1. The Outlaws are Southe… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one Outlaws on last.fm:
1. The Outlaws are Southern rock band formed in Tampa, FL.
2. The Outlaws were a house band for Joe Meek's recording studio.
1) The Outlaws are Southern rock band formed in Tampa, FL in 1972 by singers/guitarists Hughie Thomasson and Henry Paul, bassist Frank O'Keefe, and drummer Monte Yoho. With the 1973 addition of guitarist Billy Jones, the lineup was complete, and after a year of intense touring the band became the first act signed to Arista under Clive Davis; the Outlaws' self-titled 1975 album spotlighted their Eagles-influenced harmonies and Allman Brothers-like guitar attack, yielding the Top 40 hit "There Goes Another Love Song."
Harvey Dalton Arnold replaced O'Keefe on bass in time for the recording of Bill Szymczyk-produced Hurry Sundown. Henry Paul left shortly after the completion of that album, replaced by Freddie Salem. Old friend David Dix joined as a second drummer. Dix had played in teen bands with Thomasson. Dix was first heard on the live set Bring It Back Alive and the studio effort Playin' to Win. The lineup shuffles continued when Arnold announced his departure following 1979's In the Eye of the Storm, with bassist Rick Cua recruited for the next year's Ghost Riders in the Sky, which netted a Top 40 entry with its title track, a rendition of the Vaughn Monroe favorite. Yoho left to rejoin Henry Paul soon after, and with the subsequent exit of Jones, only Thomasson remained from the original Outlaws roster — not surprisingly, the group disbanded upon completing 1982's Los Hombres Malo. A year later Thomasson and Paul formed a new Outlaws lineup, with Steve Grisham on guitar. That resulted in1986's Soldiers of Fortune, Paul again quit the band. Grisham also had left and was replaced by a young Chris Anderson who became an integral part of the reunion tour in 2005.
In the early 90's,Thomasson kept on with the help of Chris Hicks on guitar and they with B.B. Borden on drums and Jeff Howell on bass released Hittin The Road and Diablo Canyon. Thomasson was then offered a gig with Lynyrd Skynyrd and took it, remaining with them until the end of 2004.
In early 2005 The Outlaws reunited with original members Thomasson, Henry Paul, Monte Yoho and former Outlaw from the 80's Chris Anderson with newcomers Randy Threet on bass, Dave Robbins on keyboards and also the return of drummer David Dix.
After 2005 ended, Paul and Robbins left. Thomasson, Anderson, Threet, Dix, Yoho and Anderson continued to tour and completed an album, "Once An Outlaw". Before it could be released, Thomasson died at his home in brooksville, Florida of a heart attack on Septemeber 9, 2007.
In early 2008 Henry Paul rejoined, bringing along with him former Henry Paul Band guitarist Billy Crain, and Brothers of the Southland keyboardist Jon Coleman. David Dix was no longer part of the lineup.
In July 2010, Coleman left to join Trace Adkins, and Dave Robbins came back.
The current band has recorded new songs as a "Demo".
The estate of Thomasson took on a legal battle with the current lineup. After a year and a half battle the court ruled in favor of Paul and company continuing to be able to perform as the Outlaws. Mrs.Thomasson appealed, but shortly after dropped the appeal.
The Outlaws hit the scene when Southern Rock was becoming a force to be reckoned with. Sharing the scene with bands like The Allman Brother's Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshal Tucker, and the Charlie Daniel's Band they had big shoes to fill. Blazing 3 guitar leads were a trademark of this "Cowboy-rock" group. Big hits included "Ghost Riders (In the Sky)" and "There goes Another Love Song" as well as the epic "Green Grass and High Tides".
'The Outlaws' (the same band) are also on Last.fm.
2) The Outlaws were a house band for Joe Meek's recording studio. They were originally formed to back Mike Berry for his 1960 single "Set Me Free", and went on to record several singles of their own from '61-'65, mostly instrumental. Among their ranks were notable musicians such as Ritchie Blackmore, Chas Hodges, Mick Underwood, Bobby Graham and Hot Chocolate's Harvey Hinsley.
Windy City Blues
Outlaws Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
East side's getting better
But the south side's nearly done
Junkies have their business they'll fix you up as well
Mayor's growing older, and the vice squad's really hell
Run around in circles, fight the city heat
A million people running round, stomping on your feet
Hobo walks through a train yard, wishing he could die
Oooo the city heat, somebody's shadow
Gonna fall right down on top of me
Some people love, some people hate
Other people they don't even trust their mate
Breeze is getting colder, and the ground is turning white
Subway's full of maniacs, there killings every night
Old man time is waiting, to ring that lonely bell
The mayor's growing older, and the vice squad's really hell
(They're gonna get cha', Come on git me)
The lyrics to Outlaws' song "Windy City Blues" paint a stark picture of the realities of life in a big city, particularly Chicago. The song starts off by describing the filthy streets and the plight of a homeless man laying in the gutter on one side of the city. While the east side may be improving, the south side is in bad shape, and drug addiction is rampant. The mayor of the city is growing old, and the vice squad is making things even harder for those struggling to get by.
The lyrics then shift to the chaos of the city: people rushing around, businessmen in their coats and ties, and a hobo wandering through a train yard, wishing for death. The city heat is oppressive, and the shadows feel as though they're closing in. The song acknowledges that people have different reactions to life in the city; some love it, some hate it, and some don't trust anyone, not even their own partners.
As the song draws to a close, the lyrics describe the onset of winter and the chilling effect it has on the city. The subway is full of dangerous people, and violence is an everyday occurrence. The old man time is waiting, and the mayor continue to age with no end in sight. The vice squad continues to make life difficult for everyone, making it seem like there's no way out of the vicious cycle of life in the city.
Overall, "Windy City Blues" is a hard-hitting song about the harsh realities of life in a big city. It acknowledges the struggles faced by those on the margins of society, and the indifference of those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Avenues are filthy, in the gutter lays a bum
The streets are dirty, and a homeless person is lying in the gutter
East side's getting better
The eastern part of the city is improving
But the south side's nearly done
However, the southern part of the city is in bad shape
Junkies have their business they'll fix you up as well
Drug addicts have their own trade and can also provide drugs to others
Mayor's growing older, and the vice squad's really hell
The city's leader is aging, and the law enforcement team works extremely hard
Run around in circles, fight the city heat
People are running around in circles to escape the hot weather
A million people running round, stomping on your feet
There are too many people in the city, and it's overcrowded
Businessmen are fortunate, to have their coats and ties
Wealthy individuals have the privilege of wearing business attire
Hobo walks through a train yard, wishing he could die
A homeless person is walking through a train yard and is feeling hopeless and miserable
Oooo the city heat, somebody's shadow
The heat of the city is bearing down on someone, like a shadow
Gonna fall right down on top of me
They feel like they'll be overwhelmed by the city's heat
Some people love, some people hate
People have their own opinions and feelings
Other people they don't even trust their mate
Some people don't even trust their significant other
Breeze is getting colder, and the ground is turning white
The weather is changing, and it's getting colder outside
Subway's full of maniacs, there killings every night
The subway system is dangerous, and there are frequent acts of violence
Old man time is waiting, to ring that lonely bell
Time is moving forward, and it will eventually bring upon death and loneliness
The mayor's growing older, and the vice squad's really hell
The city's leader is aging, and the law enforcement team works extremely hard
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Frank O'Keefe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind