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."
What Do You Want
The Blues Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And miss it each night and day
I know I'm not wrong, the feeling's getting stronger
The longer I stay away
Miss the moss-covered vines, tall sugar pines
Where mockingbirds used to sing
I'd love to see that old lazy Mississippi
The moonlight on the bayou
A Creole tune that fills the air
I dream about magnolias in bloom
And I'm wishin' I was there
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
When that's where you left your heart
And there's one thing more, I miss the one I care for
More than I miss New Orleans
These lyrics to The Blues Band's song What Do You Want? are actually an abbreviated cover of a song called "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" by Louis Armstrong. It's a classic jazz standard that was originally featured in the film "New Orleans" in 1947. The song is essentially a love letter to the city of New Orleans and the feelings of nostalgia and longing that it can evoke. The first verse describes the strong pull that the city has on the singer, even when they are physically away from it. The second verse paints a picture of the natural beauty and charm of the city, with its moss-covered vines, tall sugar pines, and lazy Mississippi river. The final verse brings the focus back to the singer's personal connection to the city and the person they miss, who is more important to them than even the city itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
Have you ever experienced the feeling of longing for the city of New Orleans
And miss it each night and day
That feeling of longing is constant, day and night
I know I'm not wrong, the feeling's getting stronger
I'm confident that this feeling is real and it's intensifying
The longer I stay away
The more time I spend away from New Orleans, the more I miss it
Miss the moss-covered vines, tall sugar pines
I miss seeing the vines covered in moss and the tall sugar pines
Where mockingbirds used to sing
The place where I used to hear mockingbirds' songs
I'd love to see that old lazy Mississippi
I would be happy to see the Mississippi river again; it's comforting because it remains unchanged even when I'm away
Hurrying into Spring
It's Springtime and I miss seeing the river flowing as it changes with the seasons
The moonlight on the bayou
I miss the special light of the moon on the bayou, which creates a unique and beautiful atmosphere
A Creole tune that fills the air
The sound of Creole music that fills the city, gives the town a certain ambiance that I long for
I dream about magnolias in bloom
I imagine the blooming magnolias in my head and how beautiful they are
And I'm wishin' I was there
I really wish I was in New Orleans right now.
When that's where you left your heart
I left my heart in New Orleans and that's where I yearn to be.
And there's one thing more, I miss the one I care for
In addition to missing New Orleans, I also long for the one I care about deeply; they are both equally important to me.
More than I miss New Orleans
I miss the one I care about more than the city itself.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eddie De Lange, Louis Alter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind