Gillan was born in Hounslow, Middlesex, England. He joined the band Deep Purple in 1969. In 1970, he sang the part of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. After leaving Deep Purple in 1973, he went into brief retirement before forming the Ian Gillan Band. The early band sound had a distinct jazz-rock aspect which proved unpopular and was replaced by a more high powered hard rock sound as Gillan reformed the lineup and shortened the groups name to Gillan. With the release of Mr. Universe Ian Gillan was back in the UK charts and through several more line up changes released a string of hit singles and successful albums including Glory Road, Future Shock, Double Trouble, and finally Magic.
Then he announced the band would fold as he needed to rest his damaged vocal cords. In 1983 he joined Black Sabbath to record the Born Again album before rejoining a reunited Deep Purple shortly after completing the Born Again tour in early 1984. He left Purple again in 1989, but rejoined for good in 1992. He remains in the band today.
Gillan is now working on a project to document his 40-year career, tentatively called Gillan's Inn. Tony Iommi, Jeff Healey, various members of Deep Purple and many others will be featured on this 2006 DVD project.
Unchain Your Brain
Ian Gillan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll show you what you just can't see
If you want good living gotta grab it with your hands
If you don't, then don't bother making no plans
Free being what you want to be
Seeing what you want to see
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
You won't get nothing if you got no wheels
If you got no wheels you'll never know how it feels
There's no reason for the things you said
Don't get moving you'll pretty soon be dead, dead and forgotten
Free living the life of a king
You can't have everything
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Everybody fighting for a living in the street
One step back and you're out of the heat
There's just one thing when you set yourself free
You have a good time boy but watch out for me
Free being what you want to be
Seeing what you want to see
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
Unchain your brain
The lyrics of Ian Gillan's song "Unchain Your Brain" seemingly urges the listener to take control of their lives and to break free from any self-imposed limitations. The first verse emphasizes the importance of taking charge of one's life and living it to the fullest, stating that one must not wait for things to happen but rather actively pursue opportunities. The chorus, "Unchain your brain," serves as a call to action, encouraging listeners to shed any mental blockages and allow themselves to freely pursue their desires.
The second verse also emphasizes the importance of action, stating that one must have the means to move forward in life, or else they will remain stagnant. The lyrics suggest that the things one says do not hold as much importance as the actions one takes, as actions are what will define one's existence. Additionally, the line, "You can't have everything," suggests that one must prioritize and make choices in order to live a fulfilling life.
Overall, the message of the song is one of empowerment and encourages the listener to take control of their lives and pursue their desires without letting any fears or limitations hold them back.
Line by Line Meaning
You tell me what you're never gonna be
State your limitations and I’ll demonstrate that you haven’t explored your full potential
And I'll show you what you just can't see
I’ll provide you with a different perspective that’ll allow you to see what’s holding you back
If you want good living gotta grab it with your hands
You need to take charge of your life and actively pursue the things that bring happiness and fulfillment
If you don't, then don't bother making no plans
There’s no use in dreaming if you’re not willing to put forth the effort to achieve your desires
Free being what you want to be
True freedom lies in being true to oneself and pursuing what sets one’s soul on fire
Seeing what you want to see
Perception shapes reality, so it’s important to choose carefully what you allow yourself to see
Unchain your brain
Break free from the mental limitations that are holding you back
Unchain your brain
Don’t let fear or self-doubt hold you captive
Unchain your brain
Take control of your thoughts and make them work for you
Unchain your brain
Don’t let external factors dictate your thinking and actions
You won't get nothing if you got no wheels
Without the ability to move forward, progress will be impossible
If you got no wheels you'll never know how it feels
Lack of action leads to missed opportunities and limits one’s perspective
There's no reason for the things you said
Excuses won’t get you anywhere, so focus on productive actions
Don't get moving you'll pretty soon be dead, dead and forgotten
Inaction leads to stagnation and a forgettable existence
Free living the life of a king
True freedom is living a life that’s true to oneself, regardless of societal expectations
You can't have everything
Perfection doesn’t exist, so focus on what truly matters to you
Everybody fighting for a living in the street
Life is a constant battle, and one must fight to survive
One step back and you're out of the heat
One wrong move can lead to failure and a loss of momentum
There's just one thing when you set yourself free
True freedom is achieved by breaking free from mental and societal constraints
You have a good time boy but watch out for me
Enjoy your newfound freedom, but don’t let it come at the cost of others
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERNIE TORME, IAN GILLAN, JOHN MATTHEW MC-COY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@boogiewoogie9770
This line up was one of the best raw hard rock bands of all time. I'm not sure if Ian Gillan realised this but he had a lot less success with Gillan after he changed personal. Losing B Torme was a big loss.
@rodolfolaterza
Several songs of Gillan's solo carreer are as a proto-speed metal. Incredible!
@metalmaniac7772
it's not "proto" it's just speed metal
@hardballget
What a great distinct sound these guys had, Glroy Road one of my fav all-time albums, rock n roll rules.
@tiwariraj
What a lovely performance....Bernie R.I.P.
@robertburdoff1789
RIP? f***, I didn't know.... real pity about Gillan folding the band - best offshoot from Purple imho...
@bofinnpoulsen249
This is just GREAT - BIG BIG time great. Please do it again Ian.
@petertoomey5857
All credit to Colin town's...un sung genius wrote sooo much of the material
@user-mj8sm3kx9z
Классные мальчишки собрались, все такие живчики, на позитиве! Best! Маккой отдельная песня, очень колоритный дядька)👍🥰
@user-mj8sm3kx9z
@@user-pe5pc9vs7q По-моему, вершина Гиллана - это DP и только DP