Lowe began his recording career in 1966 as a member of psychedelic rock group Kippington Lodge, founded with his friend Brinsley Schwarz. That band released a few singles on Parlophone. Three years later, Kippington Lodge had changed its name to Brinsley Schwarz and its musical focus to country and blues rock.
After leaving Brinsley Schwarz in the mid-1970s, Lowe began playing in Rockpile with Dave Edmunds. In August 1976 Lowe released "So It Goes" b/w "Heart of the City", the first single on the Stiff Records label where he was in-house producer (the label's first EP was Lowe's 1977 four-track release Bowi, apparently named in response to David Bowie's contemporary LP Low) . On this and other labels, Lowe would go on to produce The Damned's Damned Damned Damned and many albums by Elvis Costello. Upon moving from Stiff to Jake Riviera's Radar and F-Beat labels, Lowe became extremely selective in his choice of production tasks.
Because the two main writers in Rockpile had contracts with different record labels and managers, albums were always credited to either Lowe or Edmunds, so there is only one official Rockpile album, from the very end of the collaboration - 1980's Seconds of Pleasure, featuring the Lowe songs "When I Write the Book" and "Teacher Teacher" - but all of Lowe's and Edmunds' solo albums from the period were effectively Rockpile albums. Rockpile's demise was hastened by a number of conflicts, not between the group, but their management.
Lowe's best-known song from this era is probably "I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock 'n' Roll" (a reworking of Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell", a.k.a. "Teenage Wedding"). On the 1977 Live Stiffs compilation with a pickup band called Last Chicken in the Shop, he virtually sneers out his contempt for all concerned; in 1985, fronting Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit on the album The Rose of England, he hasn't changed the words, but the tone is entirely different, even affectionate. The latter recording featured Huey Lewis & the News as his backing band.
In 1979, Lowe married country singer Carlene Carter, daughter of country singers Carl Smith and June Carter Cash and step-daughter of Johnny Cash. He adopted her daughter, Tiffany Anastasia Lowe. The marriage with Lowe lasted until the mid-1980s, but they remained friends, and Lowe remained close to the Carter/Cash family; he and Johnny Cash played and recorded together, and Cash recorded several of his songs.
After the demise of Rockpile, Lowe toured for a period with his band Noise to Go and later with The Cowboy Outfit, which also included the noted keyboard player Paul Carrack. Lowe was also a member of the short-lived mainly studio project Little Village with John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, and Jim Keltner.
In 1992, "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" was covered by Curtis Stigers on the soundtrack album to The Bodyguard, an album that sold over fifteen million copies. Because Lowe received royalties from these sales, he suddenly found himself a millionaire. Freed from commercial constraints, Lowe has recorded more solo albums in his own very individual style to critical acclaim.
Lowe played Glastonbury 2011, performing a short solo set of Brinsley Schwarz tracks on The Spirit Of 71 stage, where they played back in 1971, before heading to the Acoustic Stage for a full band show.
Lowe performed as an opening act for Wilco in their North American tour, September 2011. He performed solo with acoustic guitar.
His more recent albums include
At My Age (2007)
The Old Magic (2011)
A Better Man
Nick Lowe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And too often watched my dreams turn to sand
But it looks like I might have turned a corner
You make me want to be a better man
There's no new leafs left for me to turn over
I'm in a prison built by my own hands
I pray at last I've found salvation
I can't go on living this way
And that's a fact I know you understand
I don't know much, but one thing's for certain
You make me want to be a better man
Nick Lowe’s song A Better Man is a song about hope and redemption. The song speaks about the mistakes that the singer has made in his life and how he wants to change because of the love of a woman who has come into his life. He admits that he has done things that he is not proud of and has watched his dreams slip away, but despite all of that, he hopes that he has turned a corner. He acknowledges that there are no new leaves left for him to turn over but he has found salvation in the love of this woman.
The chorus of the song is a declaration of his desire to change and his love for the woman who has inspired him to do so. The song is a simple yet honest statement about the human capacity to change, and it shows the transformative power of love. The repetition of “You make me want to be a better man” throughout the song underscores the depth of his admiration and gratitude for this woman who has brought about the change in him.
Overall, the lyrics of A Better Man speak to the idea that it’s never too late to change and that love can be a powerful motivator for personal growth and redemption. It’s a message that many can relate to, and it is one that continues to resonate with audiences even decades after the song was released.
Line by Line Meaning
In my life, I've done things I'm not proud of
Throughout my life, I've committed actions that I feel shame and regret for
And too often watched my dreams turn to sand
I've frequently seen my aspirations and goals slip away or fail to come to fruition
But it looks like I might have turned a corner
Fortunately, I may have finally found a positive direction or turning point in my life
You make me want to be a better man
Your influence and encouragement inspires me to become a more responsible, admirable person
There's no new leafs left for me to turn over
I've exhausted all opportunities to start anew or make a significant change in my life
I'm in a prison built by my own hands
I am trapped by my self-destructive habits or decisions, and am solely responsible for my current situation
I pray at last I've found salvation
I hope that I've finally discovered a way to free myself from the negative patterns of my past
You make me want to be a better man
Once again, your example and influence inspire me to strive towards bettering myself as an individual
I can't go on living this way
I cannot continue to exist or continue down my current path without making changes
And that's a fact I know you understand
I am certain that you empathize and comprehend the severity of my situation
I don't know much, but one thing's for certain
Despite my lack of clarity or understanding, there is one thing I am sure of
You make me want to be a better man
Your positive influence on my life is a consistent motivation for me to improve and become a better version of myself
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: NICK LOWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mickey
on Children Go Where I Send Thee
The tenth verse refers to the Ten Commandments given to Moses.