are portrayed as being a unit, united in the face of adversity and determined to stand up for what is right, despite the risks.
Line by Line Meaning
Anna, my love, it's time now I'm sure
Harvey Andrews is telling Anna that it’s time for action.
There, hear the knock, this time it's our door
Someone is at the door, and it’s not a visitor. They are here to take action.
Anna, my love, be brave at this hour
Harvey Andrews is trying to encourage Anna to stay brave and strong during this difficult time.
And don't let them see Anna cry
Harvey wants Anna to be strong and hide her fear from the person outside.
The days that we've had, they've passed into years
Harvey is reminiscing on the past, and how everything has changed over time.
The shadows we've had have been shadows of tears
The past has not been easy, and it has been accompanied by tears and sadness.
Don't let them see that we too have our fears
Harvey is warning Anna that they need to keep their fears hidden in order to stay strong and safe.
No, don't let them see Anna cry
Harvey repeats his warning, emphasizing the importance of hiding their fear and tears from whoever is outside.
Anna, my love, now I can stand
Harvey feels strong enough to face the outside threat now
Now I can face them with love in my hand
Harvey is approaching the situation with love and compassion.
Now I can speak for the ones of my land
Harvey sees himself as a representative of the people in his land, and wants to speak up for them.
They have taken, shaken from sleep
The people in Harvey’s land have been taken and awakened by the outside threat.
Anna, my love, we must dress and go down
Harvey and Anna need to prepare themselves and face the outside threat with bravery.
My best Sunday suit, your best evening gown
Harvey and Anna are dressing up and putting on their best for the occasion of the outside threat.
They'll march and parade us right through the town
The outside threat will parade Harvey and Anna through town to show their power and control.
But don't let them see Anna cry
Harvey repeats his warning again, reminding Anna to stay strong and not show her fears.
Anna, my love, we saw they were strong
Harvey and Anna have witnessed the power and strength of the outside threat.
Which faction was right, which party was wrong
Harvey is unsure which side was actually right or wrong in this situation.
But Anna, my love, we argued too long
Harvey and Anna have wasted too much time arguing about who was right or wrong, and need to unite and be strong together.
Now don't let them see Anna cry
Again, Harvey reminds Anna to stay strong and keep her emotions hidden from the threat outside.
Anna, my love, now I can stand
Repeating another verse, Harvey is emphasizing his own readiness to face the outside threat.
Now I can face them with love in my hand
Harvey wants to approach the situation with love, instead of violence or anger.
Now I can speak for the ones of my land
Again, Harvey sees himself as a representative for his people.
They have taken, shaken from sleep
Repeating a previous verse, Harvey is reminding Anna of the people that have been taken by the outside threat.
Anna, my love, it's time now I'm sure
Repeating the first verse, Harvey is stressing the importance of taking action now.
There, hear the knock, this time it's our door
Repeating a previous verse, Harvey is reminding Anna that someone is at the door and they need to be ready to face them.
Anna, my love, be brave at this hour
Again, Harvey wants Anna to stay brave and strong during this difficult time.
And don't let them see Anna cry
For the final time, Harvey reminds Anna to stay strong and hide her emotions from the outside threat.
Writer(s): Harvey Andrews
Contributed by Mason H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.