Slade may have never truly caught on with global audiences (often narrow-mi… Read Full Bio ↴Slade may have never truly caught on with global audiences (often narrow-mindedly deemed "too British-sounding"), but the group became a sensation in their homeland with their anthemic brand of glam rock in the early '70s, as they scored a staggering 11 Top Five hits in a four-year span from 1971 to 1974 (five of which topped the charts). Comprised of singer/guitarist Noddy Holder (born Neville Holder, June 15, 1946 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England), guitarist Dave Hill (born April 4, 1946, in Fleet Castle, Devon, England), bassist Jim Lea (born June 14, 1949, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England), and drummer Don Powell (born September 10, 1946, Bilston, Staffordshire, England), the group originally formed in the spring of 1966 under the name the In-Be-Tweens, playing out regularly with a mixture of soul and rock tracks. But besides a lone obscure single, "You Better Run" (penned by future Runaways svengali Kim Fowley), the band never issued any other recordings. By the end of '60s, the group had changed their name to Ambrose Slade and signed on with the Fontana label. They released Beginnings in 1969. Soon after, the quartet hooked up with Animals bass player-turned-manager Chas Chandler (who had discovered Jimi Hendrix a few years prior), who promptly suggested the group shorten the name to just Slade and assume a "skinhead" look (Dr. Martin boots, shaved heads) as a gimmick.

After several albums featuring few original compositions from the quartet came and went (1969's Beginnings, 1970's Play It Loud), the group began to write their own tunes, grew their hair long, and assumed the look of the then-burgeoning glam movement, joining the same cause championed by such fellow Brits as David Bowie and T. Rex. This new direction paid off in 1971 with the number 16 U.K. single "Get Down and Get With It," which soon touched off a string of classic singles and led to Slade becoming one of the most beloved party bands back home. They released Slayed? in 1972. Slade also utilized another gimmick, humorously misspelled song titles, as evidenced by such singles as "Coz I Luv You," "Look Wot You Dun," "Take Me Bak 'Ome," "Mama Weer All Crazee Now," "Gudbuy t'Jane," "Cum on Feel the Noize," "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me," and "Merry Xmas Everybody" (the latter of which re-entered the charts every holiday season for years afterward). Several attempts at cracking the U.S. market came up empty (with track listings between their U.K. and U.S. full-lengths differing), although such albums as Slade Alive! and Slayed? are considered to be some of the finest albums of the glam era.

Slade continued to score further hit singles back home, including such correctly spelled tracks as "My Friend Stan," "Everyday," "Bangin' Man," "Far Far Away," "How Does it Feel," and "In for a Penny," but with glam rock's dissolution and punk's emergence by the mid-'70s, the hits eventually dried up for the quartet. Despite the change in musical climate, Slade stuck to their guns and kept touring and releasing albums, as the title to their 1977 album, Whatever Happened to Slade, proved that the group's humor remained intact despite their fall from the top of the charts. A large, dedicated following still supported the group as they offered a performance at the 1980 Reading Festival that was considered one of the day's best, resulting in sudden renewed interest in the group back home and Slade scored their first true hit singles in six years with 1981's "We'll Bring the House Down" and "Lock up Your Daughters."

Slade received a boost stateside around this time as well, courtesy of the U.S. pop-metal outfit Quiet Riot, who made a smash hit out of "Cum on Feel the Noize" in 1983 that resulted in a strong chart showing for Slade's 1984 release Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply (issued as The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome in the U.K. a year earlier). Slade then enjoyed a pair of U.S. MTV/radio hits, "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My." Holder and Lea also tried their hand at producing another artist around this time as well, as they manned the boards for Girlschool's 1983 release Play Dirty. Despite another all-new studio release, Rogues Gallery, and Quiet Riot covering another classic Slade tune ("Mama Weer All Crazee Now"), Slade was unable to retain their newfound American audience or rekindled British following and they eventually faded from sight once more, this time without a comeback waiting around the corner. During the '90s, a truncated version of the group dubbed Slade II was formed (without Holder or Lea in attendance), while Holder became a popular U.K. television personality as well as the host of his own '70s rock radio show. A 21-track singles compilation, Feel the Noize: The Very Best of Slade, was issued in 1997 (re-released under the simple title of Greatest Hits a couple of years later), which proved to be a popular release in England.

Discography
Beginnings (as Ambrose Slade, 1969)
Play It Loud (1970)
Slayed? (1972)
Slade Alive! (1972)
Old New Borrowed and Blue (1974)
Slade in Flame (1974)
Nobody's Fools (1976)
Whatever Happened to Slade (1977)
Return to Base (1979)
We'll Bring the House Down (1981)
Till Deaf Do Us Part (1981)
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (1983), re-released in 1984 as:
- Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply (1984)
Rogues Gallery (1985)
Crackers - The Christmas Party Album (1985)
You Boyz Make Big Noize (1987)

Keep on Rockin' (1994) (as Slade II), is the only studio album by Slade II. The album was released in 1994 and has seen various re-issues and guises under alternative names such as Wild Nites (1999), Cum on Let's Party! (2002) and Superyob (2003).

There are other artists with the same name:

2. Slade less commonly refers to Grady Slade, Jr, a Rap artist

3. Slade also refers to a rapper who made music from 2013-2016 under the label, Chapter 9. He currently makes music under a new alias, Dante Oasis.

Know Who You Are
Slade Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Holder/Lea/Powell/Hill)

Know who you are
Know where you're going to
Just take a look at the things
that make up a good living
Tied off your socks

Trying your father's on
Run round the world taking all
that you want you can carry

Chorus
Know where you are
And where you've been
And where you're going to
'H' old 'H' sing a song

Maybe you're wrong
Finding a new way out
Trying to work out a way
to include one another
Think what you are
Think where you're going to
'H' sing a song to make out
that you're playing is easy

Know who you are
Know where you're going to
Read a new book
Finish the other one

Right from the start try and
work out the finishing answer

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Slade’s song “Know Who You Are” are a powerful message about self-awareness and self-discovery. The song encourages the listener to know their identity and purpose in life. The opening lines, "Know who you are, know where you're going to," are a call to action for the listener to reflect on their life and to have a clear understanding of their identity and direction.

The song goes on to suggest that to achieve this self-awareness, it is essential to examine the things that make up a good living. It could involve trying on your father's socks, running around the world, and taking all you want can carry. These actions are symbolic of exploring one's family history and cultural roots to gain a better understanding of self.

In the chorus, the lyrics advise the listener to acknowledge where they’ve been, where they are, and where they're going. The song stresses the importance of self-reflection and introspection to gain insight into one's life. The song’s title and lyrics capture the essence of taking control of one's narrative and making life choices that reflect one's core values and beliefs.

Line by Line Meaning

Know who you are
Be self-aware and know your true identity.

Know where you're going to
Have a clear sense of direction in life.

Just take a look at the things that make up a good living
Reflect on what it takes to live a fulfilling life.

Tied off your socks Trying your father's on
Trying to walk in your father's footsteps but also be your own person.

Run round the world taking all that you want you can carry
Travel and experience the world, taking what you can from it to enrich your life.

Know where you are And where you've been And where you're going to 'H' old 'H' sing a song
Reflect on your past, present, and future, and express your feelings through music.

Maybe you're wrong Finding a new way out
Admitting that you may be mistaken, but seeking to find a new path forward.

Trying to work out a way to include one another
Striving to create a society that is inclusive and values diversity.

Think what you are Think where you're going to
Continuously reflect on your identity and aspirations.

'H' sing a song to make out that you're playing is easy
Use music to make things seem effortless, even when they're not.

Read a new book Finish the other one
Constantly seek knowledge and finish what you start.

Right from the start try and work out the finishing answer
When tackling a problem, think carefully about the solution from the outset.

Contributed by Mia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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