With a long singing career dating from the swinging 1960s, where he released material as the vocalist of Pyramid, Matthews joined Fairport Convention, formed and left Matthews' Southern Comfort, and went on to have a long and winding career, sailing through trends in rock, pop, country and folk with some chart success and maintaining a continuous cult following since his commercial peak in the late 1970s.
After his stint in Fairport Convention, came the country-tinged Southern Comfort (1969) album , where Matthews recruited Richard Thompson, and other members of Fairport to collaborate. He secured a deal with MCA’s UNI label and a touring lineup of Matthews' Southern Comfort released two more albums of material, Second Spring (1970), and Later That Same Year (1970). Much like he had when Fairport had it's first success, Matthews walked away from the band just as fame became inevitable and Tops Of The Pops were calling.
He went solo again releasing the self produced If You Could See Thro’ My Eyes (1971) on Vertigo with a cast that included Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, Keith Tippet (King Crimson), Tim Renwick (Al Stewart), and other British performers. Matthews seemed, for a moment, to have found a comfortable balance of autonomy, support, creativity, and success. The follow-up for Vertigo, was Tigers Will Survive (1972), and then a new project Plainsong, who signed with Elektra[/label and released In Search of Amelia Earhart (1972). ex- Monkee [artist]Michael Nesmith produced the LP Valley Hi (1973), which featured a version of Steve Young’s “Seven Bridges Road” so definitive that you can hear the Eagles recreate it note for note on their 1980 live album.
Matthews took over production again for Some Days You Eat the Bear and Some Days the Bear Eats You (1974), which featured LA session men like guitarists Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, on his way from Steely Dan to the Doobie Brothers, and David Lindley of Jackson Browne’s band. That LP also featured a Tom Waits song called "ol 55" whom the Eagles also must've heard, as it showed up on one their next Elektra/Asylum releases.
Matthews moved to CBS for Go For Broke (1976), and then Hit and Run (1977). Finally in Stealin’ Home (1978) Matthews hit the US top ten with the single "Shake It". Even with chart recognition, his next LP Siamese Friends (1979) stiffed due to poor distribution through a Canadian indie whose founder had died. Spot of Interference in 1980 was followed by Discreet Repeat a best of from the Southern Comfort years.
Matthews had been struggling in the music biz for nearly 15 years by the early 80s and was still living hand to mouth, with nothing to show for his efforts but a string of out-of-print albums, and the loyalty of those musicians and fans who shared his vision. More or less on a whim, Matthews abandoned LA for Seattle, where he met vocalist David Surkamp, late of Pavlov’s Dog. The two formed Hi-Fi, an 80s guitar band that included Bruce Hazen on guitar, Garey Shelton on bass, and Bob Briley on drums. They produced a live mini-album, the Hi-Fi Demonstration Record (1981), as well as a full length studio album, Moods for Mallards (1982), on which they covered Prince’s “When U Were Mine.”
The hi-tech sound of Shook (1984) was followed by a record of mostly Jules Shear songs called Walking a Changing Line (1988). Matthews found day jobs at labels like Island and then Windham Hill while he planned a comeback that included a Fairport Convention reunion, and a live solo album recorded at NY's Bottom Line. Finding a renewed interest in songwriting Matthews put out Walking A Changing Line, Pure and Crooked (1990), Skeleton Keys (1992), and Dark Ride (1994)and God Looked Down (1996) both on Austin’s Watermelon Records. A revitalized version of Plainsong also recorded Dark Side of the Room (1992) Sister Flute (1996) a Live in Austria EP (1998) and New Place Now (1999).
Compilations of older songs also appeared including Orphans and Outcasts (1991), The Notebook Series (1992),The Soul of Many Places (1993), all selecting highlights, outtakes etc from his long career.
Relocating to Amsterdam, Matthews found steadier live work and began playing numerous live shows, both with new and established acts.
Matthews formed a Sandy Denny tribute band No Grey Faith with Jim Fogarty, who played on Tiniest Wham, and singer Lindsay Gilmour. The resulting album, Secrets All Told (2000), includes Denny’s “Rising For the Moon”. Also released in the year of the millennium was Iain AdVenture (2000). The next year Matthews re-tested the Plainsong waters once more in 2001 with a six-song mini-album, A to B, which includes his controversial take on racial issues, “To Be White.” A collaboration with American rocker, (now Paris resident) Elliott Murphy resulted in the commercially successful album La Terre Commune (2001). Other collaborations followed including More Than a Song (2001) with Eliza Gilkyson.
Since 2003 Matthews has worked with Dutch pianist and composer Egbert Derix.
Southern Wind
Iain Matthews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know you find this situation
Funnier than me
There′s a certain way to look
But it's up to you to see.
And if I turn my face away
Would you promise me you′ll hold your tongue
Like I'm holding on to mine?
And like the Southern wind
I blew into your town
Now I've gone and the song
I wrote you down is singing.
Now with your arms reached out so far
You say you really want to try
It′s just the lines I wrote to you
About a couple of years gone by.
So give my love to Augustine
And say he won′t be long
And he took a little ride on account of me
But he wrote me down this song.
And like the Southern wind
He blew into our town
Now he's gone and the song
He wrote us down is singing.
And like the Southern wind
He blew into our town
Now he′s gone and the song
He wrote us down is singing.
With your arms reached out so far
You say you really want to try
It's just the lines I wrote to you
About a couple of years gone by.
So give my love to Augustine
And say he won′t be long
And he took a little ride on account of me
But he wrote me down this song.
And like the Southern wind
He blew into our town
Now he's gone with the song
He wrote us down.
The lyrics to Iain Matthews's song "Southern Wind" tell a story of a complicated relationship, filled with miscommunication and unspoken feelings. The singer addresses someone who seems to find their situation amusing, urging them to see things from a different perspective. The singer contemplates turning away from the situation, not wanting to be unkind, and asks the other person to do the same. It's a plea for understanding and restraint.
The song continues with references to a person called Augustine, who the singer asks the listener to pass their love along to. They mention that Augustine won't be gone for long, but he went on a journey because of the singer. Augustine, in return, wrote the singer down a song. The song's chorus repeats the line "And like the Southern wind, he blew into our town, now he's gone and the song he wrote us down is singing." This suggests that Augustine's presence had a profound impact on their relationship, and despite his absence, his words continue to resonate.
Overall, "Southern Wind" is a poignant song about the complexities of relationships and the power of words to shape our experiences. It explores themes of miscommunication, longing, and the lasting influence of someone even after they've left. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and reflection, urging the listener to consider the impact their words and actions may have on others.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you find this situation
I am aware that you find this situation
Funnier than me
More amusing than I do
There′s a certain way to look
There is a particular perspective
But it's up to you to see
But it is your choice to perceive
And if I turn my face away
And if I avert my gaze
So as not to be unkind
In order not to be impolite
Would you promise me you′ll hold your tongue
Will you assure me that you will remain silent
Like I'm holding on to mine?
Just like I am restraining myself?
And like the Southern wind
Similar to the wind from the south
I blew into your town
I arrived in your town with force
Now I've gone and the song
Now that I have left, the song
I wrote you down is singing.
I composed specifically for you is playing.
Now with your arms reached out so far
Now that you are stretching your arms so far
You say you really want to try
You express a genuine desire to attempt
It′s just the lines I wrote to you
It is only the words I penned for you
About a couple of years gone by.
Regarding a past that has elapsed for a couple of years.
So give my love to Augustine
So please convey my affection to Augustine
And say he won′t be long
And relay the message that he won't be delayed
And he took a little ride on account of me
And he went on a short journey because of me
But he wrote me down this song.
Yet he recorded this song for me.
And like the Southern wind
Similar to the wind from the south
He blew into our town
He arrived in our town with force
Now he's gone and the song
Now that he has departed, the song
He wrote us down is singing.
He composed specifically for us is playing.
And like the Southern wind
Similar to the wind from the south
He blew into our town
He arrived in our town with force
Now he′s gone and the song
Now that he is gone, the song
He wrote us down is singing.
He composed specifically for us is playing.
With your arms reached out so far
With your arms extended so much
You say you really want to try
You express a genuine desire to attempt
It's just the lines I wrote to you
It is only the words I penned for you
About a couple of years gone by.
Regarding a past that has elapsed for a couple of years.
So give my love to Augustine
So please convey my affection to Augustine
And say he won′t be long
And relay the message that he won't be delayed
And he took a little ride on account of me
And he went on a short journey because of me
But he wrote me down this song.
Yet he recorded this song for me.
And like the Southern wind
Similar to the wind from the south
He blew into our town
He arrived in our town with force
Now he's gone with the song
Now that he has departed with the song
He wrote us down.
He composed specifically for us.
Writer(s): Ian Matthews
Contributed by Nathaniel E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.