The PPL ultimately located itself in Columbus, Ohio (sixty miles north of Waverly), and the group had its first success in Cincinnati. The original stage band was made up of Fuller, McGrail, Powell, Phil Stokes on bass, and Robin Suskind on guitar and mandola. His steel guitar greatly improved on the guys' country songs and sparked hot guitar duels with Fuller that contributed greatly to the 'fusion' ethos of the band, its signature sound.
PPL’s biggest hits include Fuller’s country classic, "Amie", a piece released in 1972 that still attracts major airplay today due to its smooth, emotional sound. Some of their other tracks are “Two Lane Highway” and the musically less-representative pop song "Let Me Love You Tonight", which was composed by Jeff Wilson, Dan Greer, and Steve Woodard. Vince Gill, later to become one of Nashville’s biggest solo stars, sang and played guitar with the band in the early 80s and recorded a revised version of "Amie" for their greatest hits album.
In the late 90s, PPL was back with a lineup of Fuller, Connor, Reilly, Burr, Fats Kaplin (pedal steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, accordion, washboard) and Rich Schell (vocals, drums, percussion). After two years, in June 2000, Burr was succeeded by Curtis Wright (vocals, guitars). The group began work on a new album in 2002, but abandoned the sessions and separated once again (probably due to the illness of Connor). Connor died on September 9th, 2004 after a long battle with cancer.
Following Connor's death, the group resumed touring once more in 2004 with Fuller, Reilly, Schell, Wright and Kaplin (when available), and released All in Good Time in 2005, their first album in 18 years. This release appeared on the small Drifter's Church label.
Since this time, PPL have continued to tour playing a handful of shows every year. Reilly was unable to continue in 2006 after he was forced to undergo a liver transplant. Jack Sundrud (from Poco) came in to sub for Reilly, and Rick Plant also briefly did a stint on bass (before relocating to Australia in late 2006). Sundrud then returned. Reilly appeared at a few shows in May 2007, playing guitar, but was unable to come back full-time until 2008. Jeff "Stick" Davis (from Amazing Rhythm Aces) sat in on bass for Mike in 2007. Call played some concerts in 2006 & 2007, standing in for Kaplin, and Donnie Clark replaced Curtis Wright in 2006, after Wright joined Reba McEntire's band.
A fourteenth album was released in 2006, composed primarily of Craig Fuller songs, an echo of their very first album back in 1971.
dance
Pure Prairie League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heaven knows they're making love to you
And it's a young man's chance, go on and dance
You've got your reasons too, the girls been looking at you
Dance, dance
So much romance gets lost from staying alone
Dance, dance
And dance, dance, dance
So my girl came to dance at the rock 'n' roll show
And you know she's making love to me
I knew from her first glance, I'd take a chance
And now I'm feeling free that girl will only dance with me
Dance, dance
So much romance gets lost from staying alone
Dance, dance
You've got all night go on, you can take this song
And dance, dance, dance
The lyrics of Pure Prairie League's "Dance" talk about the beauty and allure of dancing, particularly at a rock 'n' roll show. The opening lines describe how the young girls at these shows are making love to the guys who are watching them dance. This is a metaphorical way of describing the intense attraction that can happen on the dance floor. The chorus urges the listener to dance and that by doing so, they will experience the romance that can be lost otherwise. Dancing is a way to connect with others and to experience the joy of life. The second verse comes from the perspective of a guy who has found a girl to dance with, and there is a sense of freedom and closeness that comes with this connection. Overall, the song speaks to the universal human experience of seeking connection and romance, and how dancing can offer a avenue to find it.
The song "Dance" was originally released on Pure Prairie League's 1974 album, Bustin' Out. It was written by group member Vince Gill, who would later go on to become a successful country music star in his own right. The song was released as a single in 1984 and became a hit on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Line by Line Meaning
When the young girls start to dance at the rock 'n' roll shows
The energy and passion of the young girls who dance at rock 'n' roll shows cannot help but make you feel desired.
Heaven knows they're making love to you
Their dancing is such a physical and emotional expression that it feels as though they're making love to you.
And it's a young man's chance, go on and dance
Young men should not hesitate to take advantage of these opportunities to dance and connect with these passionate young women.
You've got your reasons too, the girls been looking at you
The girls are also looking for someone to dance with, and you have your own personal reasons to let loose and join them on the dance floor.
Dance, dance
So much romance gets lost from staying alone
Dancing is a perfect opportunity to break free from loneliness and enjoy the romance of the moment.
You've got all night go on, you can take this song
And dance, dance, dance
There's no need to be self-conscious or hesitant – you have the whole night to dance and fully embrace the music.
So my girl came to dance at the rock 'n' roll show
And you know she's making love to me
The dancing is such an intimate experience that it feels as though your partner is making love to you right there on the dance floor.
I knew from her first glance, I'd take a chance
And now I'm feeling free that girl will only dance with me
You can read the signals that someone is open to dancing with you, and taking that chance can give you a sense of liberation and joy.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE POWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind