Career.
Brown's family moved to London when he was two and ran the Sulta… Read Full Bio ↴Career.
Brown's family moved to London when he was two and ran the Sultan public house in Grange Road, Plaistow. In 1956, Brown formed The Spacemen skiffle group, which lasted until the US led rock and roll invasion brought skiffle to a halt. In 1958 Brown was spotted by television producer Jack Good who hired him as lead guitarist in the orchestra of his new TV series, Boy Meets Girls.[2]

Brown signed a management agreement with impressario Larry Parnes and signed to Decca Records. Brown charted with "The Darktown Strutters Ball" in 1960 and had UK Top 10 hits on the Piccadilly label in 1962-63 with "A Picture Of You", "It Only Took A Minute" and "That's What Love Will Do". In April 1961, Piccadilly Records released Brown's "Crazy Mixed Up Kid" as its first single.[3] Brown's recording band was a collection of session musicians, and was named The Bruvvers by Good, to give Brown the identity of having his own backing band for record releases. It was in 1962 when he needed a band to tour with him that 'Joe Brown and the Bruvvers' was cemented, containing two members of the Spacemen, brothers Tony and Pete Oakman.

Brown was voted 'Top UK Vocal Personality' in the 1962 NME magazine poll.[1] In December 1963, What a Crazy World starring Brown and Marty Wilde, had its world premiere in London.[4] Brown appeared in films, pantomime and stage musicals, notably Charlie Girl in the West End. He presented the children's television series, Joe & Co, on BBC Television, and a daytime quiz show on ITV called Square One, and three series of The Joe Brown Show for ITV.

In 1972, he formed another band, Brown's Home Brew, which played rock and roll, country and gospel music and featured his wife, Vicki Brown, who died of cancer in 1991. Their daughter, Sam Brown, is also a singer and son Pete Brown[5] is a record producer, who produced all but one of Brown's nine most recent albums.

Brown plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, mandolin, fiddle and banjo.

George Harrison was best man at Brown's second marriage in 2000. Following Harrison's death from lung cancer on 29 November 2001, Brown appeared with his group at the Concert for George singing "Here Comes the Sun", "That's The Way It Goes" and "I'll See You in My Dreams", accompanying himself on the ukulele, for the latter. Brown had appeared on a track on Harrison's last album, Brainwashed, and on two songs on an earlier album, Gone Troppo.

Brown performs and makes occasional TV appearances. He is working on a musical, Don't You Rock Me Daddio, with songwriter Roger Cook. In December 2006, he was one of three guest hosts of Sounds of the 60s on BBC Radio 2 during the absence of host Brian Matthew, following on from Brown presenting two series on rock and roll for the same station.

In 2008 Brown's 50th anniversary celebrations included a UK gold album for sales over 100,000 Joe Brown - The Very Best Of, performed a 37 date spring tour, a concert at the Royal Albert Hall with Mark Knopfler, Jools Holland, Dennis Locorriere, Dave Edmunds, Sam Brown and Chas & Dave and a 36 date autumn/winter tour.

His latest album, More Of The Truth, was released in the UK on 13 October 2008, and early in 2009 the US musical instrument manufacturer, Kala, launched a series of 'Joe Brown' ukuleles. At the Mojo magazine's awards in London on 11 June 2009, Brown was presented with the lifetime award for outstanding contribution to music after 51 years' recording .

Brown was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.[6]

Joe Brown was asked by Rick Parfitt of Status Quo to support them for 10 nights of their UK Tour in late 2010. He agreed to do the support and will embark on his own UK Tour in 2011.

Don't
Joe Brown & The Bruvvers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't need your rockin' chair
Your Geritol or your Medicare
Well, I still got neon in my veins
This grey hair don't mean a thing
I do my rockin' on the stage
You can't put this possum in a cage
My body's old but it ain't impaired
I don't need your rockin' chair

I ain't ready for the junkyard yet
'Cause I still feel like a new Corvette
It might take a little longer but I'll get there
Well, I don't need your rockin' chair

I don't need your rockin' chair
Your Geritol or your Medicare
I've still got neon in my veins
This grey hair don't mean a thing
I do my rockin' on the stage
You can't put this possum in a cage
My body's old but it ain't impaired
Well, I don't need this rockin' chair

I don't need your rockin' chair (he don't need your rockin' chair)
Your Geritol or your Medicare (Geritol or your Medicare)
I've still got neon in my veins (still got neon in my veins)
This grey hair don't mean a thing (his grey hair don't mean a thing)
I do my rockin' on the stage (does his rockin' on the stage)
You can't put this possum in a cage (can't put this possum in a cage)
Yeah, my body's old but it ain't impaired (well, you know he ain't impaired)
Well, I don't need your rockin' chair (and he don't need no rockin' chair)
My body's old but it ain't impaired (yeah, we all know you ain't impaired)

I don't need your rockin' chair
Uh huh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joe Brown & The Bruvvers's song "Don't" express a sentiment of defiance and vitality in the face of aging. The singer rejects the idea of being confined to a rocking chair and associated with old age symbols like Geritol and Medicare. They still feel the fire of youth, with neon in their veins, and refuse to let their gray hair define them. They find their joy and purpose on the stage, where they can rock and perform without any restrictions. The repetition of the line "I don't need your rockin' chair" emphasizes the singer's determination to live life on their own terms, regardless of societal expectations or stereotypes attached to aging.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't need your rockin' chair
I don't require your support or comfort

Your Geritol or your Medicare
I don't need your elderly medication or government health insurance

Well, I still got neon in my veins
I still have vibrant energy and enthusiasm

This grey hair don't mean a thing
My old age doesn't define me or limit me

I do my rockin' on the stage
I express myself and find joy through performing

You can't put this possum in a cage
You can't constrain or control me

My body's old but it ain't impaired
Although I may be aging, my physical abilities are not diminished

I ain't ready for the junkyard yet
I am not yet ready to be discarded or considered useless

'Cause I still feel like a new Corvette
Because I still feel youthful and full of life

It might take a little longer but I'll get there
Even if it takes more time, I will achieve my goals

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Foreign Imported Productions & Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Frank Dycus, Billy Wayne Yates, Kerry Kurt Phillips

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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