The group comprised Hank Marvin (born October 28, 1941), on vocals and lead guitar, Bruce Welch (born 2nd November 1941) on vocals and rhythm guitar, and John Farrar (born 8th November 1946) on vocals and guitar (both lead and rhythm).
Almost all the tracks recorded by the group were written by its members, with occasional contributions from co-writers.
The group recorded two albums, Marvin Welch & Farrar, and Second Opinion, before Bruce Welch left, leaving Hank Marvin and John Farrar to record a third album Marvin & Farrar on their own. The group did not enjoy conspicuous chart success and were further troubled by Hank Marvin's distinctive appearance, which, in live performances, led to audiences requesting Shadows numbers
Silvery Rain
Marvin Welch & Farrar Lyrics
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Showing wings they borrowed from a rainbow
And a blackbird on high sang a praise to the sky
While a light aeroplane sprayed the fields with a silvery rain
Furry backed bees with a tireless drone
Never moan, they're happy to be working
And a grasshopper green could be heard but not seen
While a light aeroplane sprayed the fields with a silvery rain
Fly away, Peter, fly away, Paul, before there's nothing left to fly at all
Take to the sky, higher than high, before the silvery rain begins to fall
Nothing moves now but the swaying ripe corn
Not a dawn is greeted with a bird's song
There's a feather or two from a bird that once flew
Before a light aeroplane sprayed the fields with a silvery rain
chorus
(Instrumental break)
chorus
The song "Silvery Rain" by Marvin Welch & Farrar is a poetic reflection on the destructive effects of human interference in nature. The opening lines describe a surreal scene where butterflies are dancing on invisible strings and a blackbird is singing praises to the sky. The beauty of nature is juxtaposed with the image of a light aeroplane that is spraying the fields with a silvery rain. The song then goes on to describe the tireless work of bees and the sound of a grasshopper, both of which are abruptly interrupted by the sound of the light aeroplane. The chorus then urges the birds, Peter and Paul, to fly away before the silvery rain destroys everything in its path.
The second verse of the song is a sobering reminder of the consequences of human intervention in nature. The once lively and vibrant countryside is now devoid of any movement except for the swaying ripe corn. No birds sing at dawn and the only trace of their presence is a feather or two. The final chorus is a plea to fly away before it's too late.
"Silvery Rain" is a poignant song that highlights the importance of preserving nature and the disastrous consequences of neglecting it. The song's lyrics are a reminder that we need to coexist with nature and not destroy it for our selfish gains.
Line by Line Meaning
Butterflies danced on invisible strings
Beautiful butterflies moved gracefully in the air without any visible support
Showing wings they borrowed from a rainbow
Their wings reflected the colors of the rainbow as they flew
And a blackbird on high sang a praise to the sky
A blackbird sang a beautiful song while flying high up in the sky
While a light aeroplane sprayed the fields with a silvery rain
A plane was spraying the fields with a shiny, silver-colored liquid
Furry backed bees with a tireless drone
Bees with fuzzy backs were busy working hard, making a constant humming sound
Never moan, they're happy to be working
The bees did not complain and seemed content doing their job
And a grasshopper green could be heard but not seen
A green grasshopper's chirping could be heard but the insect itself was not visible
Fly away, Peter, fly away, Paul, before there's nothing left to fly at all
The song is urging birds Peter and Paul to fly away before the planes spraying the fields ultimately make it uninhabitable
Take to the sky, higher than high, before the silvery rain begins to fall
The song encourages the birds to fly as high as possible to escape the effects of the pesticide being sprayed on the fields
Nothing moves now but the swaying ripe corn
After the spraying, the only thing moving is the corn that is ready to be harvested. All other insects and animals have disappeared.
Not a dawn is greeted with a bird's song
The pesticides have killed off all the birds that would normally be singing at dawn
There's a feather or two from a bird that once flew
Birds have died due to the spraying, and their feathers are the only evidence of their existence
Before a light aeroplane sprayed the fields with a silvery rain
The song reiterates the events prior to the spraying of the fields
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HANK MARVIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind