After his period with King Crimson, Wetton formed UK, and later he was the frontman and principal songwriter of the supergroup Asia, which proved to be his biggest commercial success. Their self-titled debut album sold eight million copies worldwide and was Billboard magazine's No. 1 album of 1982. He later formed the duo Icon with Geoff Downes (ex-Yes, ex-Buggles), and since the 1990s had a successful solo career releasing a large number of studio and live albums.
He had a long career as an in-demand session bass player, and collaborated with many members of progressive rock bands such as Yes (including Steve Howe, Bill Bruford, Geoff Downes, Alan White, Billy Sherwood and Peter Banks), Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry, and Genesis (Steve Hackett).
Wetton grew up in Bournemouth and was in a number of early bands with Richard Palmer-James, on bass and vocals, including, The Corvettes, The Palmer-James Group (formed with Alec James), Tetrad, and Ginger Man.[2] A key early band was Mogul Thrash; after live work with Renaissance, he joined Family and also did various sessions.
Wetton's first big break came when he joined Wimborne, Dorset, musician Robert Fripp in his new line-up of King Crimson in 1972, allowing Wetton to come to the fore as a lead singer and composer. Palmer-James also worked with the band as a lyricist. Wetton remained with the band until Fripp unexpectedly disbanded it in 1974. Wetton continued to work on various projects, including a tour with Roxy Music and two albums with Uriah Heep. In 1977, after failed attempts to reunite King Crimson and create a new band with Rick Wakeman, Wetton and Bruford formed U.K.. Wetton brought into UK keyboard/violin wizard Eddie Jobson, while Bruford brought in guitarist Allan Holdsworth. Upon Bruford and Holdsworth's departure, American percussionist Terry Bozzio joined, making U.K. a threesome a la Emerson, Lake and Palmer. This version of U.K. released the studio album Danger Money and toured in support of Jethro Tull.
Wetton released his first solo album, Caught in the Crossfire, in 1980 after the break-up of U.K. Later that same year, he had a brief stint in Wishbone Ash, contributing bass and vocals to Number The Brave. In 1981, at the urging of Geffen Records' John Kalodner, Wetton started working and writing with Steve Howe, who had most recently been in Yes. They went on to form Asia. with whom Wetton worked until 1983. In that year, Wetton was fired from Asia at the insistence of Geffen Records, ostensibly because of less-than-expected sales of the Alpha album. Wetton was brought back to Asia in 1985, with Mandy Meyer replacing Steve Howe, to complete Astra.
In the late 1980s, Wetton's collaboration with former Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera was released as Wetton/Manzanera, with drums provided by Yes's Alan White. Also around this time, Wetton began working again with Geoff Downes and Carl Palmer in an attempt to restart Asia without Steve Howe. Some of the material by this incarnation of Asia made its way onto 1990's Then & Now CD.
The 1990s saw Wetton mostly out of Asia and focusing on a solo career. In 1999, another attempt to reform Asia resulted in Wetton participating in the short-lived progressive rock group Qango with Carl Palmer, John Young, and Dave Kilminster. The group performed several shows in the U.K. and recorded one live album, Live in the Hood, before disbanding when Wetton and Palmer returned to their solo projects.
In the early 2000s, he reunited with Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes for iCon. In 2006, an official reunion of the original Asia line-up (Wetton, Downes, Howe, and Palmer) finally occurred. The studio album titled Phoenix, the original band's first since 1983's Alpha, was released in April 2008 and peaked at No. 73 on the North American Top 200 albums charts. The original line-up released two more studio albums, Omega and XXX before Howe departed in January 2013. With new guitarist Sam Coulson, Asia released Gravitas in March 2014.
In 2013 he guested on the album Grandine il vento with Renaissance, with whom he had played live 42 years before.
Wetton also did extensive work as a session musician with acts such as Brian Eno, Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera.
Wetton died on 31 January 2017, from colon cancer.
Band timeline
Mogul Thrash (1971)
Gordon Haskell (1972)
Family (1971-1972)
Larry Norman (1972)
King Crimson (1972-1974)
Uriah Heep (1975-1976)
U.K. (1977-1980, 2011-2015)
Jack-Knife (1979)
Wishbone Ash (1980)
John Wetton (1980–2017)
Asia (1981–1983, 1984–1986, 1989–1991, 2006-2017)
Qango (1999-2000)
Icon (Wetton/Downes) (2002, 2005-2009)
All You Need Is Love
John Wetton Lyrics
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Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy
Nothing you can make that can't be made
No one you can save that can't be saved
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
Nothing you can know that isn't known
Nothing you can see that isn't shown
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
It's easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love (All together, now!)
All you need is love (Everybody!)
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Yee-hai!
Oh yeah!
She loves you, yeah yeah yeah
She loves you, yeah yeah yeah
The John Wetton song "All You Need Is Love" is a tribute to The Beatles and their famous song of the same name. Wetton's version is a bit more rock driven and modern than the original, but the meaning behind the lyrics remains the same. The chorus is simple: "All you need is love." The verses expand on this message.
In the first verse, Wetton sings "There's nothing you can do that can't be done. Nothing you can sing that can't be sung. Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game. It's easy." In essence, he is saying that everything is possible, there's no challenge too great, as long as you approach it with love. Even starting with small steps, such as learning how to 'play the game,' can ultimately lead to success if you approach it with love.
In the second verse, Wetton sings, "Nothing you can make that can't be made. No one you can save that can't be saved. Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time. It's easy." The message is similar to the first verse in that anything is possible with love. He stresses that being yourself is important, and that it is 'easy' once you approach it with the right mindset.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, love, love
Love is the central message of this song, with the repetition emphasizing its importance.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Everything is achievable, and there is always a way forward even if it may not be immediately evident.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
No matter what you want to say, there are always words or music that can express those feelings.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
Life is a game, but there are no set rules; everyone has the potential to learn and develop the skills to navigate their way through it.
It's easy
With love as your guiding principle, everything becomes easier to manage and achieve.
Nothing you can make that can't be made
Anything you can conceive of can be realized with hard work and dedication.
No one you can save that can't be saved
Everyone has the potential for redemption and growth, and there is always hope for those who seem lost or broken.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
It takes time to uncover your true self and your unique place in this world, but with self-reflection and growth, you can become the best version of yourself.
All you need is love
Love is the key to unlocking a fulfilling and happy life.
Love is all you need
With love, everything else falls into place and becomes possible.
Nothing you can know that isn't known
Everything you could ever know is already out there, waiting for you to learn it.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown
There are no secrets or hidden knowledge - everything is within reach if you open your eyes to see it.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
You are always in the right place at the right time, and everything that happens is leading you towards your destiny.
All together, now!
Through love, we can all come together in harmony and unity to achieve our shared goals.
Everybody!
This is a message that applies to everyone, regardless of their background, beliefs, or experiences - we all need love to thrive.
She loves you, yeah yeah yeah
This final line is a reference to the classic Beatles song 'She Loves You,' which emphasizes the power of love to bring people together and overcome obstacles.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, JOHN WINSTON LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind