Armatrading has mixed eclectic musical styles over decades of recording and performing. She has had several British hit singles, the biggest of which were "Love & Affection", "Me Myself I", and "Drop the Pilot". Her music is generally pop, with forays into rock, folk, jazz, and even reggae. Her popularity is primarily as an album artist.
She gained a new audience following her writing and performing "The Flight of the Wild Geese", which was used during the opening and end titles for the 1978 film The Wild Geese.
Armatrading first performed in a concert at Birmingham University for her brother at the age of about 16 (circa 1966). She only knew her own songs, but her brother asked her to perform something that would be familiar to the audience; she chose "The Sound of Silence".[9] She then performed her own songs around the local area with a friend from school, and played bass and rhythm guitar at local clubs.
Less Happy More Often
Joan Armatrading Lyrics
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We share a thought
But most of all we drift apart
Haven't you noticed
We seem less happy more often
And I don't know what to do
Whether to be with you
I can't live without you
So what is to become of us
How do we get it back
I'm as certain as you
That I don't like it
When we embrace
The thrill is gone
But in reality we hardly touch at all
Haven't you noticed
We get more lonely
More often
And I don't know what to do
Whether to be with you
And I'm as sure as sure I'm sure
I can't live without you
So what is to become of us
Where do we go from here
I'm as upset as you
At how our love has gone
When we began
We shared a dream
And all our strength was in our unity
Haven't you noticed we seem less mighty
More helpless
I don't know what to do
I can't put the blame on you
But I can't blame myself
So it's neutral
So what is to become of us
How do we get it back
I'm as desperate as you
To be in love again
So what is to become of us
How do we get it back
I'm as desperate as you
To be in love again
Joan Armatrading's song "Less Happy More Often" is a poignant portrayal of a failing relationship. The singer laments that she and her partner have grown apart: "Once in a while we share a thought, but most of all we drift apart." She speaks of a loss of connection and intimacy, noting that "when we embrace, the thrill is gone, but in reality we hardly touch at all." The singer is torn between her love for her partner and her desire to escape the relationship, questioning whether to be with him or to leave.
The lyrics convey a deep sense of sadness and confusion. The relationship that the singer once referred to as "mighty" and built on a shared dream has become "helpless" as both partners struggle to find a way to reignite their passion. The repeated refrain - "I'm as desperate as you to be in love again" - suggests that the singer still harbors hope for their relationship, but is unsure how to fix it. The song is a powerful reflection on the ups and downs of love and commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
Once in a while
Every so often
We share a thought
We communicate briefly
But most of all we drift apart
But mostly, we become more distant
Haven't you noticed
Have you not realized
We seem less happy more often
We are becoming less joyful more frequently
And I don't know what to do
I'm uncertain about what actions to take
Whether to be with you
Whether to stay together
And I'm as sure as sure
And I'm highly convinced
I can't live without you
I cannot exist without you
So what is to become of us
So what is the future of our relationship
How do we get it back
How can we revive our love
I'm as certain as you
I'm as convinced as you
That I don't like it
That I don't enjoy it
When we embrace
When we hug
The thrill is gone
The excitement has faded
But in reality we hardly touch at all
But truthfully, we barely touch
Haven't you noticed
Have you not realized
We get more lonely
We are becoming more isolated
More often
More frequently
When we began
When we started
We shared a dream
We had a common aspiration
And all our strength was in our unity
And our power was from being together
Haven't you noticed we seem less mighty
Have you not realized we are becoming weaker
More helpless
More vulnerable
I can't put the blame on you
I cannot accuse you of being at fault
But I can't blame myself
But I cannot hold myself responsible
So it's neutral
So it's inconclusive
To be in love again
To experience love once more
So what is to become of us
So what is the future of our relationship
Where do we go from here
What's our next step
I'm as upset as you
I'm as distressed as you
At how our love has gone
At the way our love relationship has turned out
I'm as desperate as you
I'm as anxious as you
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind