In the late 70s, he and his childhood friend Steve George founded the band Pages (most notable for "I Do Believe In You") in Phoenix, Arizona. The outfit Mr. Mister sprang out of that project 1982. The two continued to apply their tight harmonies to background vocals on albums by successful pop artists like Laura Branigan while working on their own material as well. About the time when the first Mr. Mister album, titled 'I Wear the Face', came out in early 1984, Page was offered the chance to replace Bobby Kimball as lead singer of Toto. He even was also later offered Peter Cetera's place in the jazz rock outfit Chicago.
Page refused both offers, confident in Mr. Mister's potential. The single "Hunters of the Night" managed to become a near-hit, reaching the #57 slot on the Billboard Hot 100, and the new wave fueled album had brought them with producer Peter McIan, who had been behind releases by Dear Enemy and Men at Work. Still, the line-up of Page, George, Pat Mastelotto, and Steve Farris failed to reach a mass audience as the album just didn't sell that well.
Mr. Mister's second album, 1985's 'Welcome To The Real World', featured emotive lyrics from Page's cousin John Lang and became the breakthrough that the guys had been hoping for. The group had three top 10 singles, two of which even coming #1 hits on the U.S. pop charts. The band's compelling ballad "Broken Wings" had become a part of the national pop consciousness, particularly serving as a sort of 'signature song' for the outfit. In those days of widespread success, they toured with legendary diva Tina Turner, for whom their song "Stand And Deliver" was written. This song eventually appeared on Mr. Mister's third album, titled 'Go On', which the band said contined "some of the best stuff we ever did".
With expectations sky-high for the band, the guys planned on taking a more mature approach lyrically, standing up against the notorious materialism and celebration of greed during that decade, and the album had a sound that hinted at progressive rock. Nevertheless, 'Go On' failed to achieve commercial success, and the band members found themselves getting lost in the 80s pop/rock shuffle. Guitarist Steve Farris left around 1989, which seemed to spell the beginning of the end for the group. Still, the band began working on a fourth album, called 'Pull', with session guitarists. Dropped by their label before that work could be released, the band decided to break up for good.
That album remained unreleased for something like two decades, although one track ("Waiting In My Dreams") later appeared on a popular greatest hits collection. The release in its entirely finally surfaced in 2010 on the indie label Little Dume Recordings, a company project of Richard Page's that had also published solo efforts by him such as 'Peculiar Life'. After the band's split, Page continued to work as a composer (for example, he co-authored Madonna's 1994 Golden Globe nominated song "I'll Remember") and as a background singer for several artists. Page additionally produced a solo album, called 'Shelter Me', in 1996 that featured guest appearances by all his former band-mates.
Steve Farris has toured with Whitesnake and also recorded songs with artists such as Tori Amos and 4 Non Blondes. Pat Mastelotto has played with groups such as King Crimson and XTC. Steve George served as musical director for American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins until 1997, also having toured with the star Jewel. Finally, John Lang became a part of the alternative rock group Djinn (not to be confused with the DJ of the same name and other artists), an obscure band that gained some interest when they produced their 1998 album 'All-Time'.
Control
Mr. Mister Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't tell me about what you think, 'cause I don't care, no I don't care
Chorus:
We all want control of our destiny, we all want control of our lives
We all want control of our eachother, we all see the fear in our eyes
An old man was sitting on a corner, he couldn't remember where he lived
He knew where he was and that was enough for him
(chorus)
Open my eyes to it, I can see that way too
Open your eyes to it, you can see that way too
(chorus)
We all want control, we all want control, we all want control
We all want control
Mr. Mister's song Control is a profound and thought-provoking song that explores the idea of control, vision, and mission. The lyrics suggest that everyone wants control over their destiny and lives, and this desire for control can sometimes cause us to fear each other. The singer asserts that he has his own vision and mission, and he doesn't care about what others think. The chorus reinforces the idea that everyone wants control, but this can be a source of fear and insecurity.
The song's most poignant moment comes in the verse about the old man sitting on the corner. The singer initially feels sad for him until he realizes that the old man is content with knowing where he is, even though he can't remember where he lives. This verse is a reminder that control is not always necessary for contentment and happiness. Sometimes, knowing where we are in life is enough.
Overall, Control is a song that encourages listeners to think about their own desire for control and how it affects their relationships with others. The lyrics are powerful, and the melody is haunting and beautiful. It's a song that stays with you long after it's over.
Line by Line Meaning
This is about control, it's about vision, my vision, my mission
The song is focused on the idea of control and how it ties into personal goals and aspirations.
Don't tell me about what you think, 'cause I don't care, no I don't care
The singer is uninterested in what others think about their desire for control and personal vision.
We all want control of our destiny, we all want control of our lives
Every individual desires control over their future and choices.
We all want control of our eachother, we all see the fear in our eyes
In addition to personal control, people also seek control over others due to fear and insecurity.
An old man was sitting on a corner, he couldn't remember where he lived
The song refers to a memory-impaired elderly man, possibly to highlight the importance of retaining control over one's own faculties.
I felt so sad until he told me
The singer initially sympathizes with the elderly man's plight.
He knew where he was and that was enough for him
Despite his memory loss, the elderly man was content with the level of control he had over his own circumstances.
Open my eyes to it, I can see that way too
The artist apparently gains a new level of understanding about the importance of control through their interaction with the elderly man.
Open your eyes to it, you can see that way too
The artist invites others to also be aware of the importance of personal control and vision.
We all want control, we all want control, we all want control
The repetition of this line reinforces the central theme of the song.
We all want control
The final line restates the song's central premise once again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: OLIVER LANG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind