Pat Travers (born Patrick Henry Travers on April 12, 1954) is a Canadian ro… Read Full Bio ↴Pat Travers (born Patrick Henry Travers on April 12, 1954) is a Canadian rock guitarist, keyboardist and singer who began his recording career with Polydor Records in the mid-1970s. Many noted musicians have been members of the Pat Travers Band over the years.

While most bluesy hard rock acts of the '70s and '80s hailed from the United States (the south, to be exact), there were several exceptions to the rule, such as Canadian singer/guitarist Pat Travers. Born in Toronto on April 12, 1954, Travers first picked up the guitar just prior to entering his teens, after witnessing a local performance by the great Jimi Hendrix. It wasn't long before Travers was studying the other top rock guitarists of the day (Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, etc.), and paying his dues by playing in bar bands in the Quebec area.

His first true touring gig came his way when he hooked up with '50s rock n' roll vet Ronnie Hawkins (best known for performing with a backing cast that would eventually transform into The Band). But Travers' main love was hard rock, so after a year, he packed up his belongings and headed to London. Shortly after touchdown in the U.K., Travers recorded a demo that would land him a recording deal with Polydor and result in the release of his debut, Pat Travers, during the spring of 1976. A performance at England's annual Reading Festival the same year only peaked interest, which resulted in two more releases in 1977, Makin' Magic and Putting It Straight (both of which featured a pre-Iron Maiden Nicko McBrain on drums), before Travers returned to North America and set his sights on the U.S. rock market.

Hooking up with a fine backing band comprised of drummer Tommy Aldridge, guitarist Pat Thrall, and bassist Mars Cowling, the new Travers band lineup premiered on 1979's Heat in the Street. This led to Travers' most commercially successful period, resulting in a pair of Top 30 releases, 1979's Live! Go For What You Know (considered by many Travers fans to be his finest hour) and 1980's Crash and Burn. But soon after the dawn of the '80s, bluesy hard rock seemed to quickly fall out of favor amongst the U.S. record buying public, in favor of slickly produced arena rock, and later, MTV-approved bands. As a result, each subsequent Travers release sold less, as his last albums to appear on the U.S. album charts included 1981's Radio Active, 1982's Black Pearl, and 1984's Hot Shot.

Unhappy with Polydor, Travers opted to take a break from releasing albums for the remainder of the decade, but continued to tour. Travers' 1990 comeback album, School of Hard Knocks, failed to re-spark interest on the charts, although he continued to issue new studio albums (Blues Tracks, Just a Touch, Blues Magnet, etc.) and archival live sets (King Biscuit Flower Hour, BBC Radio One Live in Concert) throughout the decade.

Travers continues to tour and record regularly (playing alongside the likes of Night Ranger's Jeff Watson, Cinderella's Tom Keifer, and Rick Derringer), and in 2001, performed as part of the 'Voices of Classic Rock' tour. Travers emerged from the recording studio once more in 2003, with P.T. Power Trio, a recording that featured covers by the likes of Cream ("White Room"), Robin Trower ("Day of the Eagle"), and ZZ Top ("Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings"), among others. (Greg Prato - AllMusic Guide)

Gettin' Betta
Pat Travers Lyrics

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Gettin′ near the time
To take you by the hand

Gettin' way past time
To make you understand

Baby, you know me
I wouldn′t lie-yi-yi-yi, yeah

All I want to do is
To show you that you're mine

All I really want to do is
To get our love to shine

To shine on the cloudiest day
I know what you got to say, yeah-yeah

Gettin' betta, betta all the time
Gettin′ betta, betta all the time, all the the time
Irish Sеtter, settin′ all the timе
Irish Setter, settin' all the time, all the time

Gettin′ betta, betta all the time
Gettin' betta, betta all the time, all the the time
Irish Setter, settin′ all the time
Irish Setter, settin' all the time

Yeah

Now we′ve gotten closer
Closer to the line

I'm sure we've gotten closer

′Cause I could read the signs

And everythin′ that you do
Is guaranteed to be just fine
To be just fine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pat Travers's song Gettin' Betta talk about the singer's desire to show their love for their partner and make them understand that they belong to each other. In the first verse, the singer reveals that it's almost time to take their partner by the hand and make them understand the depth of their feelings. They also assure their partner that they wouldn't lie to them and all they want is to show them that they belong to each other. The second verse talks about how they have gotten closer to each other and how the signs are clear that they are meant to be together. Everything their partner does is guaranteed to be just fine, indicating the strength and trust in their relationship.

The chorus of the song, with its repetition of "Gettin' betta, betta all the time," emphasizes the growth and evolution of their relationship. The use of "Irish Setter, settin' all the time" could be a nod to the loyalty and devotion of the dog breed, implying that the singer and their partner are just as devoted to each other.

Overall, the song is a testament to the singer's love and commitment to their partner and their desire to make their relationship stronger.

Line by Line Meaning

Gettin' near the time
It is almost time

To take you by the hand
To guide you

Gettin' way past time
It is long overdue

To make you understand
To help you comprehend

Baby, you know me
You are familiar with me

I wouldn't lie-yi-yi-yi, yeah
I am telling the truth

All I want to do is
My only desire is to

To show you that you're mine
To prove that you belong to me

All I really want to do is
My true intention is to

To get our love to shine
To make our love glow