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)
American Squirm
Nick Lowe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it feel so right
On the screen was the musical war
Deep deep into the night
Yes i was spreading
In the wonderful world
Everything was fine
Tried to mete in hot of the state
It goes on and on and on
It goes on and on and on
But I think you for the time
Yes I thank you for the time
l killed the time
It goes on and on and on
It goes on and on and on
It's goes on and on and on
But the funky for the time
Yes I thank you for the time
I killed the time
I made an American squirm
And it feel so right
On the screen was the comical time
Deep deep into the night
Deep deep into the night
Deep deep into the night
It goes on and on and on
Nick Lowe's song "American Squirm" from his album Labour of Lust reflects his observations on the state of American culture in the late 1970s. The song starts with Lowe announcing that he has made an "American squirm" and feels good about it. Lowe is referring to his ability to create discomfort and stir up controversy in the listeners. The music he's describing on the screen is a "musical war," which could represent the chaotic state of American society at that time. Lowe enjoys causing discomfort because he feels that everything was fine before, but there was a need for change.
As the song continues, Lowe talks about his travels through the United States, and how he's spreading his message everywhere he goes. He sings about trying to meet in the "hot of the state," which could represent the important economic or cultural centers of America. The song's chorus repeats that everything goes on and on and on, but Lowe thanks the listener for their time. The lyrics are reflective of the cyclical problems Lowe sees in America at that time. The American society keeps moving on without major changes or solutions, but the artist remains hopeful that his message will eventually resonate.
Line by Line Meaning
I made an American squirm
I caused discomfort or unease among Americans
And it feel so right
I felt justified in my actions
On the screen was the musical war
The media was promoting conflict and aggression through music
Deep deep into the night
Late into the night, when things are hidden and secretive
Yes i was spreading
I was trying to influence or impact others
In the wonderful world
In the world of entertainment or media
Everything was fine
The situation seemed positive or successful
Tried to mete in hot of the state
Attempted to make an impact on the political climate
It goes on and on and on
The situation continues endlessly
But I think you for the time
I am grateful for your attention or participation
Yes I thank you for the time
Reiterating gratitude for time spent
l killed the time
I passed time, possibly in a negative or unproductive way
It's goes on and on and on
The situation continues incessantly
But the funky for the time
Possibly referring to a musical or funky time
I made an American squirm
Repeating first line
And it feel so right
Repeating second line
On the screen was the comical time
Now referring to comedy on screen
Deep deep into the night
Repeating fourth line
It goes on and on and on
Repeating ninth line
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NICHOLAS ORAIN LOWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kimberly Brown
Nick should be in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Not only did he produce Elvis Costello, he made some of the best pop/rock of the 70s, under his own name, and with Rockpile
Ed Helvey
Fucking A!
coorsbeer
Beautiful little slice of rocking pop music.
David O'Donoghue
A superb pop confection, brilliant in every respect. The two guitar solos - :15 & :57 - are simply sublime. The Jesus of Cool, for sure!
Don Ciparis
Beautiful song. How it never charted in Canada is beyond me.
RobMacKendrick
That updated Mersey sound is addictive.
TighelanderII
I just looked at Wikipedia, and was surprised to read this single didn't chart. It got a lot of air play in LA back then, or at least enough for it to make me a fan and buy the album.
Jack horner
It sure got a lot of play from me, as did most of Nick's stuff back then.
Mike ace
I bought the labor of lust album I'm in love with it I think it's one of the greatest of nicklow's stuff but he has other stuff that's great too
Robert Smith
Charts notwithstanding, Rockpile, by whatever name on the cover, was one of the best bands ever. Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner, and Terry Williams. Oh, and Seconds of Pleasure is one of the best albums ever. That was the only album the band produced by the name of Rockpile.