Spooky Tooth was an English progressive rock band from the late 1960s.
<… Read Full Bio ↴Spooky Tooth was an English progressive rock band from the late 1960s.

They formed in October 1967, out of a combination of The Ramrods (1960 - late 1963), The V.I.P.'s (late 1963 - April 1967) and Art (April - October 1967). The line-up changed several times, but typically included the following members:

Mike Harrison (keyboards/vocals)Greg Ridley (bass guitar/vocals)Luther (Luke) Grosvenor (guitar/vocals)Mike Kellie (drums)Gary Wright (organ/vocals)
It was the addition of Gary Wright that signalled the name change from Art to Spooky Tooth.

The song "Better By You, Better Than Me" recorded by Judas Priest is a Spooky Tooth cover. It was taken from 1969's Spooky Two LP which is generally considered to be the best effort by the group. It was the last album release from the original line-up. Ridley joined Humble Pie in 1969 and was replaced by Andy Leigh who went on to Matthews Southern Comfort with ex-Fairport Convention vocalist Ian Matthews. The experimental nature of Ceremony received mixed reviews and following its release Wright also bowed out. The core of Harrison, Grosvenor and Kellie struggled on for one more album, aptly titled The Last Puff, (featuring a cover of "I am the Walrus") completed with friends from Joe Cocker's Grease Band.

They broke up in the autumn of 1970. After solo efforts, Harrison and Wright reformed Spooky Tooth in September 1972 with a different (and frequently changing) line-up. The best known member of these line-ups (March 1973 - September 1974) was Mick Jones (guitar/vocals), later of Foreigner. From February to May 1974, Mike Patto (vocals) replaced Harrison for the 1974 release The Mirror. The group then split again in September 1974.

DISCOGRAPHY

Art
Mike Harrison (vocals), Greg Ridley (bass guitar), Luther Grosvenor (guitar), Mike Kellie (drums)
* 1967 - Supernatural Fairy Tales

Spooky Tooth
* 1968 - It's All About
* 1969 - Spooky Two
* 1970 - Ceremony (with Pierre Henry)
* 1970 - The Last Puff
* 1971 - Tobacco Road (=It's All About)
* 1973 - You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw
* 1973 - Witness
* 1974 - The Mirror
* 1999 - Cross Purpose
* 1999 - The Best of Spooky Tooth: That Was Only Yesterday
* 2000 - Comic Violence
* 2001 - BBC Sessions
* 2007 - Nomad Poets (DVD)

Wildfire
Spooky Tooth Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wright

Wildfire is in my mind
My desire is waiting to unwind
I finally found what I've been looking for
Threw away the chains that bound my heart
Since I met you
You opened the door

Yes you gave me a brand new start

Wildfire is in my mind
My desire is waiting to unwind
Wildfire burning in my mind

Craziness took me by suprise
But I feel I got the world in my hand
Happiness look me in the eyes
No use but you can understand

Wildfire is in my mind

My desire is waiting to unwind
Wildfire burning in my mind

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Spooky Tooth's Wildfire depict an individual who has found what they have been looking for all along. The yearning is such that the person's mind is consumed by wildfire, an all-consuming passion, and the desires are waiting to unwind. The individual has thrown away the chains that previously bound their heart and found a way of escape. The discovery of the thing they've been searching for is a means to a brand new start. There's a sense of excitement, but also various voices in the head, represented by "craziness," and "happiness," which the person is struggling to reconcile.

The overall message of the song is one of liberation, freedom, and taking chances. The individual is going through some transformation, and for the first time, they feel like they're holding the world in their hands. Despite all these changes, the only one who can appreciate and understand the situation is the person they've met. It leaves the listener feeling like the romance came at the right time as it liberated the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

Wildfire is in my mind
The feeling of passion and excitement is consuming my thoughts

My desire is waiting to unwind
What I truly want is ready to be unleashed

I finally found what I've been looking for
After searching for so long, I have discovered my true passion

Threw away the chains that bound my heart
I have freed myself from the restraints that held me back and prevented me from pursuing my dreams

Since I met you
Since encountering you in my life

You opened the door
You provided the opportunity for me to pursue my passion

Yes you gave me a brand new start
You gave me a fresh beginning, a chance to start over and pursue what truly makes me happy

Craziness took me by surprise
Unexpectedly, my wild passion and excitement completely overtook me

But I feel I got the world in my hand
Despite feeling like I'm losing control, I also feel incredibly powerful and in control of my destiny

Happiness look me in the eyes
I am filled with joy and contentment, and I can literally see it in my own reflection

No use but you can understand
Although my euphoria may seem irrational to others, you are the only one who truly comprehends and shares my feelings