The first was essentially an incarnation of the influential rock group Hawkwind, recording one album under the name in 1978 entitled 25 Years On. Following a number of difficulties during 1977, including the abandonment of a tour due to the ongoing mental health problems of vocalist Robert Calvert, exhausted Hawkwind co-founder Dave Brock decided to disband the group. However, after he and Calvert performed a one off gig in December 1977 with Devon band Ark using the name the Sonic Assassins, he put together a new line-up, consisting of himself, Calvert, Harvey Bainbridge, Martin Griffin and Steve Swindells. In light of Hawkwind’s chaotic and ever-changing personnel situation, the Hawklords were nothing other than the latest incarnation of Hawkwind, using a different name, probably for legal reasons following a split with management. A live recording of the Hawklords line-up was later released. Brock’s outfit quickly reverted to using the name Hawkwind and following the inevitable shuffling in and out of band members, recorded the album Levitation in 1980 under their more familiar appellation.
In 2009, Bainbridge, Griffin and Swindells reformed under the name Hawklords without Dave Brock, but with other former members of Hawkwind, including Nik Turner, Alan Davey, Adrian Shaw, Jerry Richards, Ron Tree and Terry Ollis.
25 Years
Hawklords Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I got my G.C.E.
My City and Guilds and my Sky Diary
But it didn't do me no good
They didn't like my looks
I burnt my books
Twenty five years doesn't matter anymore
I stand around the streets
looking at the sky
I watch the world go by
I started out one day
And I worked in a factory
My mind went blank
I needed a battery
Didn't do me no good
I got the sack
My work was slack
Twenty five years, twenty five years, twenty five years?
'Cause twenty five years doesn't matter anymore
I stand around the streets
And lie around the floor
Looking at the sky
I watch the world go by
They say there's life up there in the galaxy
The world's in collision
There's people with an allergy
Twenty five years of social reform
Ain't gonna make me change or make me conform
Twenty five years, twenty five years, twenty five years
Twenty five years of social research and
Twenty five years, twenty five years, twenty five years?
The lyrics in Hawklords' song "25 Years" represent the feelings of disillusionment and the lack of fulfillment in life despite achieving certain educational and social accomplishments. The opening lyrics describe the singer's academic achievements, which include passing his General Certificate of Education (GCE) and obtaining a City and Guilds certification. However, despite these educational accomplishments, the singer feels that he has not received any tangible benefit as he did not fit society's conventional ideas of what a successful person should look like. In fact, he even burned his books out of frustration.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about working in a factory, but his mind goes blank, and he needs a battery. He gets fired from work because of his poor work output, making him feel disheartened and demotivated. The singer feels disillusioned and rejected by society, and he realizes that "twenty-five years" of social reform or research will not change his situation or make him conform to society's expectations. He, therefore, watches the world go by, wondering if there is life out there in the galaxy, and ponders the truth in the saying that the world is in collision.
The lyrics of the song convey the themes of disillusionment, lack of self-fulfillment, social non-conformity, and questioning the state of the world. The singer has achieved society's standards of success, but he is still not fulfilled nor does he find purpose in his life. The song's message encourages listeners to evaluate their own lives and question whether conventional standards of success align with their personal goals and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
I went to school and I studied
I attended school and engaged in learning
And I got my G.C.E.
I successfully attained my General Certificate of Education
My City and Guilds and my Sky Diary
I also achieved City and Guilds qualifications and maintained a record of the weather in a Sky Diary
But it didn't do me no good
Despite my academic achievements, they were not of much benefit to me
They didn't like my looks
I faced discrimination due to my physical appearance
I burnt my books
As a result of my negative experiences, I disposed of my academic materials
Twenty five years doesn't matter anymore
The passage of time is now irrelevant to me
I stand around the streets
I find myself loitering in public areas
I lie around the floor
Sometimes I even lay on the ground
looking at the sky
I take time to observe the sky above
I watch the world go by
I witness the flow of life and events around me
I started out one day
At some point in the past I embarked on a journey
And I worked in a factory
I found employment in a factory
My mind went blank
At times I experienced mental fog or confusion
I needed a battery
Perhaps I required more energy or stimulation
Didn't do me no good
Unfortunately, things did not improve for me
I got the sack
I was fired from my job
My work was slack
I may have underperformed or lacked dedication in my job
'Cause twenty five years doesn't matter anymore
The passage of time is now irrelevant to me
And lie around the floor
I occasionally find myself laying on the ground
They say there's life up there in the galaxy
There are claims that extraterrestrial life exists
The world's in collision
There is sense of conflict or chaos in the world
There's people with an allergy
Some people suffer from allergic reactions
Twenty five years of social reform
A quarter century of efforts to change societal norms or values
Ain't gonna make me change or make me conform
However, these efforts will not motivate me to alter my behavior or adapt to fit in
Twenty five years of social research and
Fifty years total of studying human behavior and societal trends
Twenty five years, twenty five years, twenty five years?
Repeating the same question about the passage of time
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVE BROCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Castonorama
Played this on my 25th birthday ,my 50th birthday and my 25th wedding anniversary...hope I make it to 75 years!
Steve Maskew
Don't we all, 63 this year.......ulp !
MiddleAgedWhiteBloke
Nice.
Andrew Harris
absolutely love this album, still love the hawkwind
Lee Coad
Brilliant song totally reminds me of my life
Lee Coad
Fantastic I got my sky diary too lol
Paul Crawford
city and guilds and SCOT diary... was an old qualification.... 'they didn't write my notes: I learned by books' is a line I prefer to hear than the one about 'burn my books'
Simon Broberg
My bikes now 25. Cam chain is getting a little slack, but I'll retire the chain and buy another. Guess I chrome, or gold plate it, then turn it into bracelets. What you think (I got a better chain riveter than some I saw online, that's a fact!)
Swallabat
If your camchain has lasted 25 years, I'd bet it's not a Honda!
torahstruths biblicalbayans
63 years