The Earth Band was, from a pop perspective, almost deliberately contrary, but combined the stylistic approach of progressive rock with Mann's keen ear for melody. Mann's interest in English 20th century classical music saw him re-create Gustav Holst's Planets Suite, garnering an unlikely UK hit with a version of the "Jupiter" movement that had lyrics added and entitled "Joybringer". Their 1973 album The Good Earth tapped into ecological concerns, a recurring theme in Mann's music in later years, and had a free gift of a piece of land in Wales with each album sold.
The membership of the Earth Band was relatively informal; Mick Rogers originally performed lead guitar and lead vocal duties before being replaced by Chris Thompson on vocals and Dave Flett on guitar. Drumming duties were fulfilled by Chris Slade, who was later to be a member of AC/DC and Asia in a long and varied career which perhaps can be summed up by his being released by AC/DC despite being, according to the rest of the band, the best musician in the band. Similarly, the technically skilled bass player Colin Pattenden, after leaving the Earth Band, became a sound consultant, running his own company designing and installing sound systems. There was much about the Earth Band that was potentially successful, but the contrariness of the band's approach and Mann's perfectionism meant that albums frequently came out with different track listings in different territories, or in alternative versions.
The breakthrough for the band in the US came when they had a No. 1 pop charts hit in early 1977 with Bruce Springsteen's "Blinded by the Light". While the Springsteen original from 1973's Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. album has a folky, acoustic sound, the Manfred Mann's Earth Band version is driving rock, combining Mann's Moog synthesizer and organ work with Flett's guitar. Manfred can be heard singing at the end of "Blinded By The Light", in the round, with Thompson - it was this feature of the song that initially attracted him. The band took advantage of the publicity and re-released another Springsteen song, "Spirit in the Night", which had been recorded the previous year on Nightingales and Bombers, originally with Rogers on vocals although for some territories it was re-recorded with a vocal from Thompson.
Nightingales and Bombers, The Roaring Silence, and Watch are considered the highlight of the Earth Band's achievement. Watch produced another hit single in "Davy's On The Road Again", and the albums were innovative and original despite the dependence on covers of other artists' songs. Nightingales and Bombers took its title from a World War II naturalist's recording of a nightingale singing in a garden as warplanes flew overhead; the recording appears in a track on the album. Roaring Silence featured a guest appearance by jazz saxophonist Barbara Thompson, and Watch included two stand-out recordings from the bands live performances of "Davy's On The Road Again" and "Mighty Quinn".
Flett left before 1979's Angel Station to be replaced by Steve Waller, sharing the vocal duties with Thompson who was also intent on pursuing a solo career. 1980's Chance showed a move towards a more electronic approach, and produced several cuts that were hits in the UK and/or saw significant airplay in both the US and UK. The songs "Lies (All Through The 80's)", "Stranded", and "For You" (another Springsteen song) still receive significant airplay over 25 years since their release.
Mann became very active in the international anti-apartheid movement, and was banned from entering South Africa, the country in which he had been born. Instead members of the band made journeys to South Africa to record African musicians for the album Somewhere in Afrika, pre-figuring Paul Simon's Graceland. The album included a cover of The Police's "Demolition Man" and a well-received version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song", which remains in the band's set today. American versions of the album also included Ian Thomas's "The Runner", whose music video had images of the Munich and Montreal Olympic Games, and which enjoyed much airtime in the lead-up to the Los Angeles Olympics.
Manfred Mann's Earth Band has continued recording to the present day, covering tracks by artists as varied as Paul Weller, Robert Cray, Del Amitri, and The Lovin' Spoonful. Mann has also released a solo project, Plains Music, based on Native American music, and his latest album, 2006, includes collaborations with the German rapper Thomas D and tracks featuring the music of, amongst others, the Super Furry Animals. The Earth Band remain active in live performances in Europe, with a line up that includes both Manfred Mann and Mick Rogers.
Most of the band's albums have been re-released in recent years and a 4-CD set featuring many previously unissued versions of tracks was released in August 2005. This includes material from the unreleased (and thought to be lost) Manfred Mann ChapterIII Volume 3 album and the first Earth Band album, Stepping Sideways. The fourth CD in the package includes both unreleased studio material and live performances.
Angels at My Gate
Manfred Mann's Earth Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a finger on the dial,
The lucky wheel goes round,
Little joker knows he can't escape.
The same time every year,
The fun fair's back in town,
Numbers in the air like ticker tape.
58, 56, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
Throw a seven down,
Place another bet,
The joker laughs as the stakes get higher.
The gambler and the clown,
Without a safety net,
Balancing unsteady on a wire.
58, 56, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
There's a finger on the dial,
The lucky wheel goes round,
Little joker knows he can't escape.
The same time every year,
The fun fair's back in town,
Numbers in the air like ticker tape.
58, 56, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54, [fading]
"Angels at My Gate" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band is a song that delves into the themes of gambling and luck. The lyrics describe the atmosphere of a carnival or funfair and the various games of chance that are present there. The repetitive use of numbers in the lyrics reflects the idea of gambling, as players often choose numbers to bet on. The constant repetition of the phrase "good angels at my gate" also reflects the idea of luck, with good luck being personified as angels.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of risk-taking and living life on the edge, as seen in the lines "The gambler and the clown, without a safety net, balancing unsteady on a wire." The song seems to suggest that life can be like a game of chance, with players taking risks and hoping for good luck.
Overall, "Angels at My Gate" is an introspective song that encourages the listener to reflect on the role of luck and chance in their own life, and the idea of living on the edge and taking risks.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a finger on the dial,
Someone is controlling the game of luck.
The lucky wheel goes round,
People are betting on luck and chance.
Little joker knows he can't escape.
Even someone who is usually a wild card can't escape the influence of fate.
The same time every year,
This happens regularly and predictably.
The fun fair's back in town,
The carnival of chance and risk has returned.
Numbers in the air like ticker tape.
The outcomes are uncertain, like numbers flickering on a stock market ticker tape.
58, 56, 54,
Specific numbers with uncertain associations.
Good angels at my door.
The artist is being helped and protected by supernatural forces.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
A longer list of specific numbers that may or may not be significant.
Throw a seven down,
Make a bet on the roll of the dice.
Place another bet,
Keep betting despite risk and uncertainty.
The joker laughs as the stakes get higher.
Someone who is usually unpredictable seems to enjoy this game of chance and risk.
The gambler and the clown,
Two archetypal figures who both take risks for different reasons.
Without a safety net,
There is no guarantee of safety or protection.
Balancing unsteady on a wire.
Trying to stay upright and stable while taking a high-risk action.
There's a finger on the dial,
Repeating the same sense of control and fate from earlier in the song.
The lucky wheel goes round,
Repeating the same sense of chance and risk from earlier in the song.
Little joker knows he can't escape.
Repeating the same sense of inevitability from earlier in the song.
59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54,
Adding a new list of numbers to the mix.
Good angels at my door.
Repeating the hope of supernatural protection from earlier in the song.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Repeating the longer list of numbers from earlier in the song.
59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54, [fading]
Fading out with the repetition of the numbers and hope of supernatural assistance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Hirth Martinez, Jimmy O'neill, Manfred Mann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-zr3hz6ei4n
Комета 212 СТЕРЕО Катушка 375 м Пленка Тасма Тип 10
Скорость записи 19 см/сек..
Как распечатывали пленку из целофана.
До сих пор помню тот характерный запах нулевой пленки.
Супер ЗАПИСИ тех времен!!!
Тогда жили в Туре
Первая запись от одноклассника Бобкова. У него тоже была Комета 212.
Помню услышал в первый раз в стереонаушниках...
Потрясно! Офигеть!!!
Аж, мурашки по коже...
@petergala2147
1979
Interesting year for me.
Matters of life getting clear ....some of them....
and confused.....some of them.
I'm unable to figure out what was what...or be shure to take the best and right for me from that year.
I was 15 at the time and just started developing musical taste.
This band and this particular song(not main stream at all) came across.
And here we go ........i can hear it again 40 years later.
Hmmmmm.....
I always loved the cover art of this album and though it would be a great piece hinging on one of the walls in my home.
P.S.
1979 I was first year in high school in Poland....
I'm posting this "personal impression" in Chicago now.
U
I salute to everybody who has any kind of reference to this song.
@user-tc4vd8ho3l
Here are lyrics:
There's a finger on the dial,
The lucky wheel goes round,
Little joker knows he can't escape.
The same time every year,
The fun fair's back in town,
Numbers in the air like ticker tape.
58, 56, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
Throw a seven down,
Place another bet,
The joker laughs as the stakes get higher.
The gambler and the clown,
Without a safety net,
Balancing unsteady on a wire.
58, 56, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
There's a finger on the dial,
The lucky wheel goes round,
Little joker knows he can't escape.
The same time every year,
The fun fair's back in town,
Numbers in the air like ticker tape.
58, 56, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54,
Good angels at my door.
63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
Good angels at my gate.
59, 58, 57, 56, 55, 54
@user-tc3ny1xi1n
Как это было давно . Ребя у меня слезы на глазах . Мне 60 , а вспоминания самые теплые . Эх , юность ,ты где .
@mattdonna9677
I'm 66 and still have the vinyl record and my stereo system from the 1980s 😊
@user-yt5nv9kn4n
@@mattdonna9677 учите русский, вам скоро пригодится.
@ais-dx3ry5tg1y
Мне 65! Моя любовь, Манфред Менн...
@nizamithirteen
I’m 50…😂
@AlekseyNas
первый раз Манфредов я услышал в 1978 году и слушаю до настоящего времени.
@joyporcella81
Hello russian dudes. I love this song and im from austin texas and i am in good company cause this song fucking rulez. Gen x forever
@user-pi9jx3xb9v
Потому что мы такие-же как и вы !!!,миру-мир😊
@user-rt4rs5rx2c
В 15 лет я услышал это в первый раз, двоюродный брат принес пару катушек. Там были Manfred Mann's Earth Band - "Angels at my Gate". И еще The Hollies с песенкой " Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" и Dire Straits "Communiqué " Это был просто отвал башки. С тех пор началось мое увлечение музыкой. 1979 год был лучшим временем в моей жизни.
@sterntaler64
1979 was best year of my life, too 😊 I'm happy we had this 🙏