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]
The Fool
Roger Chapman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And drink to a fool, a crazy fool
Who fold his woman goodbye
Too late he's found he loves her
So much he wants to die,
So drink to a fool, a crazy fool
Who told his woman goodbye
Well he knows - that he needs her so
Every night he wonders, why he ever let,
Ever let her go, now she's found a new
Love buddy, you know,
You know he's a lucky guy,
We'd better drink to a fool,
Yeh because I'm that fool who told,
Who told his baby goodbye -
Now I'll drink to a fool -
Because I'm that fool who told,
Who told his baby goodbye
The song "The Fool" by Roger Chapman tells the story of a man who let go of the woman he loved and realized too late that he made a mistake. The lyrics describe a gathering of friends who drink to the crazy fool who let his woman go. The mood of the song is melancholy, and it conveys a sense of regret and heartache.
The opening lines of the song set the tone with the invitation to gather around and drink to a fool. The use of the word crazy emphasizes the irrationality of letting go of someone you love. The line "Who fold his woman goodbye" is a clever play on words that adds depth to the song. The use of the word fold rather than told suggests that the man gave up too easily, as if he folded his cards without putting up a fight.
Line by Line Meaning
Gather around me buddies, hold your glasses high
Come together friends, lift up your glasses and celebrate with me.
And drink to a fool, a crazy fool
Let's drink to someone foolish and irrational.
Who fold his woman goodbye
Who said goodbye to the woman he loved.
Too late he's found he loves her
He realizes too late that he loves her.
So much he wants to die,
He loves her deeply and is devastated by the loss.
Well he knows - that he needs her so
He is aware that he needs her in his life.
Every night he wonders, why he ever let
He thinks every night about why he ever let her go.
Ever let her go, now she's found a new
He regrets letting her go, especially now that she has found someone new.
Love buddy, you know,
Another man now has the woman he loves.
You know he's a lucky guy,
The man who now has her is fortunate.
We'd better drink to a fool,
Let's drink to the foolish man who lost his love.
Yeh because I'm that fool who told,
The artist is admitting that he is the fool who let her go.
Who told his baby goodbye -
He said goodbye to the woman he loved.
Now I'll drink to a fool -
The singer is now drinking to himself as the foolish man who let her go.
Because I'm that fool who told,
The singer repeats that he is the foolish one who said goodbye to her.
Who told his baby goodbye
He again acknowledges that he let the woman he loves go.
Contributed by Vivian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.