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.
Once There Was a Time
Ten Years After Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a good meal and a smoke
Once there was a time I'd sell my brother
For a dollar when I was broke
But I'd never sell my guitar
And my strings were always sharp
Cause if I don't have a guitar
And if I don't get to heaven
And I go down there below
Better be a guitar when I get there
Or, I will refuse to go
Once there was a time I was hungry
And I'd find my food in some bin
But I'd never, never sell my guitar
Cause that would, darling, that would be a sin
The lyrics to Ten Years After's song "Once There Was a Time" are an expression of the singer's undying loyalty and love for his guitar. The first two verses detail the hunger and desperation that once consumed the singer's life. He describes a time when he would do anything for a good meal and a smoke, even if it meant robbing his own mother. He admits that he was once so poor that he would sell his brother for a dollar. Despite these hardships, the singer never wavered in his love for his guitar. He kept his strings sharp, never selling his instrument, because without it he would be left strumming on "some angel's harp."
The final two verses expand on the singer's devotion to his guitar. He declares that if he were to end up in hell, he would refuse to go unless he had a guitar with him. The final verse speaks to the singer's personal understanding of sin. Despite having once been so poor that he had to root through trash cans for food, the idea of selling his guitar is unthinkable to him. To part with his beloved instrument would be a true sin.
The lyrics to "Once There Was a Time" are a testament to the power of music in our lives. The song is a powerful expression of the singer's relationship with his guitar, and it speaks to the essential role that music can play in our existence. The song is a reminder that, even in our darkest moments, music can be a source of solace and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Once there was a time I'd rob my mama
There was a time when I would do anything to satisfy my hunger and addiction, even if it meant stealing from my own family.
For a good meal and a smoke
I was in a situation where food and cigarettes were top priorities, and I would do just about anything to get them, even if it meant committing a crime.
Once there was a time I'd sell my brother
I was in such a state of desperation that I would do something as unforgivable as selling my own flesh and blood for a measly dollar.
For a dollar when I was broke
I was so broke and desperate for cash that I was willing to betray the trust of those close to me in order to survive.
But I'd never sell my guitar
While I may have been willing to do reprehensible things to survive, there was always something that I held sacred and irreplaceable: my guitar.
And my strings were always sharp
It wasn't just any guitar either, but one that was always in perfect condition, cared for with great attention to detail.
Cause if I don't have a guitar
Without my guitar, I would feel lost and aimless, like I had lost a part of myself that could never be replaced.
I'll be strumming on some angels harp
If I were to lose my guitar and all other earthly possessions, I would hope to end up in heaven where I could continue my love for music by playing the harp alongside the angels.
And if I don't get to heaven
But it's not just about having a guitar for the sake of music, it's also tied to the idea of an afterlife and the possibility of going to heaven.
And I go down there below
If I were to instead go to hell, I still wouldn't be content unless I had a guitar with me as a small piece of comfort in an otherwise hopeless situation.
Better be a guitar when I get there
Without a guitar, I would feel incomplete and alone, even in the afterlife, so I hope to be reunited with a beloved instrument if I were to pass on.
Or, I will refuse to go
That's how deeply ingrained music and my guitar are in my being: they are non-negotiable parts of my soul that I could never leave behind, even in death.
Once there was a time I was hungry
This song tells the story of a time in my life when I faced extreme hardship and hunger, and was willing to make questionable decisions to survive.
And I'd find my food in some bin
I was so desperate for sustenance that I resorted to scavenging in trash cans, anything just to keep my hunger at bay.
But I'd never, never sell my guitar
Amidst all the hardship and desperation, there was one thing that was unthinkable to part with: my guitar, the one thing that gave me a sense of hope and purpose.
Cause that would, darling, that would be a sin
To sell my guitar would be the ultimate betrayal of myself and all that I believe in, and therefore something that I could never bring myself to do.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALVIN LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind