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.
Soldier
Harvey Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talking to the people there if the people would.
Some just stared in hatred and others turned in pain,
And the lonely British soldier wished he was back home again.
"Come join the British army!" Said the posters in his town,
"See the world and have your fun, come serve before the crown."
The jobs were hard to come by and he could not face the dole,
But there was no fear of fighting; the Empire long was lost,
Just ten years in the army, getting paid for being bossed.
Then leave a man experienced, a man who's made the grade,
A medal and a pension, some memories and a trade.
Then came the call to Ireland as the call had come before,
Another bloody chapter in an endless civil war.
The priests they stood on both sides, the priests they stood behind,
Another fight in Jesus' name, the blind against the blind.
The soldier stood between them, between the whistling stones,
And then the broken bottles that led to broken bones.
The petrol bombs that burned his hands, the nails that pierced his skin,
And wished that he had stayed at home surrounded by his kin.
The station filled with people, the soldier soon was bored,
But better in the station than where the people warred.
The room filled up with mothers, with daughters and with sons,
Who stared with itchy fingers at the soldier and his guns.
A yell of fear, a screech of brakes, a shattering of glass,
The window of the station broke to let the package pass.
A scream came from the mothers as they ran towards the door,
Dragging children crying from the bomb upon the floor.
The soldier stood, he could not move, his gun he could not use,
He knew the bomb had seconds and not minutes on the fuse.
He could not run to pick it up and throw it in the street,
There were far too many people there, too many running feet.
"Take cover!" Yelled the soldier, "take cover for your lives!"
And the Irishmen threw down their young and stood before their wives.
They turned towards the soldier, their eyes alive with fear,
"For God's sake, save our children, or they'll end their short lives here."
The soldier moved towards the bomb, his stomach like a stone,
Why was this his battle, God, why was he alone?
He laid down on the package and he murmured one farewell,
To those at home in England, to those he loved so well.
He saw the sights of Summer, felt the wind upon his brow,
The young girls in the city parks, how precious were they now?
The soaring of the swallow, the beauty of the swan,
The music of the turning earth, so soon would it be gone.
A muffled soft explosion and the room began to quake.
The soldier blown across the floor, his blood a crimson lake.
They never heard him cry or shout, they never heard him moan,
And they turned their children's faces from the blood and from the bone.
The crowd outside soon gathered and the ambulances came,
To carry off the body of a pawn lost to the game.
And the crowd they clapped and jeered, and they sang their rebel songs.
"One soldier less to interfere where he did not belong."
But will the children growing up learn at their mother's knee,
The story of the soldier who bought their liberty?
Who used his youthful body as the means towards the end,
Who gave his life to those who called him murderer not friend.
The song "Soldier" by Harvey Andrews portrays the inner conflict and anguish of a British soldier who has been posted to Ireland. In his conversation with the people in the city, he realizes that he is seen as an enemy by both sides of the religious divide, and he wishes to be home with his family. The song hints at the dire economic situation of the time and how that compels young people to enlist in the army.
The soldier's disillusionment reinforces the anti-war sentiment of the song. He recounts how he came to join the army for economic reasons, thinking that he would have an opportunity to see the world and have an exciting experience. However, he finds that the army is more about exercising control over others and getting paid for it. As he stands between the two sides, he is attacked by both, and he gets injured. In the end, he sacrifices himself to save the lives of the Irish children, who were also victims of the conflict.
This song is a stark reminder of the cost of war, both for the soldiers who fight and the people they are meant to protect. It highlights the futility of conflict, and its devastating effects on human lives. Harvey Andrews's voice and emotive delivery make this song a powerful call for peace and a reminder of the senselessness of war.
Line by Line Meaning
In the station in the city a British soldier stood,
A British soldier was standing in a city station.
Talking to the people there if the people would.
He was speaking to people who were willing to listen.
Some just stared in hatred and others turned in pain,
Some people stared back in anger or looked away in hurt.
And the lonely British soldier wished he was back home again.
He was wishing to be back home, feeling lonely and out of place.
"Come join the British army!" Said the posters in his town,
The army was recruiting in his town.
"See the world and have your fun, come serve before the crown."
The posters promised adventure and service to the king.
The jobs were hard to come by and he could not face the dole,
He was unable to find work and couldn't bear the thought of being unemployed.
So he took his country's shilling and enlisted on the roll.
He decided to join the army.
But there was no fear of fighting; the Empire long was lost,
However, there was no actual fighting going on since the British empire had already collapsed.
Just ten years in the army, getting paid for being bossed.
He spent ten years in the army getting paid just to follow orders.
Then leave a man experienced, a man who's made the grade,
His departure from the army left him as an experienced man who had passed various tests and evaluations.
A medal and a pension, some memories and a trade.
As a result of his service, he received a medal, a pension, had some memories, and learned some practical skills.
Then came the call to Ireland as the call had come before,
He was called to serve in Ireland as it had happened before.
Another bloody chapter in an endless civil war.
The conflict in Ireland was just one more violent event in an ongoing civil war.
The priests they stood on both sides, the priests they stood behind,
Religious leaders were on both sides of the conflict, supporting their own people.
Another fight in Jesus' name, the blind against the blind.
He saw this conflict as a fight among people who were blindly following their own beliefs while invoking Jesus' name.
The soldier stood between them, between the whistling stones,
He found himself in the middle of the battle, dodging rocks being thrown at him by both sides.
And then the broken bottles that led to broken bones.
He was injured by broken bottles that were thrown at him, causing broken bones.
The petrol bombs that burned his hands, the nails that pierced his skin,
He was further injured by burning petrol bombs and nails piercing his skin.
And wished that he had stayed at home surrounded by his kin.
He regretted joining the army and wished that he had stayed home with his family.
The station filled with people, the soldier soon was bored,
Moving on from the conflict, he found the peaceful station boring.
But better in the station than where the people warred.
Despite the boredom, he was relieved to be away from the violent conflict outside.
The room filled up with mothers, with daughters and with sons,
The room started filling up with families and children.
Who stared with itchy fingers at the soldier and his guns.
They watched him with unease and concern, aware of the danger of his weapons.
A yell of fear, a screech of brakes, a shattering of glass,
Suddenly, there was a loud crash that caused fear and panic.
The window of the station broke to let the package pass.
The window broke as a bomb was thrown inside the station.
A scream came from the mothers as they ran towards the door,
The mothers screamed and ran to escape with their children.
Dragging children crying from the bomb upon the floor.
They had to pull their crying children from the floor with the bomb nearby.
The soldier stood, he could not move, his gun he could not use,
The soldier felt helpless, unable to use his weapon in such a crowded space.
He knew the bomb had seconds and not minutes on the fuse.
He was certain that the bomb would explode in a matter of seconds.
He could not run to pick it up and throw it in the street,
He couldn't pick it up and dispose of it because there were too many people in harm's way.
There were far too many people there, too many running feet.
It was too dangerous to move with so many people quickly trying to escape.
"Take cover!" Yelled the soldier, "take cover for your lives!"
He warned everyone to take cover immediately to save their lives.
And the Irishmen threw down their young and stood before their wives.
The men from Ireland protected their wives and young ones from the danger.
They turned towards the soldier, their eyes alive with fear,
The Irishmen faced the soldier with evident fear in their eyes.
"For God's sake, save our children, or they'll end their short lives here."
They begged him to save their children and prevent their short lives from being cut short by the bomb.
The soldier moved towards the bomb, his stomach like a stone,
The soldier knew he had to do something and started to approach the bomb while feeling extremely nervous.
Why was this his battle, God, why was he alone?
He questioned why he had to be the one dealing with this situation and why no one else was helping.
He laid down on the package and he murmured one farewell,
He resigned himself to the possibility of death and said goodbye in adavance.
To those at home in England, to those he loved so well.
He thought of his loved ones back home in England before facing his possible death.
He saw the sights of Summer, felt the wind upon his brow,
As he was dying, he thought of the simple pleasures of life.
The young girls in the city parks, how precious were they now?
He reminisced on the beauty of life, now aware it was coming to an end.
The soaring of the swallow, the beauty of the swan,
He also reflected upon the beauty of nature and animals.
The music of the turning earth, so soon would it be gone.
He believed that soon enough, his life and the enjoyment of life on earth would be gone.
A muffled soft explosion and the room began to quake.
The bomb went off, its sound dampened by the soldier's body, causing the room to shake.
The soldier blown across the floor, his blood a crimson lake.
The soldier's body was thrown by the explosion and left a big pool of blood where he lay dead.
They never heard him cry or shout, they never heard him moan,
He died alone, with no one around to hear his last moments of agony.
And they turned their children's faces from the blood and from the bone.
Parents shielded their children from the gruesome sight of the soldier's dead body.
The crowd outside soon gathered and the ambulances came,
A crowd of people arrived outside the station and ambulances arrived to help those who were injured.
To carry off the body of a pawn lost to the game.
The soldier was seen as a pawn who lost his life for the sake of the game that was the conflict in Ireland.
And the crowd they clapped and jeered, and they sang their rebel songs.
The crowd's response to the soldier's death was to clap, jeer, and sing songs of rebellion.
"One soldier less to interfere where he did not belong."
They were happy that one less soldier was present in a place they believed he did not belong.
But will the children growing up learn at their mother's knee,
The artist questions if the children growing up will learn the true story of the soldier's sacrifice.
The story of the soldier who bought their liberty?
He wonders if the future generations will learn about the soldier who fought for their freedom.
Who used his youthful body as the means towards the end,
He reflects on the fact that the soldier used his young body in service of a greater goal.
Who gave his life to those who called him murderer not friend.
He sacrificed himself for those who did not recognize him as a friend or protector, but rather as a murderer.
Contributed by Liliana L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.