John Mayall is often referred to as the "Father of the British blues." His well-known band is still called John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. They started out in the late 1950s in England, using Chicago style blues as a starting basis for their sound, which has evolved from album to album. And while at one point John Mayall was playing a fairly jazzy sound, he has always come back to the blues.
One of the interesting features of the Bluesbreakers is that members have changed on a very regular basis, and many have gone on to well deserved fame and fortune with other bands and as solo acts. Past members include: Eric Clapton, and Jack Bruce, (also of Cream), Peter Green, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Mick Taylor, (who went on to a five -year stint with the Stones.) The studio album recorded with Clapton, entitled John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, was recorded in 1966, and is widely considered to be one of the great classic blues albums on either side of the stormy Atlantic. Cream came round right after.
John Mayall stands out for several reasons - his standing up for the blues, while experimenting with different approaches, his ability to attract the best of musicians; and perhaps most notably his willingness to work with musicians who far outshine him in sheer ability. And he himself sounds very good!
From:Wikipedia
Nature's Disappearing
John Mayall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Raping the land and water and the air
Tomorrow may be too late
Now's the time that you must be aware
Nature's disappearing
Polluted death is coming, do you care
Garbage going nowhere
Lakes and rivers stagnant
Nothing lives or grows like years before
Nature's disappearing
The world you take for granted soon no more
Read about pollution
Make manufacturers uncomfortable
Boycott at the market
Containers that are non-returnable
Aluminum, glass and plastic
Eternal waste that's not destructible
We're a generation
That may live out our natural time
But as for all our children
Born to suffocate in human slime
Nature's disappearing
And we are guilty of this massive crime
In "Nature's Disappearing," John Mayall addresses environmental destruction, specifically the harm caused by human beings towards nature. The song begins with Mayall conveying his contempt for humanity by calling people "filthy creatures" and condemning them for their actions that have degraded the environment. He emphasizes that corrective action to counter nature's destruction is an urgent need, warning that tomorrow might be too late.
Mayall then gives a detailed description of how pollution is ravaging the environment. He highlights the problem of garbage accumulation that's not being disposed of properly, leading to the spread of pollution even to people’s doorstep. Mayall also points out the sad state of stagnant rivers and lakes due to pollution, which has depleted the water sources of life that previously existed alongside them. To drive home the importance of this issue, he requests people not to take the world for granted.
The song's final verse sends a strong message to the listener. Mayall suggests that reading up on the pollution issue and taking action to boycott industries that pollute the environment is one way to make a significant impact. He suggests that there is an urgent need to shift to non-returnable glass, aluminum, and plastic containers that aren't forever waste. Mayall emphasizes that environmental pollution is not something distant that will happen only in the future, but it is here and now, affecting our generation as well as future generations. The song encourages people to take the necessary steps to avert impending environmental disaster.
Line by Line Meaning
Man's a filthy creature
Humans are dirty beings
Raping the land and water and the air
Destroying the environment through reckless actions
Tomorrow may be too late
Future may be in danger
Now's the time that you must be aware
This is the stage to understand the gravity of the situation
Nature's disappearing
The natural environment is vanishing
Polluted death is coming, do you care
The environment is becoming a hazard to life, does it matter to you?
Garbage going nowhere
Waste left unattended
Soon the dumps will spread to your front door
Landfills and waste will soon reach the public
Lakes and rivers stagnant
Bodies of water are still and undisturbed
Nothing lives or grows like years before
Vegetation and animal life of the past no longer thrive
Nature's disappearing
Nature continues to perish
The world you take for granted soon no more
The world we have taken for granted is vanishing quickly
Read about pollution
Educate yourself about harmful elements in the environment
Make manufacturers uncomfortable
Manufacturers should take responsibility for their actions
Boycott at the market
Abstain from purchasing harmful products
Containers that are non-returnable
Packaging and waste should be able to be returned
Aluminum, glass and plastic
Materials that take years to decompose
Eternal waste that's not destructible
Waste that remains unbreakable and long-lasting
We're a generation
A particular era of human life
That may live out our natural time
May live our lives as intended
But as for all our children
Concerning future generations
Born to suffocate in human slime
Destined to suffer from pollution
Nature's disappearing
The natural environment continues to decline
And we are guilty of this massive crime
Humans are responsible for the destruction of the environment
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN MAYALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@claudegervais7103
40 years later and we're still 'watching' IT happen
@BirdBroken
This was the first blues album I bought. I played it over and over and over. It's still wonderful to listen, and he was ahead of his time.
@Marlene55M
Smartest song on the whole album which is full of awesome music. Still have the vinyl.
@Mauro_B._Vieira.
We all deserve to listen this song lyrics contribution that comes from over fifty years ago and still telling so much about our future when nothing is gonna be possible to still living on earth.
Here comes the british blues godfather Mr. John Mayall on some of the tops his carreer realisations.
@SOBpole22
Thanks, saw him twice, the Wake Up Call, tour, and shortly after . I am 59, I never got to see him early on, but have been a fan for a long time. Peace
@tsugacan13
Happy Earth Day! 46 years and the same message is relevant to this day,
@long_strange_trip5959
DAMN, I love John Mayall!!
@walkingliberty
We are wiping ourselves out in the long run by what we do in the here and now to the planet.
@dudeinIndo
World needs more hippies like Mayall. Was there a conspiracy that drove the 60s movement underground ? What are today's youth meant to learn from Bieber and Minaj ?
@F2devo
Not a conspiracy. In the late sixties many of my generation were going down what I call the Whole Earth Catalogue path, ie. natural products, yoga, organics, community, peace etc. Then in 1973 came the decision that oil would be purchased in US Dollars only ie. "Petrodollars". As well with Richard Nixon's economic policies of taking the US off the gold standard and allowing US citizens to own gold. This coupled with Watergate put Western Society on this weird road of disillusionment. The fact that Madison Avenue was the central medium for Corporate America, the advent of disco to placate the masses and the CIA's involvement with drugging US citizens with Cocaine and its cheap cousin Crack brought us to a couple of decades of wanton consumerism and disregard to our resources.