Their early sound was a quirky, cabaret-inflected pop-rock with witty, literate lyrics from Blegvad. Their first two albums featured members of Faust in the backing band, although the second was later re-recorded with session musicians for Virgin records.
By 1975, they had been interleaved with the British avant-rock group Henry Cow, a union that produced two important works: a theatrical, Kurt Weill-esque set of songs entitled Desperate Straights and a much more daunting and avant-garde set entitled In Praise Of Learning.
The band has had fitful reunions ever since, sometimes just for the odd single, but often for major projects (the 1991 television opera Camera and the 1998 studio album Ça Va, for example).
Krause, Moore and Blegvad reformed Slapp Happy again in November 2016 to perform with Faust at the Week-End festival in Cologne, Germany. The two groups also played on 10–11 February 2017 at Cafe Oto in London. On 24 February 2017 Slapp Happy (without Faust) performed at Mt. Rainer Hall, Shibuya in Tokyo. In September 2017, Slapp Happy and Faust played at the 10th Rock in Opposition festival in Carmaux, France. They made a final appearance in November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.
Half Way There
Slapp Happy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's only half-way there
Told me my fortune was enough for me
That I would rather be
Lying lonely in the houses
Than stand along the river-side
Wearing nothing but the ruby
Bequeathed to me by him when he died
He's only half-way there
He's only half-way there
If I hadn't disappeared
In spring that year
I'd have sent him home again
He's only half-way there
He's only half-way there
A large courtege of mourners all agree
That it was really he
Huddled in a blanket
Chewing on a ball-point pen
They stood him up against the wall
& set him off again
Around the karmic wheel big deal
You can't get me that way
I read between the lines
Of the notice in the Times
& this is what they say
He's only half-way there
He's only half-way there
Half-way there
The lyrics to Slapp Happy's song Half Way There paint a picture of confusion, isolation, and uncertainty. The first two lines are repeated several times, creating a sense of a lack of progress or an inability to fully reach a destination. The singer is told that their fortune is enough for them, suggesting that they may have settled for something that they don't truly desire. The line "lying lonely in the houses" further emphasizes the sense of isolation and detachment from the world around them.
The next few lines reveal a sense of longing for someone who has passed away. The ruby mentioned was bequeathed to the singer by this person, and they would rather wear this sentimental object than interact with the outside world. The repetition of "He's only half-way there" takes on a new meaning here, implying that the singer may feel like they are only half alive or half present without this person.
The third stanza introduces a new perspective, where others are mourning someone. However, there is ambiguity as to whether the person being mourned is the same person the singer has been longing for throughout the song. The line "huddled in a blanket, chewing on a ball-point pen" suggests a sense of anxiety or unease. The final stanza again repeats the line "He's only half-way there" and adds the phrase "half-way there" as a sort of conclusion or summation of the overall theme.
Overall, the lyrics to Half Way There create a mood of introspection and uncertainty, with the repeated phrase "He's only half-way there" serving as a sort of refrain or reminder of some unfulfilled desire or incomplete state of being.
Line by Line Meaning
He's only half-way there
The person referred to in the song is not fully committed to their goal.
He's only half-way there
The person referred to in the song is only halfway to where they need to be to succeed.
Told me my fortune was enough for me
Someone suggested that the singer's current situation is all they need to be content.
That I would rather be
The artist prefers something different from what was suggested.
Lying lonely in the houses
The artist would rather be alone and isolated than in the suggested situation.
Than stand along the river-side
The singer would rather be alone and isolated than in a natural setting.
Wearing nothing but the ruby
The singer has something valuable that they are willing to cling to even if it means being exposed.
Bequeathed to me by him when he died
The ruby was given to the artist by someone who has passed away.
If I hadn't disappeared
The artist was not present at an important time.
In spring that year
The important time was during the spring of that year.
I'd have sent him home again
The singer would have taken action to remove someone from their life if they had the chance.
A large courtege of mourners all agree
Many people expressed a unified opinion on something that happened.
That it was really he
There was a dispute about someone's identity that was eventually cleared up.
Huddled in a blanket
The person in question was cold and needed warmth.
Chewing on a ball-point pen
The person in question was doing something to pass the time.
They stood him up against the wall
The person in question was placed in a position where they had no choice but to move forward.
& set him off again
The person in question was forced to continue on their journey.
Around the karmic wheel big deal
The journey is part of a larger cycle of events.
You can't get me that way
The singer is confident they won't be defeated by the challenges ahead.
I read between the lines
The artist looked beyond the obvious to understand the deeper meaning of a situation.
Of the notice in the Times
The artist is referring to a newspaper article.
& this is what they say
The artist is about to reveal what was said in the newspaper article.
Half-way there
The singer repeats the title, indicating that the person referred to in the song is only halfway to where they need to be to succeed.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETER BLEGVAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind