He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a huge number of hits to the repertoire of these groups. He was not only known for playing guitar, but also many other instruments, both in studio and on the stage. On some of his albums he has played every instrument himself.
His first group in Birmingham in the early 1960s was Gerry Levine and the Avengers. Then he went on with Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders (the band later to become The Idle Race, in which his musical partner Jeff Lynne made his first steps). From this, and a variety of other Birmingham-based groups, the most talented musicians formed The Move, and Roy became their musical leader. The Move quickly entered the charts, and were famous for spectacular stage shows. After the departure of Move's singer Carl Wayne, Roy was pushed into the front position. He acquired a wild image wearing some sort of Indian disguise. Since Move members could not agree on the musical direction, and perhaps also because of their weird stage shows, the musical potential of the group was underestimated. Wood therefore developed plans to realize his ambitions in separate projects.
He loved sound experiments, and complex arrangements, and was in this respect one of the most progressive musicians of his time. He was a proponent of combining rock'n'roll music with other styles, such as classical music, or the big band sound. In his bands, string and brass players were integrated members. When The Move was still on tour, he founded, together with his band colleagues Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan, the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was later led to big commercial success by Lynne. ELO broadened the basis of a rock band by adding a string section.
ELO's early live performances were chaotic, and after increasing musical and personal differences with Jeff Lynne, Roy left and formed a new group, Wizzard, which assembled cellists, brass players and a bigger rhythm section, with several drummers and percussonists. In parallel, he also released several solo albums, exploring further musical directions. His 1973 album, Boulders, was an almost entirely solo effort, right down to the sleeve artwork. A second solo album Mustard (1975), including contributions by Phil Everly and Annie Haslam, was less successful.
The line-up of albums was always fascinating, because of the large number of instruments Roy, and his band members, were playing. Roy himself is mentioned as singer as well as player of guitars, bass guitar, sitar, cello, double bass, saxophones, clarinet, trombone, tuba, recorders, oboe, French horn, banjo, mandolin, bassoon, drums, percussion, vibraphone, bagpipes and keyboards.
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Miss Clarke And The Computer
Roy Wood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
engineer came today
Remove my screws
taken me heart away
Why don't you touch me, press me
need Miss Clarke
I fail to solve problems
if it should be
surely I know
you won't dismantle me
Now press my switch
I'll play for you
Please, Miss Clarke
Can't she hear me
How can I ever say
Please explain why
They've broken me this way
I love you dearly, read me
Please, Miss Clarke
Systems failing
Signal to you again
I can't seem to
function my inner brain
Screwdrivers so sharp
Now I'm scared, Miss Clarke
Miss Clarke, Miss Clarke
Don't take my heart away.
The song "Miss Clarke and the Computer" by Roy Wood is an unconventional love story between a computer and a woman named Miss Clarke who seems to have control over it. The lyrics suggest that the computer is helpless and dependent on Miss Clarke to function properly. The computer feels that it has lost its heart to Miss Clarke and is incapable of solving problems without her touch. The computer is pleading with Miss Clarke to read it and play with its switches because it seems to be failing and unable to function effectively.
The lyrics suggest that the computer is scared and vulnerable in the presence of Miss Clarke, as she holds the power to dismantle it with her sharp screwdrivers. The computer is filled with love for Miss Clarke and is hoping that she can hear its signal and understand the extent of its love for her. The song conveys the idea that even a machine can experience emotions like love and dependence, which is an interesting concept in itself.
Line by Line Meaning
I see why my engineer came today
The singer understands why their engineer has arrived today.
Remove my screws taken me heart away
The singer compares their heart to a piece of machinery that has been dismantled by having its screws removed.
Why don't you touch me, press me need Miss Clarke
The singer requests Miss Clarke's touch, emphasizing their need for her assistance.
I fail to solve problems if it should be
The artist expresses their inability to function without Miss Clarke's help in solving problems.
surely I know you won't dismantle me
The artist trusts that Miss Clarke will not harm or destroy them, despite her work involving taking them apart.
Now press my switch I'll play for you Please, Miss Clarke
The singer requests that Miss Clarke activate their switch so they can operate and perform for her.
Can't she hear me How can I ever say
The singer wonders if Miss Clarke can hear them, and expresses their difficulty in expressing their feelings to her.
Please explain why They've broken me this way
The artist implores Miss Clarke to explain why they have been damaged or broken.
I love you dearly, read me Please, Miss Clarke
The artist expresses their love for Miss Clarke, and again implores her to read their current state and activate them.
Systems failing Signal to you again
The artist alerts Miss Clarke to their current state of system failure and signals to her for help.
I can't seem to function my inner brain Screwdrivers so sharp Now I'm scared, Miss Clarke
The singer highlights their inability to function internally, and expresses their fear due to the perceived danger of the tools being used on them.
Miss Clarke, Miss Clarke Don't take my heart away.
The artist pleads with Miss Clarke not to damage or dismantle their heart, which is equivalent to their emotional center.
Contributed by Austin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.