Mike Westbrook (born Michael John David Westbrook 21 March 1936 in High Wyc… Read Full Bio ↴Mike Westbrook (born Michael John David Westbrook 21 March 1936 in High Wycombe, England) is an English jazz pianist, composer, and writer of orchestrated jazz pieces. He became a key figure in the development of British Jazz in the late 1960s.

Westbrook spent his childhood in Torquay and went to art school in Plymouth where he began his first bands with such musicians as John Surman, Lou Gare and Keith Rowe. After moving to London, he became a key figure in the development of British Jazz in the late 1960s, producing several big band records between 1967 and 1969 for the Deram label, featuring such musicians as John Surman, Mike Osborne and Harry Miller.

Over the years he recorded as the Mike Westbrook Brass Band, the Mike Westbrook Orchestra, and as the Mike Westbrook Band.

Westbrook worked for some years in the early 1970s in the context of a jazz-rock band Solid Gold Cadillac before returning to works for large ensembles, notably in Citadel/Room 315 (1975) featuring John Surman. This was released on CD in 2006 to mark his 70th birthday.

In March 1977, the Mike Westbrook Brass Band, avant-rock group Henry Cow and folk singer Frankie Armstrong merged to form The Orckestra. The ensemble performed in London and several cities in Europe, their last concert being in Bordeaux, France in May 1978.

Westbrook continues to produce jazz scores, many for the theatre with his wife, the singer/songwriter Kate Westbrook. He was featured in the 2003 BBC documentary, Jazz Britannia.

Come Together
Mike Westbrook Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here come old flat top
He come groovin' up slowly
He got joo joo eyeballs
He one holy rollers
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker
He just do what he please

He wear no shoeshine
He got toe jam football
He got monkey finger
He shoot Coca Cola
He say I know you, you know me
One thing I can tell you is
You got to be free
Come together, right now
Over me

He bad production
He got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard
He one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knees
Hold you in his armchair
You can feel his disease
Come together, right now
Over me

He roller coaster
He got early warning
He got muddy water
He one Mojo filter
He say one and one and one is three
Got to be good looking
Cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now
Over me

Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah

Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Come Together" by Mike Westbrook is a playful homage to the Beatles' classic of the same name. The lyrics feature colorful descriptions of a character known as "old flat top," who appears to be an eccentric, larger-than-life figure. He has "joo joo eyeballs" and is a "holy roller," which suggests a spiritual bent. He doesn't wear shoes and has a "toe jam football" and a "monkey finger" that can "shoot Coca Cola." He insists on the importance of freedom, delivering the refrain "Come together, right now, over me" as a unifying call to action.

The lyrics continue to describe old flat top in increasingly strange terms, referring to his "walrus gumboot," "Ono sideboard," and "Mojo filter." The imagery here is delightfully surreal, and it adds to the playful nature of the song. The singer describes old flat top's "disease," which he can feel when he's held in his "armchair." Despite this ominous description, the chorus remains upbeat and insistent, with the repeated phrase "come together" serving as a bedrock of positivity.

Line by Line Meaning

Here come old flat top
A person with bushy hair is coming slowly

He come groovin' up slowly
He is moving in a relaxed manner

He got joo joo eyeballs
He has eccentric eyes

He one holy rollers
He is one who is very religious

He got hair down to his knee
He has long hair

Got to be a joker
He seems to be a funny person

He just do what he please
He does whatever he wants to do

He wear no shoeshine
He doesn't wear shoes

He got toe jam football
He has dirty football socks

He got monkey finger
He has nimble fingers

He shoot Coca Cola
He drinks Coca Cola