Stealers Wheel was a British folk/rock band formed in Paisley, Scotland in … Read Full Bio ↴Stealers Wheel was a British folk/rock band formed in Paisley, Scotland in 1972 by former school friends Joe Egan (born 1944) and Gerry Rafferty (1947 - 2011). In the early 1970s, the band was considered to be the British version of American folk/rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. They were initially joined by Roger Brown, Rab Noakes and Ian Campbell in 1972. However, that line-up only lasted a few months and by the time the band were signed to A&M Records later that same year, Brown, Noakes and Campbell had been replaced by Paul Pilnick, Tony Williams and Rod Coombes. This line-up recorded their eponymous debut album, Stealers Wheel and was produced by the influential American songwriters and producers Leiber & Stoller.The album 'Stealers Wheel' (1973), became a commercial success. It contains their biggest hit 'Stuck in the Middle with You'. Two more albums were released ('Ferguslie Park', 1974 and 'Right Or Wrong', 1975) before Rafferty and Egan broke up. It took several years to sort out the legal problems connected to their break-up. After that, Rafferty became a star with his hit 'Baker Street' from the album 'City to City' (1978).
Paul Pilnick's early career was promoted and managed by Mr George Roberts whilst Paul worked as lead guitarist for the band, "Vince & the Volcanoes", led by Mr Vincent Tow/Ismail;
(Vinnie was an early, informal & friend, guitar tutor to, Lennon & McCartney)
They all worked at and from Liverpool 8, 'granby' during and including 1959 to 1963 and from 54 Huskisson Street Liverpool 8.

Over My Head
Stealers Wheel Lyrics

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We sat up talking right on through the night
And the day had just begun
Then you said let's take a walk outside
And watch the rising of the sun

And over my head there was so much to see in the sky
Just that feeling of being alive
Don't let it go, don't let it slip away

We stood around until the sky was clear
And it was time for you to go
I watched your figure slowly disappear
As you walked off down the road

And over my head there was so much to see in the sky
Just that feeling of being alive
Don't let it go, don't let it slip away

Don't let it go, don't let it slip away

Don't let it go, don't let it slip away
Don't let it go, don't let it slip away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stealers Wheel's song Over My Head describe a moment of contemplation and reflection after spending the night talking with a companion. The singer and their companion decide to watch the sun rise, and the singer is struck by the beauty and wonder of the sky above them. The sense of being alive and present in the moment is so powerful that the singer urges their companion not to let it go or slip away. The song takes on a melancholic tone as the two part ways, with the singer watching their companion walk away into the distance. The repeated refrain serves as a reminder to hold onto moments of beauty and connection.

The song can be interpreted in a few different ways. One reading is that the singer is urging their companion not to let go of the connection between them and to hold onto the memory of the moment they shared together. Another interpretation is that the singer is encouraging their companion to stay present in the world around them and not to let the wonder and beauty of life slip away unnoticed. The line "over my head there was so much to see in the sky" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the vastness and complexity of the world around us.

Overall, the song is a poignant reminder to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world and to hold onto moments of connection and presence with others.

Line by Line Meaning

We sat up talking right on through the night
We conversed till dawn

And the day had just begun
The sun was just rising

Then you said let's take a walk outside
You suggested we go outside

And watch the rising of the sun
To witness the sun's ascent

And over my head there was so much to see in the sky
Looking up, there was a lot to observe and appreciate

Just that feeling of being alive
The exhilaration of being alive was present

Don't let it go, don't let it slip away
Hold on to this wonderful feeling

We stood around until the sky was clear
We were present until the sky was blue

And it was time for you to go
The hour had come for you to depart

I watched your figure slowly disappear
I witnessed you gradually disappearing from view

As you walked off down the road
As you proceeded on your way