They originally got together just for fun, but in the process stayed together far longer than any of their previous groups had ever managed to do.[citation needed]
Their first album, The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album, a mixture of blues standards and original songs – notably the Jones-McGuinness composition "Come On In", and their long-standing stage favourite "Flatfoot Sam" - initially attracted no interest from major record companies, so they pressed a limited run of 3,000 themselves, hand-stamped their logo on the cardboard sleeve, and signed them all. After unqualified endorsement from BBC Radio 1 presenter Simon Bates and others, media interest resulted in a recording contract with Arista Records, who gave the album an official release.
In 1982 Flint left, and was replaced by former Family drummer Rob Townsend. They briefly disbanded later that year after recording a live album, Bye Bye Blues, released in 1983, but reformed soon afterwards. They have remained a constant factor on the music scene ever since, unfazed by lack of chart success (after the first few years, as demonstrated below), happy to combine a regular schedule of touring and recording around their other commitments. More recent albums include Back For More, Homage, Brassed Up, Wire Less, Fat City, and Thank You Brother Ray, the last being a set of cover versions of Ray Charles songs, recorded as a tribute.
Jones, McGuinness and Townsend are also members of The Manfreds, a virtual reincarnation of Manfred Mann, though because of the non-participation of the eponymous keyboard player of the 1960s outfit, legal reasons and courtesies require them to assume the name 'Manfreds'. Jones and Kelly sometimes play gigs as a duo, and Kelly performs with The Dave Kelly Band (generally The Blues Band without Jones).
As the band themselves often joke, "The music industry doesn’t bother us and we don’t bother them."
Busted
The Blues Band Lyrics
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Cotton is down to a quarter a pound, but I'm busted
I got a cow that went dry and a hen that won't lay
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
The county's gonna haul my belongings away cause I'm busted.
I went to my brother to ask for a loan cause I was busted
I hate to beg like a dog without his bone, but I'm busted
My wife and my kids are all down with the flu,
And I was just thinking about calling on you 'cause I'm busted.
Well, I am no thief, but a man can go wrong when he's busted
The food that we canned last summer is gone and I'm busted
The fields are all bare and the cotton won't grow,
Me and my family got to pack up and go,
But I'll make a living, just where I don't know cause I'm busted.
I'm broke, no bread, I mean like nothing, It's over
The Blues Band's "Busted" is a somber song about financial struggles and hardship. The lyrics tell the story of a man who is in financial ruin, with bills piling up and no money to pay them. The situation is dire, as he can't even afford to buy shoes for his baby. The chorus repeats the word "busted," which serves as a metaphor for the man's financial situation. His cotton crops have failed and his animals are not producing, leaving him with no source of income. He turns to his brother for help, but is met with disappointment when he is declined due to his own family's illness. The man is forced to contemplate turning to a life of crime to survive, as he tries to figure out how to provide for his family.
The song touches on themes of poverty, desperation, and family hardship. The singer is painted as a sympathetic character who is doing everything he can to provide for his loved ones. He is a victim of circumstance, with no control over the forces that have led to his financial demise. The repetition of the word "busted" serves to drive home the central idea of the song - that this man's life has been shattered by circumstances beyond his control.
Line by Line Meaning
My bills are all due and the baby needs shoes and I'm busted
I have run out of money and can't pay my bills, but I have an added expense of needing to buy shoes for my baby. I'm in a tough financial situation.
Cotton is down to a quarter a pound, but I'm busted
The market value for my crop has decreased, and I have no money left. I'm in a difficult financial situation.
I got a cow that went dry and a hen that won't lay
Even my livestock is not producing, adding to my financial struggles.
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
I have a pile of unpaid bills that only seems to grow. My debt is piling up and I can't keep up with it.
The county's gonna haul my belongings away cause I'm busted.
I'm at risk of losing my possessions because of my inability to pay my debts.
I went to my brother to ask for a loan cause I was busted
I turned to my family as a last resort to ask for financial help because I'm broke.
I hate to beg like a dog without his bone, but I'm busted
I feel ashamed to ask for help and feel like I have nothing to offer in return. I have no other options.
My brother said there ain't a thing I can do,
My brother can't help me financially because he's facing his own challenges.
My wife and my kids are all down with the flu,
My brother is dealing with a sick family and can't afford to give me any financial support.
And I was just thinking about calling on you 'cause I'm busted.
I had no other options and thought about turning to my brother for help.
Well, I am no thief, but a man can go wrong when he's busted
Even a good person can be driven to desperate measures when they run out of money and have no way to provide for their family.
The food that we canned last summer is gone and I'm busted
We have run out of food, even the food that we had saved to last us through the year. We have no resources left.
The fields are all bare and the cotton won't grow,
My crops have failed, and I have no way to generate income from the land. My only option is to leave.
Me and my family got to pack up and go,
My family and I have no choice but to leave our home and seek a new life elsewhere.
But I'll make a living, just where I don't know cause I'm busted.
I have hope for a better future, but for now, I'm uncertain about where my next opportunity will come from, and my current situation is dire.
Writer(s): R. KELLY
Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.