On his return, Lewis entered Cornell University, joining the engineering program. While there, he made friends with Lance and Larry Hoppen, who later played with Orleans and King Harvest. Initially being an active student and a member of the fraternity Eta Lambda Nu, Lewis soon lost interest in college. He signed up with a band called Slippery Elm, and in December 1969, during his junior year, he dropped out of Cornell, moving back to the San Francisco area. His aim was to continue playing music, but along the way he also tried other fields of work including landscaping, carpentry and natural foods.
In 1971, Lewis joined the Bay Area band Clover. Around this time he took the name Huey Lewis. The Lewis is for his mother Magda Cregg's boyfriend, Beat Generation poet Lew(is) Welch, whom he considered his stepfather. Sean Hopper joined the band in 1972; other members of the band were John McFee, Alex Call, John Ciambotti, Mitch Howie, Mickey Shine and Marcus David. Lewis played harmonica with the band and only sang lead vocals on a few tunes. Clover's main rival band (which developed into a friendly rivalry) was Soundhole (Johnny Colla, Mario Cipollina, and Bill Gibson were band members).
In 1976, after playing in the Bay Area with limited success, Clover went to Los Angeles. They had their "big break" in a club there when their act was caught by Nick Lowe, who convinced Clover to travel to Britain with him. However, Clover was not successful in Britain, and the band arrived just as their folk-rock sound (known as pub rock in Britain) was being replaced by punk rock. They recorded two albums for the British Phonogram label; both albums produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, but neither were successful.
While Huey went on vacation, the rest of Clover backed Elvis Costello on his debut album My Aim is True. The band returned to California, McFee joined the Doobie Brothers, and Clover disbanded.
Huey Lewis played harmonica on Thin Lizzy's 1978 landmark album Live and Dangerous. That same year, Lewis was playing at Uncle Charlie's, a club in Corte Madera, California, doing the 'Monday Night Live' spot, along with future members of the News. After recording the song "Exo-Disco" (a disco version of the theme from the film Exodus), Huey landed a 'singles contract' from Phonogram Records, and Bob Brown became his manager. Huey Lewis and the American Express formed in 1979, with the same line-up as the News. The band played a few gigs (including an opening for Van Morrison), but on Brown's advice, they changed their name again. Huey Lewis and the News became their moniker.
After a failed self-titled debut in 1980, the band finally broke through to Top 40 success with the gold album Picture This (1982) riding to #13 on the Albums chart thanks to the Mutt Lange-penned "Do You Believe In Love" (#7), which became the band's first hit.
The band's third LP, the #1 Sports (1983), is one of the best-selling pop releases of all time. It has sold ten million copies in the US alone.[4] It was followed up by Fore! (1986), another #1 multi-platinum smash.
in 1995, Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker, Jr. over similarities between Parker's theme for the 1984 movie Ghostbusters and Lewis' own "I Want A New Drug". The case was settled out of court, with both parties agreeing to keep the settlement secret. Mr. Parker sued Mr. Lewis in 2001, alleging that Mr. Lewis violated the agreement in a "VH1- Behind the Music" Episode, when he stated that Mr. Parker paid some amount to settle the case.[5]
Lewis produced Nick Lowe's 1985 cover of "I Knew The Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll)". Huey Lewis and the News provided backup vocals and played on the song. He and his bandmates also performed on USA for Africa's 1985 fund-raising single "We Are the World", and spent the remainder of the 1980s and early 1990s adding to an impressive string of 14 Top-20 Billboard Hot 100 hits and releasing two more hit albums: Small World (1988) #11 and Hard At Play (1991) #27. By the time the band released their critically-acclaimed album of cover songs Four Chords & Several Years Ago (1994) #55, their chosen lower profile and lack of promotion from new label Elektra saw their Top 40 appeal dip for good, yet they have endured as one of America's top drawing live acts[citation needed] and have continued to have the occasional hit on adult contemporary radio.
As well as singing lead vocals and playing harmonica with the band, Lewis also writes or co-writes many of the band's songs.
Huey Lewis has sung with Umphrey's McGee at several shows beginning with the 2005 Jammys and is featured on two tracks of their album Safety In Numbers.
The band, now in self-proclaimed semi-retirement, still plays 80+ U.S. dates a year, with an occasional European tour. The average fee for Huey Lewis & The News to play a private college-sized show is around US$200,000.
On February 13, 2007, Huey was interviewed on the podcast series "Stuck in the 80s," during which he revealed that the band has written several new songs that they plan to record next year, though he states that, given how much the industry has changed since their last album, he's unsure at this point how they will sell the new material.[6]
During a show at the California State Fair on August 21, 2007, Huey was named Sacramento's "Musician of the Year" by the fair's General Manager and presented with a gold statue of the California state bear.
Huey has also recorded a duet version of "Workin' For A Livin'" with Garth Brooks, which was included in Brooks' 3-Disc set The Ultimate Hits, in late-2007.
Huey Lewis's real name is "Hugh Cregg"
It's Alright
Huey Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say it's alright
It's alright, have a good time
'Cause it's alright, whoa it's alright
Now we gonna move it slow
When the lights are low
When you move it slow
Cause it's alright
Whoa it's alright
Now listen to the beat
Kinda' tap your feet
You got soul
Everybody knows that it's alright
Whoa it's alright
When you wake up early in the morning
Feeling sad like so many of us do
Hold a little soul
And make life your goal
And surely something's gotta come to you
And you gotta say it's alright
Say it's alright
It's alright, have a good time
Cause it's alright
Whoa it's alright
Someday I'll find me a woman
Who will love me and treat me real nice
Where my road has got to go
My love she will know from morning, noon
Until the night
And she's gotta say that it's alright
Say it's alright
It's alright, have a good time
Cause it's alright
Whoa it's alright
Now listen to the beat
Kinda' tap your feet
You got soul
Everybody knows that it's alright
Whoa it's alright
You got soul
Everybody knows that it's alright
Whoa it's alright
The 1980s pop classic “It's Alright” by Huey Lewis & The News is a feel-good, upbeat song that encourages listeners to enjoy life and embrace its ups and downs. The repetition of the phrase “They say it's alright” throughout the song creates a sense of reassurance, implying that no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay. The lyrics suggest that even when things are tough, it's possible to find joy and hope by dancing to the music and tapping into one's soul. It encourages listeners to embrace the present and let loose, regardless of their troubles.
The song also touches upon the search for love and companionship, urging listeners to hold onto hope that they'll find someone who will love them and treat them right. Although it acknowledges that life can be uncertain and sometimes sad, the song encourages a positive outlook and a willingness to keep moving forward. Overall, “It's Alright” is an uplifting tune that reminds people to find joy in life's little moments and highlights the importance of holding onto hope when times get tough.
Line by Line Meaning
They say it's alright
People say everything is okay or all right.
They say it's alright
People say everything is okay or all right.
It's alright, have a good time
It is perfectly fine to have fun.
'Cause it's alright, whoa it's alright
Things are okay; everything will be fine.
Now we gonna move it slow
Now we will dance slowly.
When the lights are low
When the lighting is dim.
When you move it slow
When you dance slowly.
It feels like more
It seems like there is more to it.
'Cause it's alright
Everything is okay.
Whoa it's alright
Things are all right; it is going to be okay.
Now listen to the beat
Listen to the rhythm of the music.
Kinda' tap your feet
Start tapping your feet to the beat.
You got soul
You have rhythm, charisma, and style.
Everybody knows that it's alright
Everyone understands that everything is okay.
When you wake up early in the morning
When you rise early in the morning.
Feeling sad like so many of us do
When you feel down or depressed like many individuals often do.
Hold a little soul
Find comfort, inspiration or emotional support.
And make life your goal
Make your goal to live your life fully.
And surely something's gotta come to you
Eventually, good things will come to you.
And you gotta say it's alright
You have to acknowledge that everything will be okay.
Say it's alright
Affirm that feelings and situation are okay.
Someday I'll find me a woman
One day, I will find a lady.
Who will love me and treat me real nice
Who will genuinely love and treat me with respect.
Where my road has got to go
No matter where my journey takes me.
My love she will know from morning, noon
My love will accompany me always, at any time of day.
Until the night
Until the end of the day.
And she's gotta say that it's alright
She needs to acknowledge everything is okay.
Say it's alright
Confirm that all is well.
It's alright, have a good time
It is alright to relax and enjoy yourself.
Cause it's alright
Because everything is okay.
Whoa it's alright
It is all good; there is no need to worry.
Now listen to the beat
Pay attention to the music's rhythm.
Kinda' tap your feet
Start tapping your feet slightly.
You got soul
You have charisma, rhythm, and style.
Everybody knows that it's alright
Everyone understands that everything is okay.
Whoa it's alright
It is all okay and perfectly fine.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: NICHOLAS OLIVER RUTH, JOHN TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind