Chapman was originally the vocalist for Farinas, who released the single "You'd Better Stop" b/w "I Like It Like That" in August 1964. (However, lead vocals on that single were performed by Jim King.) He moved on to join The Roaring Sixties who were renamed Family in 1966. In 1967 the first single was released, "Scene Through The Eye of a Lens", something of a psychedelic classic. Chapman wrote most of Family's songs with Charlie Whitney and their debut album Music in a Doll's House was released in 1968. Their bluesy, experimental rock music gained them a reputation as a progressive underground band.
The release of Family Entertainment (1969), A Song for Me (1970) and Anyway (1970) established Family as a fast and loud rock band also capable of producing the most intense acoustic music, in the British underground music scene, at that time. Their single "The Weaver's Answer" from the Family Entertainment album was a hit in 1969. On 28 August 1970 they appeared at the third Isle of Wight Festival. Although the band was popular in UK and Europe, success in the US eluded them and in 1973 they broke up.[3]
Chapman formed Chapman-Whitney with Whitney, late in 1973. They signed to the Vertigo label and recorded an album Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers (1974), with a line-up including other members of Family and King Crimson, as well as future Iron Maiden member Nicko McBrain. Chapman and Whitney morphed their band into Streetwalkers, who were a polished album-oriented rock band who used more white soul than Family had. They released Downtown Flyers (1975), moving on to record the groove heavy album Red Card (1976)[4] which was released in the UK in 1976 and remains a much respected album by music fans and the music press.[5] Two more albums followed before the band broke up in 1977, ending eleven years of the Whitney-Chapman musical partnership.
In 1979 Chapman began a solo career and recorded his first solo album Chappo.[6] His backing band became known as The Shortlist at this time and he toured Europe extensively. Mike Oldfield's song "Shadow on the Wall" from the album Crises (1983) featured Chapman on vocals and became a hit.[7] He appeared as a guest artist on the second Box of Frogs album Strange Land (1986) singing lead vocals on two songs. Chapman went on to record Walking the Cat (1989) and Hybrid and Low Down (1990).
Since then Chapman has released eleven albums of new and live recordings. His album Hide Go Seek (2009) was produced by former Family bassist Jim Cregan and released during May 2009. His appearance on Saturday 21 August 2010 at the Rhythm Festival was billed as: "The farewell performance from Roger Chapman & The Shortlist". [8]
PILLS
Roger Chapman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kept us wondering all these years
Just what was in that bag
That splashed into the river
Sank like a ton of bricks
Imagination running wild, wuz it
Black-eyed peas or grits
A body on the pill
No cause for retribution, no momma's doctors bills no -
There ain't no institution like
A body on the pill
When you go fornicating on
A Blueberry Hill -
The trials and tribulations of Ol'e Hickory Hollows Tramp
Deserves investigating -some kinda lady with a lamp
And that story teller feller sounds strange but could be true
If he'd bin 10 years younger I guess
We might just never knew
There ain't no institution like
A body on the pill
No cause for retribution, no momma's doctors bills no -
There ain't no institution like
A body on the pill
When you go fornicating on
A Blueberry Hill -
Like a ship, without a sail honey
It's like having no Fats Domino
Like a walk along the strand
Where you should never ever be alone
Like your sister running wild, wild,
When your listening to the Feat
Now girls you just ain't nowhere
Unless you taking it.
There ain't no institution like
A body on the pill
No cause for retribution, no momma's doctors bills no -
There ain't no institution like
A body on the pill
When you go fornicating on
A Blueberry Hill -
The lyrics of Roger Chapman's song Pills are full of references to other songs and culture, creating a collage of images and ideas that portray the allure and consequences of drug use and promiscuity. The first stanza alludes to Bobby Gentry's song Ode to Billy Joe, which tells the story of a young man who jumps off a bridge after a mysterious parcel is thrown into the river. The song's enigmatic lyrics have long fascinated listeners, and Chapman acknowledges this by singing about the "imagination running wild" over what was in the bag. He humorously suggests that it could have been "black-eyed peas or grits", poking fun at the notion that mundane things can take on mythical proportions in the human imagination.
The rest of the song plays with the idea that there is no institution quite like being on drugs - it offers an escape from reality and societal norms, but also comes with the risk of addiction and negative consequences. Chapman sings about "fornicating on a Blueberry Hill", referencing both the song made famous by Fats Domino and the sexual euphemism "blue balls". He also mentions "Ol'e Hickory Hollows Tramp" and "some kinda lady with a lamp", which might be nods to folk tales or urban legends, but also suggest the marginalization of people who deviate from moral or cultural norms. The final stanza compares being on drugs to being adrift, without direction or guidance. Chapman's lyrics are a mix of satire, commentary, and allusion, making Pills a fascinating and multi-layered song.
Line by Line Meaning
Ode to Billy Joe, oh so woeful oh so sad
Referencing the haunting and mysterious song 'Ode to Billy Joe' and its themes of death and secrets.
Kept us wondering all these years
Leaving listeners with questions and curiosity over time.
Just what was in that bag
Asking about the contents of the bag thrown into the river in the song.
That splashed into the river
Referring to the act of throwing the bag into the water which becomes a mystery in 'Ode to Billy Joe.'
Sank like a ton of bricks
The bag had a heavy weight and sank down to the bottom of the river.
Imagination running wild, wuz it Black-eyed peas or grits
Using humor to imagine what could be in the bag, as the characters’ imagination runs wild.
There ain't no institution like
A body on the pill
No cause for retribution, no momma's doctors bills no -
Life is easier and carefree when one is using birth control pills.
When you go fornicating on
A Blueberry Hill -
When one is having unprotected sex, they run the risk of getting pregnant and having to deal with the consequences.
The trials and tribulations of Ol'e Hickory Hollows Tramp
Deserves investigating -some kinda lady with a lamp
There are stories and legends that demand further investigation.
And that story teller feller sounds strange but could be true
If he'd bin 10 years younger I guess
We might just never knew
Some stories are hard to validate, but they may have some element of truth to them, and time can change people's perception of what might have occurred.
Like a ship, without a sail honey
It's like having no Fats Domino
Like a walk along the strand
Where you should never ever be alone
Like your sister running wild, wild,
When your listening to the Feat
Now girls you just ain't nowhere
Unless you taking it.
Comparing various scenarios to emphasize the importance of taking birth control pills to avoid unwanted consequences and being left with regret.
Contributed by Andrew Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.