Roxy Music became a successful act in Europe and Australia during the 1970s. This success began with their self-titled debut studio album in 1972. The band pioneered more musically sophisticated elements of glam rock while significantly influencing early English punk music, and provided a model for many new wave acts while innovating elements of electronic composition. The group also conveyed their distinctive brand of visual and musical sophistication with their focus on glamorous fashions. Ferry and co-founding member Eno have had influential solo careers. Eno became one of the most significant British record producers of the late 20th century. Rolling Stone originally ranked Roxy Music No. 98 on their greatest artists list ("The Immortals – The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time"), but dropped the group from the list when they updated it in 2011.
Roxy Music's final studio album was Avalon (1982), which was certified Platinum in the United States. In 2005, the band began recording what would have become their ninth studio album—and their first album with Eno since 1973 (he wrote two songs for it and also played keyboards). However, Ferry eventually announced that the material from these sessions would instead be released as a Ferry solo studio album, with Eno playing on "a couple of tracks", and that he believed the group would never again produce a record as Roxy Music. The album was released in 2010 as the Ferry solo studio album Olympia. It featured contributions from Eno, Manzanera, and Mackay (amongst many other session players).
In 2011, Roxy Music played a series of 40th-anniversary shows, but went inactive as a performing entity following the concerts. In 2019, Roxy Music were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2022, Roxy Music reformed for a tour to mark the 50th anniversary of their debut studio album.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxy_Music
Studio albums
Roxy Music (1972)
For Your Pleasure (1973)
Stranded (1973)
Country Life (1974)
Siren (1975)
Manifesto (1979)
Flesh and Blood (1980)
Avalon (1982)
Whirlwind
Roxy Music Lyrics
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Cut down to size again
What then
When less is more my friend
I'll change
Let me start again
Disguise
It's too weird to explain
Why I'll
Always call your name
Adieu, with you
I could be anything
That I want to be
Whirlwind
Wildfire and driving rain
Wheels spin
Bowl me over hurricane
Whirlwind
Crack your cheeks and blow
Me Far
So far
How far
Is Shangri-la from here
And is it this way?
There she blows
Tear me down tornado
Whirlpool
Drag me to the deeps below
Whirlwind
Will a wildcat strike be tame?
Earthquake
Shake me to my feet again
It's crosswords go you near
A fatal clue I fear
This case is closed
Elementally, my dear.
Beware
Whirlwind
The lyrics to Roxy Music's song "Whirlwind" speaks about the chaos and unexpected surprises that life throws at us. The song is filled with metaphors and imagery of storms, hurricanes, whirlpools, and earthquakes. The first stanza of the song suggests that the singer has been brought down to their size and wants to start anew. The use of the word "May Day" also implies that something serious has happened or is about to happen. The second stanza seems to speak about the desire to change, to be something or someone new, and the need for a disguise to achieve it. The chorus of the song speaks of the singer being caught in a whirlwind of chaos, with a wildcat strike being tame in comparison. The third stanza continues with the metaphorical storms and speaks about being blown away and dragged down to the depths below by a whirlpool. The singer questions how far they are from Shangri-La and whether it is even in the right direction. The song concludes with an earthquake that will shake the singer up and the warning to "beware the whirlwind."
One possible interpretation of this song is that it is about the unpredictability and uncontrollability of life. The singer seems to be caught up in a whirlwind of events that they cannot stop or slow down. They feel the need to change themselves or their situation, but they don't know where to start or who they want to become. The imagery of storms and natural disasters suggests that these events are beyond anyone's control and that the best one can do is to brace themselves and wait for it to pass. The use of metaphors and wordplay adds to the ambiguity of the song, making room for multiple interpretations.
Line by Line Meaning
May Day
A call for help or distress, a plea for attention.
Cut down to size again
Being humbled or defeated after a period of success or arrogance.
What then
A rhetorical question asking for a next course of action after a change or setback.
When less is more my friend
Sometimes simplifying and minimizing things can lead to better outcomes.
I'll change
A declaration of intent to undergo personal development or transformation.
Let me start again
A plea to reboot or reset something that has gone wrong or failed.
Disguise
Hiding or masking one's true identity or situation.
It's too weird to explain
Something that is so unusual or bizarre that is difficult to articulate or justify.
Why I'll always call your name
A pledge of loyalty, devotion, or love.
Adieu, with you
A farewell, acknowledging a parting of ways with someone important.
I could be anything that I want to be
An assertion of freedom, ambition, and self-determination.
Whirlwind
A metaphorical or literal storm, symbolizing chaos or upheaval.
Wildfire and driving rain
An extreme, uncontrollable version of the whirlwind metaphor.
Wheels spin
A sense of movement or momentum, often associated with fate or destiny.
Bowl me over hurricane
Being overwhelmed by the magnitude or violence of the whirlwind symbol.
Crack your cheeks and blow
A reference to King Lear, implying a command for a powerful outburst or release.
Me Far
A sense of loneliness, abandonment, or isolation.
So far
An extension of the previous line, emphasizing the distance between people or places.
How far
A rhetorical question that highlights the spatial or emotional separation between two things.
Is Shangri-la from here
A reference to a mythical or idealized place that one longs for, but might not exist.
And is it this way?
A plea for guidance or inspiration, seeking direction in a difficult or uncertain situation.
There she blows
A reference to Moby Dick, implying an impending danger or disaster.
Tear me down tornado
The whirlwind symbol, but with a destructive or harmful connotation.
Whirlpool
A variation of the whirlwind symbol, suggesting a circular or never-ending cycle.
Drag me to the deeps below
A sense of being pulled down or overwhelmed by the whirlwind symbol.
Whirlwind
The repeated use of the whirlwind symbol, emphasizing its importance and impact in the song.
Will a wildcat strike be tame?
A rhetorical question that challenges the audience to consider what would happen if something unpredictable or uncontrollable were to occur.
Earthquake
A natural disaster that symbolizes sudden and massive change or upheaval.
Shake me to my feet again
A call for resilience, strength, and renewal in the face of adversity or challenge.
It's crosswords go you near
A wordplay on 'crossroads', implying a difficult or critical decision that one must make.
A fatal clue I fear
A sense of danger, uncertainty, or foreboding associated with the decision at hand.
This case is closed
An announcement of resolution or finality, implying that a difficult situation has been resolved or overcome.
Elementally, my dear.
A reference to Sherlock Holmes, emphasizing the simplicity and basic nature of the solution to a complex problem.
Beware
A warning, urging caution or vigilance in an uncertain or dangerous situation.
Whirlwind
The final repetition of the whirlwind symbol, suggesting that its impact can still be felt even after the song has ended.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRYAN FERRY, PHIL MANZANERA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind