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)
Rocky Road
Nick Lowe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now it's a rocky road
I left so fast I didn't even pack
I just hit this rocky road
The flint and shell is cold and cruel
On this rocky road
But it sparks and spikes like an over-rule
Walking this rocky road
It began one morning when I woke reborn
Walk this rocky road
Felt like the chains that bound me from me had been torn
Walk this rocky road
The rut I was in had once been a groove
Walk this rocky road
I said to my feet "c'mon feet, time to move"
And we hit this rocky road
Yeah hit this rocky road
And the way may be pitted and the climb steep
And the mountains soaring and the valleys deep
But I'm driven by a memory of way-back-when
That says I'm never going back again
When I first started out, this was just a track
Now it's a rocky road
Fixed my eyes face-forward and I didn't look back
I just hit this rocky road
There's a thumping and a jumping from a thunderstorm
On this rocky road
But I keep on walking 'till I make it home
I'm gonna walk this rocky road
Yeah walk this rocky road
And the way may be pitted and the climb steep
And the mountains soaring and the valleys deep
But I'm driven by a memory of way-back-when
That says I'm never going back again
I'm gonna walk this rocky road, I'm gonna walk
I'm gonna walk this rocky road, I'm gonna walk
I'm gonna walk this rocky road, I'm gonna walk
I'm gonna walk this rocky road, I'm gonna walk
I'm going to walk this rocky road
The song "Rocky Road" by Nick Lowe is about perseverance and determination in the face of adversity. The lyrics describe the journey of the singer as he sets out on what was originally just a simple track, but soon turns into a rocky, difficult road. Despite the challenges, the singer continues on, pushing through the cold and cruel flint and shell, through thunderstorms and steep climbs. He is motivated by a memory of a time, "way-back-when," when he was held back by chains that bound him from himself, and a determination to never go back to that place again.
The lyrics suggest that the rocky road is a metaphor for life's challenges, and that the only way to progress is to keep moving forward, no matter how hard the journey may be. The repetition of "walk this rocky road" throughout the song reinforces this idea of perseverance and determination, urging the listener to keep moving forward despite the obstacles they may face.
Line by Line Meaning
When I set out, this was just a track
At the beginning of my journey, this path seemed easy and simple.
Now it's a rocky road
But as I progress, I realize that the path is full of challenges and obstacles.
I left so fast I didn't even pack
I started my journey suddenly, without proper planning or preparation.
I just hit this rocky road
I faced the difficulties head-on, without hesitation.
The flint and shell is cold and cruel
The obstacles on the path are harsh and unforgiving.
On this rocky road
I am still facing the challenges on this difficult path.
But it sparks and spikes like an over-rule
But overcoming these challenges fuels me with confidence and energy.
Walking this rocky road
I am still moving forward, one step at a time.
Yeah walk this rocky road
I am committed to continuing on this difficult path.
It began one morning when I woke reborn
One day, I woke up feeling renewed and determined.
Felt like the chains that bound me from me had been torn
I felt like the obstacles that held me back had been removed.
The rut I was in had once been a groove
The repetitive and mundane path I was on used to feel comfortable and familiar.
I said to my feet "c'mon feet, time to move"
I pushed myself to take action and move towards a new path.
And we hit this rocky road
Together with my feet, I faced the challenges of this new path.
And the way may be pitted and the climb steep
The path ahead may have many obstacles and steep inclines.
And the mountains soaring and the valleys deep
The path may have many highs and lows.
But I'm driven by a memory of way-back-when
I am motivated by memories of times when I faced and overcame challenges.
That says I'm never going back again
I am determined to never return to the mundane and repetitive path I was on before.
There's a thumping and a jumping from a thunderstorm
The challenges on the path may be intense and tumultuous.
But I keep on walking 'till I make it home
But I am committed to continuing on this path until I reach my destination.
I'm gonna walk this rocky road
I am determined to keep moving forward on this difficult path.
I'm gonna walk
I am committed to taking action and moving forward.
I'm gonna walk this rocky road, I'm gonna walk
I am determined to keep moving forward on this difficult path, no matter what.
I'm going to walk this rocky road
I am committed to facing and overcoming the challenges on this difficult path.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICHOLAS ORAIN LOWE, SIMON FREDERICK ST. GEORGE KIRKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mickey
on Children Go Where I Send Thee
The tenth verse refers to the Ten Commandments given to Moses.