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.
If You Should Love Me
Ten Years After Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then I cannot be to blame
For loving you the way I do
If you should want me
Then you cannot really say
You cannot say it to me, baby
Mmm, won't you love me true
Cause you got your way and, baby, I got mine
The only way I know
You know I know that It's gonna be good loving
For ever and a day
The way you want my love
You know you're gonna be my baby
And I'm feeling all
I'm feeling all right
Baby, love the way you walk
I love it when you're talking to me, darling
Yeah, won't you call my name
Now now now now
I want to show you how to love
And loving should be good
Cause darling, we got it made
Made by you and me
Now now now now
I want to be your loving man
Want to love you all I can
I want to show you, baby, baby, baby
How to love you right
Baby, make you feel so good tonight
Baby, make you feel, feel so right
I know I really would if I could
If you should love me
Love me every day
Love me all the way
Baby, I love you
Love you all the time
I love you it's only right
If I love you every night
Then, I'll buy a diamond ring
Buy a diamond ring for your finger
Yeah, yeah, now, now, now
Everybody's telling me
That I must be mad to think it's very bad
Cause I love you and I know that you love me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, now
Yeah, love is really good to me
Loving really sets me free
Baby, I'm feeling, I'm feeling
I'm feeling all night
Now yeah, loving is really good and fine
Loving really frees your mind
Darling, darling, I'm feeling all right
Yeah, yeah, now now
Come on, come on, yeah, yeah
The lyrics to Ten Years After's song If You Should Love Me are a declaration of love and an invitation for reciprocal feelings of love. The first verse suggests that the singer is not to be blamed for loving the other person the way they do, and in turn, they cannot be blamed if the person they love should want them back. The singer declares that they love the other person, the only way they know how, and assures them that their love will lead to good loving for ever and a day. The chorus reaffirms the singer's love and desire for reciprocation, promising to love the other person every day and all the way, even buying them a diamond ring.
The second verse emphasizes the singer's desire to love the other person right, to make them feel good and free. It also suggests that others might disapprove of their love, but that they know that their love is real and reciprocated. The repetition of "yeah, yeah" and "now now" in the chorus and bridge creates a sense of urgency and eagerness in the singer's desire for love.
Overall, the lyrics to If You Should Love Me convey a sense of yearning, devotion, and commitment to love. The singer is not afraid to express their love and make a commitment to the other person, promising to love them every day and all the way.
Line by Line Meaning
If you should love me
I cannot be blamed if you fall in love with me
Then I cannot be to blame
It's not my fault that you love me
For loving you the way I do
I love you the way I do and I can't help it
If you should want me
If you desire me
Then you cannot really say
You can't deny that you want me
You cannot say it to me, baby
You can't keep it from me
Mmm, won't you love me true
Please love me sincerely and honestly
Cause you got your way and, baby, I got mine
We both have our own paths and beliefs
Darling, I love you
My love for you runs deep
The only way I know
The way I express my love is unique and genuine
You know I know that It's gonna be good loving
I'm certain our love will be fantastic
For ever and a day
Our love will remain strong and true eternally
The way you want my love
The way you desire my love
You know you're gonna be my baby
I know you will be mine
And I'm feeling all
I'm feeling fantastic
I'm feeling all right
I'm feeling good and content
Baby, love the way you walk
I adore the way you walk
I love it when you're talking to me, darling
I enjoy your company and conversations with you
Yeah, won't you call my name
Please say my name
Now now now now
Right now
I want to show you how to love
I want to teach you the right way to love
And loving should be good
Love should be enjoyable and positive
Cause darling, we got it made
My love, we have a great thing going
Made by you and me
Our love was created by our mutual feelings
I want to be your loving man
I desire to be your affectionate partner
Want to love you all I can
I want to shower you with all my love
I want to show you, baby, baby, baby
I want to demonstrate my love for you
How to love you right
How to fulfill your needs in love perfectly
Baby, make you feel so good tonight
I want to make you happy tonight
Baby, make you feel, feel so right
I want to make you feel amazing and content
I know I really would if I could
I know that I could make you feel great
If you should love me
If you happen to love me
Love me every day
Love me each and every day
Love me all the way
Love me completely and wholeheartedly
Love you all the time
I'll love you every second of every day
I love you it's only right
My love for you is correct and true
If I love you every night
If I show you love each night
Then, I'll buy a diamond ring
I'll purchase an engagement ring for you
Buy a diamond ring for your finger
I'll buy an expensive diamond ring for you to wear
Everybody's telling me
Everyone is suggesting
That I must be mad to think it's very bad
That I'm foolish to believe it's a terrible idea
Cause I love you and I know that you love me
Because I love you, and I know you love me too
Yeah, love is really good to me
Love is fantastic for me
Loving really sets me free
Love makes me feel liberated and relaxed
Darling, darling, I'm feeling all right
My love, I'm feeling great and happy
Come on, come on, yeah, yeah
Let's go, let's go, yes, yes
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALVIN LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Renate Hörmann
69 ssrzI1
Renate Hörmann
Hallo, I have it too, but the
LP is very old, but I love
this vinyl album, now I need a
new
Stereo Player... You know, I didn't really have the wright
Sound at the moment.
Yoursincely from Renate Hörmann
Austria /Vienna - Europe ☮️😊🎼🎵🎸
Felipe Mota
If you should love me
Then I cannot be to blame
For loving you the way I do
If you should want me
Then you cannot really say
You cannot say it to me, baby
Mmmm... won't you love me true
'Cause you got your way and, baby, I got mine
Darling, I love you
The only way I know
You know I know that It's gonna be good loving
For ever and a day
The way you want my love
You know you're gonna be my baby
And I'm feeling all
I'm feeling all right
Baby, love the way you walk
I love it when you're talking to me, darling
Yeah, won't you call my name
Now now now now
I wanna show you how to love
And loving should be good
'Cause darling, we got it made
Made by you and me
Now now now now
I wanna be your loving man
Wanna love you all I can
I wanna show you, baby, baby, baby...
How to love you right
Baby, make you feel so good tonight
Baby, make you feel, feel so right
I know I really would if I could
If you should love me
Love me every day
Love me all the way
Baby, I love you
Love you all the time
I love you it's only right
If I love you every night
Then, I'll buy a diamond ring
Buy a diamond ring for your finger
Yeah, yeah, now, now, now
Everybody's telling me
That I must be mad to think it's very bad
'Cause I love you and I know that you love me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, now
Yeah, love is really good to me
Loving really sets me free
Baby, I'm feeling, I'm feeling
I'm feeling all night
Now yeah, loving is really good and fine
Loving really frees your mind
Darling, darling, I'm feeing all right
Yeah, yeah, now now......
Come on, come on, yeah, yeah.
Paul Michaelides
Always loved Ten Years After.One of the greatest bands ever.My biggest regret is I never saw them live.RIP Alvin your music lives on.
sugoidessho
I could listen to this for hours on end and never get tired of it. Music we will never see the likes of again.
Bobby Grissom
I drove around for 24 hours in a Toyota corolla in 1970 listening to this on 8 track tape over snd over and i want to do it again
Bob Hackett
I’m listening to it right now while I’m reading through these comments. Lots of history in this one, takes me way back
1-Shot slinger
One of the best Ten Years After songs . RIP Alvin Lee -- we miss you brother !
John Noff
I was thirteen when this album came out. My older sister had it. She had great taste! Great songs and thanks for posting this reminder of my past with my sister :-)
Manuella Lopes
Muito bom esse som!
Tommy Ingvaldson
I was 20 years old then - I saw the album through a window in a small record shop in Copenhagen in the days of 69. I went in. The rest is history.
catatau 456
Essa música é muito linda , agradeço ao saudoso Alvim Lee, o grande cara do Rock and Roll.
BeliKeshini
"That beautiful face and those lightening fingers were magic." That's exactly what I always thought... Thank you for sharing my admiration for this amazing guy! :)