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.
Hey! Sandy
Harvey Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone.
Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Well the sun was hot and the air was heavy as the marching men came by
And you ran to the door and you watched then pass and you asked the soldiers "Why?"
And your freedom's past, they have come at last, with the blessings of the dead.
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy why were you the one?
All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone.
Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
In the college square they were standing there with flag and with the gun
And the whispered word as the young ones stirred was "Now at last they've come"
And the air was still with the lonely thrill of now the hour is near
And the smell of sweat was better yet than the awful stench of fear.
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy why were you the one?
All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone.
Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Through the air the shout as you all ran out was "Why are these things done?"
And you stood and you stared but no one cared for another campus bum
And your songs were dead and the hymns instead were to the burning pyre
And the words of youth, like love and truth, just ashes in the fire.
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy why were you the one?
All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone.
Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Did you throw the stone at the men alone with their bayonets fixed for hire?
Did you doubt that they would, say no one could, did you scream when they opened fire?
As the square ran red and your bloodstain spread and the darkness round you grew
Through the fear and the pain did you call the name of the man you never knew?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy why were you the one?
All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone.
Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
The song "Hey! Sandy" by Harvey Andrews deals with the theme of protest and resistance against oppressive regimes. The song tells the story of Sandy, who witnesses the atrocities committed by the marching soldiers and the police force on a college campus during a protest. Sandy's youth and innocence are lost as she witnesses the destruction of her dreams and beliefs. The singer questions Sandy's involvement and actions during the protest and wonders if she threw stones, doubted the outcome or called out for help.
The opening lines, "Hey Sandy, hey Sandy why were you the one?/All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone" suggests that Sandy was one of many similar-aged people, but somehow, she found herself in circumstances that ripped away her youth and robbed her of the promise of a better tomorrow. The line "Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?" suggests the emotional trauma Sandy experienced during the event. The repetitive question "Hey Sandy, just what did you do?" underscores the uncertain fate of the character.
Although based on a specific event, the song has a universal theme of youthful idealism crushed by brutal force. The song reminds us that the fight for freedoms and human rights can come at a high cost. It emphasises the price some people pay for sticking to their beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy why were you the one?
Why did you have to be the one to suffer the consequences of the marching men's actions?
All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone.
Your years of life have been taken away from you for no reason.
Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?
Did you witness the soldiers turning on the peaceful protestors and feel the pain of their bullets?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
What actions did you take to deserve this treatment?
Well the sun was hot and the air was heavy as the marching men came by
It was a hot day when the soldiers marched through the town.
And you ran to the door and you watched then pass and you asked the soldiers "Why?"
You were curious about what was going on and asked the soldiers for an explanation.
The sound of the steel and the black boot's heel were pounding in your head
The loud noise of the soldiers' weapons and boots made a lasting impression on you.
And your freedom's past, they have come at last, with the blessings of the dead.
Your freedom has been taken away by people who were given permission to use lethal force.
In the college square they were standing there with flag and with the gun
The soldiers stood in the area reserved for college students, displaying their weapons and national flag.
And the whispered word as the young ones stirred was "Now at last they've come"
The students murmured about how the soldiers were finally there to restore order.
And the air was still with the lonely thrill of now the hour is near
There was an eerie silence in the air as the time of the confrontation drew closer.
And the smell of sweat was better yet than the awful stench of fear.
Even though the soldiers emanated the odor of sweat, it was preferable to the smell of fear that permeated the air.
Through the air the shout as you all ran out was "Why are these things done?"
As you and others retreated from the violent scene, you vocally expressed confusion and disbelief towards the soldiers' actions.
And you stood and you stared but no one cared for another campus bum
You and your fellow students were powerless in the face of the soldiers, who viewed you all as insignificant individuals on campus.
And your songs were dead and the hymns instead were to the burning pyre
The music you once enjoyed was now silenced and replaced by the sounds of destruction caused by the soldiers.
And the words of youth, like love and truth, just ashes in the fire.
The beliefs and sentiments that the youth held dear, like love and truth, were now destroyed along with everything else.
Did you throw the stone at the men alone with their bayonets fixed for hire?
Did you engage in a desperate and ultimately futile act of resistance against the soldiers?
Did you doubt that they would, say no one could, did you scream when they opened fire?
Did you ever think that the soldiers would inflict such harm or did you react with shock and horror when they did so?
As the square ran red and your bloodstain spread and the darkness round you grew
The bloodshed caused by the soldiers covered the entire square, and your sense of danger increased.
Through the fear and the pain did you call the name of the man you never knew?
Did you cry out for help to someone who had the power to stop the violence but was unknown to you?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy why were you the one?
Why did you have to be the one to suffer the consequences of the marching men's actions?
All the years of growing up are wasted now and gone.
Your years of life have been taken away from you for no reason.
Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?
Did you witness the soldiers turning on the peaceful protestors and feel the pain of their bullets?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
What actions did you take to deserve this treatment?
Hey Sandy, hey Sandy just what did you do?
What actions did you take to deserve this treatment?
Contributed by London H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.