Shakatak sco… Read Full Bio ↴Shakatak is an English jazz-funk band, founded in 1980.
Shakatak scored a number of chart entries, including two Top Ten hits in the UK Singles Chart, "Night Birds" (1982) and "Down on the Street" (1984), plus a further 12 entries in the Guinness book of British Hit Singles. The group are still active and popular throughout the world, particularly in Japan and the Far East, and generally produce a new album every two years on JVC Records.
From their first release in August 1980, (the Bill Sharpe composition "Steppin'" on the Polydor record label), and their first album, Drivin' Hard, the band's singles and albums have entered the charts regularly.
It was the release of "Easier Said Than Done" that gave the band the radio exposure needed for their first top-twenty hit. This record introduced their instrumental-unison vocal sound to a much wider audience, and the track stayed in the UK chart for seventeen weeks. The follow-up, "Night Birds", was their first single to reach the top ten, and the album of the same name gave Shakatak their first gold album, entering at number four and remaining in the charts for twenty-eight weeks. By now a major international act, the success of the release gave them the number-one jazz album slot in Japan, and attracted interest across Europe and South America. Night Birds was used in the feature film "Away We Go" directed by Sam Mendes and was used as the demonstration song on many Casio Piano Keyboards such as the Casio CT-460.
Two more albums – Invitations and Out of This World – were recorded in 1982 and 1983, resulting in several more chart hits, and paving the way for the next major breakthrough in the band's career. With a subtle change in musical direction, yet still retaining the band's identity, Jill Saward (formerly of Fusion Orchestra, Brandy and Citizen Gang) became their lead singer to make Shakatak's fifth album, Down on the Street. The resulting single releases "Down on the Street" and "Watching You" had great success, and brought them attention in new parts of the world. The following year saw the release of the group's first live album, which was recorded in both Tokyo and London.
The seventh album, Day by Day, saw the development of songwriting by all of the band members. In 1986 Saward announced that she was expecting a baby later the same year. This news allowed the band to ease their hectic touring schedule for a while, and enabled them to concentrate purely on recording for a brief period. The band were in the top five foreign acts in Japan, and after winning the coveted Silver Award in the Tokyo International Song Festival, Shakatak were asked to produce an extra album each year exclusively for the Japanese market. By this time they had two extra albums released there entitled Into the Blue and Golden Wings. Both sold well, the latter winning the "Best Instrumental Album 1987" at the Japanese Phonograph Record Association Awards.
However, following this success the band felt it was time that they re-directed their efforts back to singles, and an album for release to the rest of the world. The result was Something Special, closely followed by the night club and chart hit "Mr Manic & Sister Cool" from their next LP, Manic and Cool.
In the 1990s, the band had success in the US when they had two albums that went to No 1 in the contemporary jazz charts, and were also awarded the Japanese grammy for best international instrumental album six years running.
Shakatak continue to appear regularly throughout the world with recent festival performances at Jakjazz, the Jakata International Jazz Festival, Bangkok, Hua Hin and the Bratislava Jazz Day and they make annual appearances at the Billboard Clubs in Japan and the Pizza Express Jazz Room in London plus numerous other concert and club performances.
The band celebrated their thirtieth anniversary year in 2010.
Bassist George Anderson is to release his second solo album 'Expressions' on the 3rd September 2012 through Secret Records. Coming three years after his first album 'Positivity', this album again sees George writing, arranging and producing all of the tracks on it.
Keyboardist Bill Sharpe worked with American jazz pianist Don Grusin on a joint project called Geography released in 2007. Sharpe's second collaboration with Grusin, Trans Atlantica has been completed and is to be released on the 3rd September 2012. This is to be released through London label Secret Records and will also include their first album Geography as a special 2-CD package.
Time Of My Life
Shakatak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting there beside you
When the drkness fell
Touching a hand
Leading you
And into a Wonderland
Oh, such a night
Guiding lovers
I couldn't fight
I surrendered to your tender kiss
Meet me on the corner
Meet me when the night is closing in
Down around the corner
Waiting for the time of my life to begin
Time and again
I have watched
And waited for the day to end
And one thing I know
I will follow you
No matter where you go
Under the light
Two lovers meet and then
Deep in the night
Hand in hand
We disappear again
Meet me on the corner
Meet me when the night is closing in
Down around the corner
Waiting for the time of my life to begin
Meet me on the corner
Meet me when the night is closing in
Down around the corner
Waiting for the time of my life to begin
Oh, such a night
Guiding lovers
To discover this
I couldn't fight
I surrendered to your tender kiss
Meet me on the corner
Meet me when the night is closing in
Down around the corner
Waiting for the time of my life to begin
Repeat the last verse and fade.
The song "Time of My Life" by Shakatak is an ode to love and the magic it brings into our lives. The opening lines, "under a spell, waiting there beside you, when the darkness fell," suggest the notion of being under the influence of love, overwhelmed by its power and beauty. The next lines, "touching a hand, leading you, and into a Wonderland," describe the awakening of newfound love and the journey that the lovers embark upon.
The lines, "guiding lovers to discover this, I couldn't fight, I surrendered to your tender kiss," describe the irresistible force of love, where the lovers are drawn to each other and become completely enveloped in the magic of their connection. The chorus, "Meet me on the corner, waiting for the time of my life to begin," further reveals the longing and anticipation the lovers feel, as they can't wait to experience the events that are yet to come.
The second verse describes the dedication the singer has to their love, suggesting that they will follow them wherever they go. The bridge, "deep in the night, hand in hand, we disappear again," encapsulates the essence of the lovers' connection, as they become lost in each other and disconnected from the rest of the world.
Overall, "Time of My Life" is a romantic, dreamy song that captures the essence of falling in love and the profound impact it has on our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Under a spell
Being in a state of enchantment or captivation
Waiting there beside you
Remaining nearby and anticipating something to happen
When the darkness fell
At the time when it became dark
Touching a hand
Making physical contact with another's hand
Leading you
Directing you to move somewhere or follow someone
And into a Wonderland
Entering into a magical, extraordinary realm
Oh, such a night
Expressing admiration for a memorable evening
Guiding lovers
Directing two people in a romantic relationship
To discover this
To uncover or find something new or exciting
I couldn't fight
Unable to resist or refuse something
I surrendered to your tender kiss
Yielding to the warmth and care of your kiss
Meet me on the corner
Arranging to meet at a specific location
Meet me when the night is closing in
Meet me during the late hours of the evening
Down around the corner
At a short distance from where we are now
Waiting for the time of my life to begin
Anticipating the start of an exciting and memorable moment
Time and again
Repeatedly, many times over
I have watched
Observing from a distance
And waited for the day to end
Looking forward to the day coming to a close
And one thing I know
Being certain of something
I will follow you
I will go wherever you go
No matter where you go
Regardless of the destination or direction you choose
Under the light
Beneath the illumination of a source of light
Two lovers meet and then
Two people in a romantic relationship encounter each other
Deep in the night
During the late hours of the evening
Hand in hand
Holding each other's hands
We disappear again
We vanish or leave from sight once more
Repeat the last verse and fade.
Sing the final verse again and gradually decrease in volume.
Writer(s): Roger Odell, William Jeffrey Revell Sharpe
Contributed by Audrey R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.