Ten Years After is an English blues rock band, most popular in the late 196… Read Full Bio ↴Ten Years After is an English blues rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, the band scored eight Top 40 albums in the UK Albums Chart, twelve albums in the US Billboard 200, and are best known for tracks such as "I'm Going Home", "Hear Me Calling", "I'd Love to Change the World" and "Love Like a Man". Their musical style is blues rock and hard rock.

Originally from Nottingham in the UK, this band of virtuoso musicians under the leadership of Alvin Lee conquered the UK scene and then spread their wings to the USA. Their blend of jazz, blues and rock was initially slightly awkward but their first album provided an opening for them. In October, their 1967 self-titled debut album was released.

In 1968, after touring Scandinavia and the United States, Ten Years After released their second album, live Undead, which brought their first classic, "I'm Going Home." This was followed in February 1969 by studio issue, Stonedhenge, a British hit, that included another classic, "Hear Me Calling" (it was released also as a single, and covered in 1972 by British glam rock rising stars, Slade). In July 1969 they appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival, in the first event to which rock bands were invited. In August, the band performed a breakthrough American appearance at Woodstock; their furious-to-soft-to-furious rendition of "I'm Going Home" featuring Alvin Lee as the lead singer was featured in both the subsequent film and soundtrack album and catapulted them to star status.

During 1970, Ten Years After released "Love Like a Man", their only hit in the UK Singles Chart. This song was on their fifth album, Cricklewood Green. The name of the album comes from a friend of the group who lived in Cricklewood, London. He grew a sort of plant which was said to have hallucinogenic effects. The band did not know the name of this plant, so they called their album Cricklewood Green. It was the first record to be issued with a different playing speed on each side – one a three-minute edit at 45rpm, the other, a nine-minute live version at 33rpm. In August, Ten Years After played the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 to an audience of 600,000.
In 1971, the band released the album A Space in Time which marked a move toward more commercial material. It featured their biggest hit, "I'd Love To Change The World". But a few albums later, the band broke up after the 1974 album Positive Vibrations. They re-united in 1983 to play the Reading Festival and this performance was later released on CD as The Friday Rock Show Sessions - Live At Reading '83. In 1988, they re-united for a few concerts and recorded the album About Time (1989). Finally, in 1994, they participated in the Eurowoodstock festival in Budapest.

Alvin Lee has since then mostly played and recorded under his own name. In 2003, the other band members replaced him with Joe Gooch and recorded the album Now. Material from the following tour was used for the 2005 double album Roadworks.

Lee died on March 6, 2013. According to his website, he died from "unforeseen complications following a routine surgical procedure."[2][3][4] He was 68. His former bandmates lamented his death, Leo Lyons called him "the closest thing I had to a brother", while Ric Lee (no relation) said "I don't think its even sunk in yet as to the reality of his passing." Billboard Magazine wrote of his passing, highlighting such landmark performances as "I'm Going Home" from the Woodstock festival and his 1974 hit single "I'd Love to Change the World."[5]

Band members:
Alvin Lee – guitar, vocals
Leo Lyons – bass
Chick Churchill – keyboards
Ric Lee – drums
Joe Gooch – guitar, vocals (joined in 2003)

You can also see Alvin Lee and / or Alvin Lee & Ten Years After and / or Alvin Lee & Co and / or The Alvin Lee Band on Last.fm.

Going To Try
Ten Years After Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm gonna try, I'm gonna try
I'm gonna try and get my feet out of the sand

I'm gonna try, I'm gonna try
I'm gonna try and find out where's the promised land

Where are you?
How do I know you're true, know you're true, know you're true?

Now I can find what I want out of life, out of life

I want to try, I want to try
I want to try and find out where's the promised land

I want to try, I want to try
I want to try and get my feet out of the sand

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ten Years After's song Going to Try display the singer's determination to find their purpose in life and reach their goals. The repeated phrase "I'm gonna try, I'm gonna try" emphasizes their determination to take action and not give up. The line "I'm gonna try and get my feet out of the sand" suggests feeling stuck or stagnant in their current situation, and wanting to move forward.

The mention of the "promised land" signifies an idealized place or state of being that the singer is striving towards. The uncertainty of not knowing if this place truly exists is reflected in the line "Where are you?/How do I know you're true?" The singer is searching for a sense of direction and purpose, hoping that the promised land will provide the answers they seek.

Overall, the lyrics to Going to Try convey a sense of restlessness, uncertainty, and the desire for growth and change. The repetition of the phrase "I'm gonna try" creates a sense of urgency and determination, and the emphasis on finding the promised land suggests a belief that their efforts will lead to a better life.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna try, I'm gonna try
The singer is determined to try to achieve their goal.

I'm gonna try and get my feet out of the sand
The singer wants to overcome their current state of stagnation.

I'm gonna try and find out where's the promised land
The singer is searching for a better place or a better future.

Where are you?
The artist is addressing an unknown entity that could guide them.

How do I know you're true, know you're true, know you're true?
The artist is questioning the credibility of the entity they're addressing.

Now I can find what I want out of life, out of life
The singer believes that finding the entity will enable them to achieve their desires and goals.

I want to try, I want to try
The singer reiterates their determination to try.

I want to try and find out where's the promised land
The artist reiterates their desire to find a better future.

I want to try and get my feet out of the sand
The artist reiterates their desire to overcome their current state of stagnation.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALVIN LEE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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