Waite was born in Lancaster, and was educated at Lancaster Art College (The Storey Institute).
Waite first came to attention as the lead singer and bassist of The Babys, a British rock band which had moderate chart success, including two pop hits that both coincidentally peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Isn't It Time" (1977) and "Everytime I Think of You" (1979), and a solid following of their concert tours. Over the course of five years, the band produced five albums ending with the final album On the Edge in October 1980, after which the group disbanded.
Waite subsequently launched his solo career with his 1982 debut album Ignition, which produced the hit single "Change". The Chrysalis 45 failed to chart on Billboard's Hot 100 during its initial release (June 1982) but was a top track on AOR radio stations, as well as a very popular music video on MTV as the 'new' cable channel celebrated its first full year of operation. The song was originally recorded in 1981 by another band, and in 1985 was included on the platinum selling Vision Quest soundtrack. When the single was reissued, it reached the Top 50 on the Hot 100. "Going to the Top" was released as the original follow-up single to "Change".
His next album, No Brakes, resulted in international attention. It was a Top 10 Billboard album in the US due to the smash hit "Missing You" which went to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[4] It knocked Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It?" out of No. 1. For that very reason, Turner later recorded and released Waite's smash song herself. (Turner's single peaked at No. 84 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1996.) "Missing You" also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks as well as the Top 10 of Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. No Brakes sold over a million and a half US copies yet has never been certified above the RIAA Gold standard (a record company must apply to the RIAA for such certification). Two more singles from No Brakes followed, including "Tears" which was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts.
The next album Mask of Smiles followed in 1985 featuring the hit single "Every Step of the Way". Another single, "If Anybody Had a Heart", was released from the soundtrack of the 1986 film About Last Night.... In 1987, Rover's Return was released with the single "These Times Are Hard For Lovers". Waite would have another soundtrack appearance in 1990 from Days of Thunder with "Deal for Life"
In 1988, Waite joined former Babys bandmates Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips, along with Neal Schon from Journey and drummer Deen Castronovo, to form the supergroup Bad English. In 1989, the Bad English ballad "When I See You Smile" (penned by Diane Warren) went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and earned a Gold-certified single. Its parent album reached Billboard's Top Five and sold nearly two million copies in the United States alone. Bad English released two albums before tensions amongst the members led to the band's dissolution by 1992.
Waite returned to solo work. He released the album Rough And Tumble. He has continued to tour, such as in 2003 with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
In 2006, "Missing You" was released as a duet with Alison Krauss and reached the Top 40 on the Country Charts in the United States. Waite appeared with Krauss on The Tonight Show on 5 February 2007 to perform the song. Waite's songs have reappeared in other media as well: 2013 saw "Missing You" featured heavily in the movie Warm Bodies, and "Change" is on the soundtrack of the US movie Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
In 2008 he recorded a guest vocal on the track "In God's Shadow" from the Keith Reid Project's The Common Thread.
Waite appears as himself and performs two songs in the 2010 feature film, New Day, from L'Oiseau Blanc Films.
In 2011 the title track from his tenth solo album Rough and Tumble went number one on Classic Rock radio.
A longtime resident of New York City, Waite now lives in Santa Monica, California. John Waite is divorced.
Euroshima
John Waite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flags and banners
Armageddon on the late night show
And like my father before
We've got love on the barricades
Sweethearts who miss
Battle hymns and hit parades
Armageddon cascades
Jack of spades
Outside my window
Is darkness and rain
And I'm only dreaming
Til the sun shines again
Got nothing but a uniform
General issue and rules that I will warn
On my name tags are sewn
Serial number stamped across my name
My fate is decided by kangaroo court
It's insane
Tin soldiers marching in flame
What's my name
Jack of spades
Outside my window
Is darkness and rain
And I'm only dreaming
Until the sun shines again
There's no phoenix rising
And the future's stillborn
Dark shadows are dancing
My coat of colors is torn
In Euro
Yeah, oh.
Supernova on the Baltic Sea
Push button logic dehumanizing me
And it gets a lot like TV
We've got children starving in the streets
Genocide's the fashion
And no man withstands its heat
Kings and pawns all compete
First gets the oil and the gold
Outside my window
Clouds fill my sky
And I'm only dreaming
That there's still time to turn the tide
There's no phoenix rising
And the future's stillborn
Dark shadows are dancing
My coat of colors is torn
In Euroshima
Oh no
Euro
Euroshima
Oh no
Euro
The lyrics of "Euroshima" by John Waite present a bleak picture of the future, one marked by war, destruction, and dehumanization. The song starts with a storm warning on the radio, signaling that something big and ominous is about to happen. The flags and banners suggest the mobilization of armies and the beginning of hostilities. Armageddon is also referenced, and a sense of impending doom permeates the late-night show. The singer's father's memory is invoked, perhaps to underscore his own heritage and legacy, or to suggest that this is not the first time humanity has faced such dire circumstances. The sweethearts on the barricades suggest a romanticized image of fighting for a cause, even though it's unclear what that cause might be. The battle hymns and hit parades evoke an earlier, more innocent time, and the contrast with the current situation is stark. Armageddon cascades, reinforcing the idea that events are quickly spiraling out of control. The singer then asks what his name is, and answers "Jack of spades," a card that has been associated with fighting and war, as well as deception and betrayal.
The second stanza introduces the idea that the singer is a soldier, a member of an army that is part of the dehumanizing machine that perpetuates war. His uniform is "general issue," meaning that he is just one among many, deprived of individuality and freedom. The rules he will warn suggest that he is responsible for enforcing the laws that govern the military, which may or may not align with his own moral compass. His name tags have a serial number stamped across his name, which highlights the fact that he is reduced to a number, not a person. His fate is decided by a kangaroo court, which is a corrupt or biased tribunal that does not follow due process or fair play. The idea that one's fate is not in one's own hands and is subject to external forces is reinforced by the reference to tin soldiers marching in flame, which suggests a lack of agency and autonomy. The final verse introduces the idea that the world has become desensitized to violence and suffering, treating them as if they were mere entertainment on TV. The shocking reality of children starving in the streets and genocide being fashionable suggests that humanity has lost its way and is capable of unspeakable atrocities. The reference to kings and pawns competing for oil and gold highlights the economic and political motivations behind many wars. The clouds filling the singer's sky suggest that his hope for a better future is bleak, but he is still dreaming that there is time to turn the tide.
Line by Line Meaning
Storm warning on the radio
The warning of impending destruction is on the radio.
Flags and banners
The symbols of war are evident.
Armageddon on the late night show
Broadcast media covering horror stories culminating in an end.
And like my father before
The artist, like his father, served in a war.
We've got love on the barricades
The participants in the war also have love for each other.
Sweethearts who miss
Those in love, yearn for an end to this war.
Battle hymns and hit parades
War is like an endless music festival.
Armageddon cascades
The end seems to be fast approaching.
What's my name
The identity of the artist is unknown.
Jack of spades
The war has made the artist anonymous.
Outside my window
The reality of destruction is visible.
Is darkness and rain
The external environment illustrates the terror of war.
And I'm only dreaming
The singer can't believe that war is a reality.
Til the sun shines again
The singer can't wait for the war to end.
Got nothing but a uniform
The singer is nothing but a soldier now.
General issue and rules that I will warn
The artist is bound by the military rules and regulations.
On my name tags are sewn
The identity of the artist has been replaced by a serial number.
Serial number stamped across my name
The singer is no longer known by his name, but only by a serial number.
My fate is decided by kangaroo court
The fate of the singer is determined by an unfair trial.
It's insane
The artist thinks the situation is crazy.
Tin soldiers marching in flame
The soldiers are dying in droves.
Outside my window
The artist can see the destruction all around him.
Clouds fill my sky
The environment is bleak and depressing.
Until the sun shines again
The artist is waiting for things to get better.
There's no phoenix rising
There is no way that things will be better in the future.
And the future's stillborn
The future is dead before it even arrives.
Dark shadows are dancing
The darkness of this war reigns supreme.
My coat of colors is torn
The artist's optimism and hope is now replaced with fear and despair.
In Euro
Refers to the European continent.
Supernova on the Baltic Sea
There is a potential explosion and destruction on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
Push button logic dehumanizing me
The singer feels that the use of technology in war dehumanizes him.
And it gets a lot like TV
The graphic media coverage of war is similar to a television show.
We've got children starving in the streets
In the midst of all the destruction, innocent children are suffering.
Genocide's the fashion
The act of killing a particular ethnic group is a popular trend.
And no man withstands its heat
No one can resist the effects of war.
Kings and pawns all compete
The rich and powerful rulers and the soldiers are all participating in the war.
First gets the oil and the gold
The war is also about gaining control over resources like oil and gold.
In Euroshima
A warning of the potential destruction of Europe akin to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Oh no
The situation is grim.
Euro
Refers to the European continent.
Euroshima
A warning of the potential destruction of Europe akin to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Oh no
The situation is grim.
Euro
Refers to the European continent.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY MYRICK, JOHN CHARLES WAITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind