1. An English jo… Read Full Bio ↴"Peter Spence" can refer to two different creators:
1. An English journalist and writer:
Born in 1944, Peter Spence was educated at Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire. At the age of 18, he became a reporter for the Birmingham Post and Mail. Around the same times, he joined the Territorial Army. He studied Politics and American Studies at Nottingham University and graduated in 1968 and became a professional writer in the same year.
Peter Spence has written for many television shows including Not the Nine O'Clock News, Crackerjack and Rosemary & Thyme. In the early-1970s, Peter married into the Taylor family who owned and ran Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park in Somerset. This provided him with a fund of anecdotes which he compiled into a book entitled "some of our best friends are animals". A few years later in the mid 1970s he created To the Manor Born, and after a radio pilot was made, the series aired on television from 1979 to 1981. Out of 21 episodes, he wrote 20 of them. The manor shown in the opening credits is in fact Cricket St Thomas - the home of his inlaws.
Spence has also written for radio, including Roy Castle Show and Windsor Davies Presents.
2. An English reggae musician:
Reggae music has flourished in England like no other place outside Jamaica. At least two generations of talented UK artists and producers have laid down musical roots that are now celebrated far beyond the confines of the inner city communities that first nurtured them. Whilst Maxi Priest has proven Britain's most successful reggae singer to date, the name on a lot of people's lips right now is Peter Spence; a Birmingham born artist with street credentials to spare, but whose gifts increasingly demand a more international setting.
It's the quality of his songs and material, as well as his peerless vocals that have reaped Peter most acclaim so far. Whilst hardly prolific, he's consistently delivered music of the highest order, and yet just seems to get better as time goes by. A retrospective of his earlier songs called Lover's Rock was released by Warriors Of Peace at the end of 2003, but look out for new singles on the Checkmate and Stingray labels, the latter having issued his second album, Unfinished Business in 1999. The title of this milestone set says it all, since Peter's career is still only at the midway stage, as demonstrated by his spiralling popularity on both sides of the Atlantic.
His story begins in England's second city of Birmingham, where he was taught guitar by his father, who had played with bands in Jamaica before settling in England. His own musical apprenticeship was first served by roles as the drummer and then rhythm guitarist for a group called the Experts during the very early 80s. Inspired by Jamaican harmony groups such as the Heptones and Tamlins, he then turned singer and joined a reggae sound-system called Warrior, based in the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham. The influence of Jamaican sound-system culture was all persuasive at the time, and new UK reggae acts began to emerge at a phenomenal rate, including friends and contemporaries of Peter's such as Pato Banton, Macka B, Tippa Irie, Maxi Priest, Smiley Culture and many others.
His debut track, Frivolous Woman, was recorded for Birmingham producer G. T. Haynes, who also managed Pato Banton, Tippa Irie and Annette B, in addition to Peter himself. His breakthrough arrived in 1987 with a hit on Greensleeves called Don't Leave Me Lonely, for which he received a Best Newcomer award. His next stop was another London based reggae independent label called Fashion, where he recorded a handful of tunes in the lover's rock vein, including Yesterday's Magic, I Believe In Love and Crazy Feelings, as well as further tunes for G.T such as A Love Affair. His debut album for G. T, I'll Be There was released in 1989 to rave reviews and won Best Reggae Album for that year at the Black Music awards, whilst Peter himself was voted Best Male Reggae Singer. He and deejay Tippa Irie, then co-starred on Girl Of My Best Friend for Island, which they promoted throughout the US, Japan and Africa.
Wider fame should have beckoned at this point, but the next time we heard Peter's winning partnership with Tippa was on a 1996 single entitled Where Is The Love, produced by Peter Hunnigale. All three performed on a tribute record to Dennis Brown released in 1999, featuring an all-star line-up from the UK reggae community. Such camaraderie is reflected in the way Peter has toured and recorded with both Tippa Irie and Pato Banton on many occasions. In 2000, Pato's Life Is A Miracle album was nominated for a Grammy award. No less than seven of the tracks feature Peter, who also wrote and played on the album, in addition to singing backing vocals. One of the tracks, Ocean Warrior, was included on Surf Dog's Music For Our Oceans project, which is run by a California based charity dedicated to cleaning up the sea and protecting its endangered species.
Jet Star, who'd previously released his answer version to Gwen McRae's Girlfriend's Boyfriend, then commissioned two tracks, Flying Without Wings and Make It With You, for their Pop Hits Inna Reggae Vol. 1 album. Peter's cover of Bread's Make It With You later featured in the Channel 4 documentary Dancehall Queens, but it wasn't until searching out an old producer friend from Birmingham called Wooligan that his career took proper shape once more. It through Wooligan that he met Tony English - a New York based producer who's also from Birmingham, and once saw Peter play with the Experts. Tony promptly invited him to New York where they recorded two tracks, Mr. Charmer and I Don't Care (co-starring Shellene Thomas) at Philip Smart's HCF studio in Long Island. Mr. Charmer was an immediate, transatlantic reggae chart hit, thus confirming what Tony English had known all along. Firstly, that within an industry dominated by MCs, there was definitely room for singers of his calibre, and secondly, there were audiences out there eager to show their appreciation of advanced vocal and song writing skills such as his own.
From there it was but a small step to Stingray's Big House studio in NW London, where Peter recorded hit single Daddy's Love and the album Unfinished Business, as well as collaborations with Richie Davis, Lloyd Brown and Winsome. The communal atmosphere at Stingray obviously inspired him since Unfinished Business contains some of his best-ever material, including Mr. Charmer and I Don't Care. Now considered a classic reggae vocal set, Unfinished Business also announced how he'd successfully transcended his early reputation as a lovers' rock artist to deliver songs of even greater depth and meaning. Two of them, Know Yourself Mankind and Freedom, enjoy anthem status in roots dances, which is something they have in common with tracks he's voiced for Gussie P such as Redemption, They're Still Crying, To The Bone and Whom Have I Angered. This love of roots and dub music has been with Peter since the start, which may explain why he excels at writing and performing more conscious material, despite his undoubted gift for love songs.
Future plans include a further album of songs called "Emotionally Charged" for Peter's own Warriors Of Peace label.
Drinking From My Saucer
Peter Spence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's probably too late now
Oh but I don't worry about that much
'Cause I'm happy anyhow
As I go along life's journey
I'm reaping better than I sow
I'm drinking from my saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed
A'int got a lot of riches
and sometimes the going's rough
But I've got a friend in Jesus
and that makes me rich enough
I thank God for all His blessings
and the mercy He's bestowed
I'm drinking from my saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed
O sure, I've been through some storms
And yes, I'm sure there were times when
my Faith must have got a little thin
But you know what it seemed like?
One day, all at once, those dark clouds broke
and that old sun she started shining again
So Lord, help me not to grumble and complain
about the tough rows that I've hoed
I'm drinking from my saucer
"Cause my cup has overflowed
If i should go on living
When the way grows steep and rough
I won't ask for other blessings
I'm already blessed enough
And may I never be too busy
to help another bear his load
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer
"Cause my cup has overflowed!"
The song "Drinking From My Saucer" by Peter Spence is about how the singer is content with his life even though he may not have everything he wants. The lyrics suggest that the singer has learned to be grateful for what he has and to recognize the blessings that he has received. He reflects on his journey in life and acknowledges that he may not have made a fortune, but that does not concern him. He is happy because his cup overflows, and he feels that he is reaping better than he has sown. The metaphor of drinking from a saucer instead of a cup suggests that the singer is living a life of abundance and that he is not wasting anything.
The second verse of the song talks about how the singer does not have a lot of riches or material possessions, but he feels that he is rich because he has a friend in Jesus. He thanks God for all the blessings and the mercy that he has received, and he continues to drink from his saucer because his cup overflows. The third verse reflects on the difficulties the singer has faced in life, but he stays optimistic and hopeful. He acknowledges that sometimes his faith may have gotten a little thin, but he has learned to remain steadfast and hold onto his beliefs. He hopes that he will continue to be blessed in the future and that he will never be too busy to help others who are struggling.
Overall, the message of the song is one of gratitude and contentment. The singer acknowledges that life can be difficult, but he has learned to appreciate the blessings that he has received. He hopes that he will continue to have a positive attitude and stay humble, even when faced with adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never made a fortune
I have never accumulated significant wealth
It's probably too late now
I have missed the opportunity to make a fortune
Oh but I don't worry about that much
I do not fret over my financial situation
'Cause I'm happy anyhow
Despite my lack of fortune, I am content with my life
As I go along life's journey
As I continue through life
I'm reaping better than I sow
I am experiencing more success and benefits than I have earned
I'm drinking from my saucer
I am receiving excess blessings
'Cause my cup has overflowed
Because I have been blessed beyond what I need
A'int got a lot of riches
I do not possess much wealth
and sometimes the going's rough
My life can be challenging at times
But I've got a friend in Jesus
However, I have a strong relationship with Jesus
and that makes me rich enough
This relationship provides me with all that I need
I thank God for all His blessings
I express gratitude to God for all the blessings in my life
and the mercy He's bestowed
I am grateful for God's compassion towards me
O sure, I've been through some storms
I have encountered difficulties in life
And yes, I'm sure there were times when
There were undoubtedly moments when
my Faith must have got a little thin
My faith in God may have faltered
But you know what it seemed like?
But then, something happened
One day, all at once, those dark clouds broke
Suddenly, circumstances improved
and that old sun she started shining again
And good things started happening again
So Lord, help me not to grumble and complain
God, please help me maintain a positive attitude
about the tough rows that I've hoed
Even in the face of difficult circumstances
If I should go on living
If I continue to live
When the way grows steep and rough
When life becomes challenging
I won't ask for other blessings
I will not ask for additional benefits
I'm already blessed enough
I have already been given an abundance of blessings
And may I never be too busy
I hope to never be too occupied
to help another bear his load
To the point where I cannot assist others in their hardships
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer
Continuing to receive blessings in abundance
'Cause my cup has overflowed!
Because I have been blessed with more than I need
Contributed by Elizabeth N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Donna Barton
He walked into our food shop for food what a gent,and an amazing artist
DAVY Dhillon
One of my favorite all time songs ❤️
Veronica Boyce
My Anthem for Life! ❤️💯👊🏾
Dianne Mcneish
Everytime I see Peter perform he sings this song and it has give me strength to deal with the death of my mom and my twin sister thank u my dear friend Peter Spence x
Neuclon Young
I must thank God for you my brother and l pray that God bless you, your family and your ministry. My soul has been really bless by this song and l share is with others. keep on praising God for only what we do for Christ will last be bless.
L71 L71
Iam blessed so much to still be here..thank you lord..x
Stacey Burke
What a blessed songs 💯😘🥰
Ashley Smith
fantastic beautiful song, amen
Kathi Jay
A touch of the Aaron Neville in parts! 🙂
Sharon jackson
Wow what a tune