The Greatest Show On Earth were originally formed in 1968 by guitarist Gart… Read Full Bio ↴The Greatest Show On Earth were originally formed in 1968 by guitarist Garth-Roy and his bass-playing brother Norman. The original line-up included organist Mick Deacon, drummer Ron Prudence and three horns players, Dick Hanson, Tex Phillpotts and Ian Aitcheson. The band's first vocalist was black American Ozzie Lane but he returned to his native New Orleans a year later and was replaced by Colin Horton-Jennings, not only a strong gravel-voiced singer but also quite adept on the guitar, bongos and flute. The group's mixture of R&B soul, jazz and prog rock brought them to the attention of EMI's progressive label Harvest Records, who signed the band and issued, in february 1970, the single, "Real Cool World"/"Again And Again" which, though not a hit in the UK, gave the band a medium-sized hit across Europe where they were also an in-demand live attraction. Both tracks featured on their March 1970 debut LP, "Horizons" which was housed in a distinctive sleeve designed by Hipgnosis and coincided with a Radio One session for Mike Harding on which they played three new songs: "Borderline", "Mountain Song" and "Time". A second session for Harding, in November 1970, featured "The Leader" and "Check Me Into Your Life", the latter of which has never officially been released. "Tell The Story"/"The Mountain Song" had failed to chart when released in September 1970, and the same fate awaited the band's second album "The Going's Easy" though one track from the LP, "Magic Woman Touch" was later released by The Hollies.

The lack of chart success contributed to the band splitting in mid-1971. Ron Prudence, Ian Aitcheson and Tex Phillpotts quit music altogether, whilst Horton-Jennings joined Chaser and later turned up in Tagget releasing one self-titled album for EMI in 1974. Dick Hanson turned to session work and recorded with the likes of The Blues Band, Graham Parker, Dave Edmunds, Kirsty McColl and Shakin' Stevens. Mike Deacon joined Vinegar Joe and then became a member of both the Suzi Quatro Band and Darts. Norman Watt-Roy formed Glencoe releasing two albums for Epic, "Glencoe" and "The Spirit Of Glencoe". He then formed Loving Awareness, releasing one self-titled LP in 1976 for More Love Records, before the band eventually evolved into The Blockheads, the backing band for Ian Dury. Today he is a member of the Wilko Johnson Band. Garth Watt-Roy joined Fuzzy Duck before undertaking session work for the likes of East of Eden, Limey and Bonnie Tyler as well as being a member of Marmelade, The Q-Tips and The Barron Knights.

Real Cool World
The Greatest Show on Earth Lyrics

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I took a step and I opened my eyes
Lifted my head with a look of surprise
I knew that what I first saw
Something was bound to be born

Rah ha ha ha ha
I found myself a real cool world
Rah ha ha ha ha

So come and join me in my world

Escape in the tune of the world's angry songs
Searching for peace and the place to belong
I knew that what I first saw
Something was bound to be born

Rah ha ha ha ha
I found myself a real cool world
Rah ha ha ha ha
So come and join me in my world

This is the way that the people will stay forever more
Say what you may
But you can't help but stay in a real cool world
This is the place any creed any race can breathe
the air
Somewhere to run from the sound of the gun
Now it's peaceful there

And you will see
You'll be with me
Rah ha ha ha ha
I found myself a real cool world

Rah ha ha ha ha
So come and join me in my world

This is the way that the people will stay forever more
Say what you may
But you can't help but stay in a real cool world
This is the place any creed any race can breathe
the air
Somewhere to run from the sound of the gun
Now it's peaceful there

And you will see
You'll be with me
Rah ha ha ha ha
I found myself a real cool world

Rah ha ha ha ha
So come and join me in my world

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song 'Real Cool World' by The Greatest Show on Earth talks about the singer, who takes a step and opens his eyes to a new world, which appears to be cool and inviting. He feels a sense of awakening and excitement as he looks around and realizes that something new and exciting is about to happen. He invites the listener to join him in this newfound world where they can escape from the angry songs of the world and find peace and a place where they belong.

The song highlights the theme of escape from reality and finding a place of tranquility where people from any creed and race can come together and breathe the air of peace. The chorus 'This is the way that the people will stay forever more, Say what you may, But you can't help but stay in a real cool world' emphasizes the desire to stay in this world and the sense of unity that people feel when they are in this kind of a world. The lyrics also mention the sound of the guns, suggesting that this newfound world can also serve as a refuge from violence and warfare.

Overall, the lyrics of 'Real Cool World' talk about the search for a better world, where people can forget about their worries and come together in peace, and unity.

Line by Line Meaning

I took a step and I opened my eyes
I took a bold step towards exploring the world and opened my mind to new experiences.

Lifted my head with a look of surprise
I was amazed by what I saw and felt empowered to see more.

I knew that what I first saw Something was bound to be born
I had a feeling that the world had something special to offer, and was excited to discover what that might be.

Rah ha ha ha ha I found myself a real cool world
I discovered a wonderful new world that is full of excitement and joy.

So come and join me in my world
I want to share this amazing experience with others and invite them to join me.

Escape in the tune of the world's angry songs Searching for peace and the place to belong
I found solace and a sense of belonging in the midst of the world's turmoil and unrest.

This is the way that the people will stay forever more Say what you may But you can't help but stay in a real cool world
I believe that this new world is the way that people will find lasting happiness and contentment, even if others may not understand it.

This is the place any creed any race can breathe the air Somewhere to run from the sound of the gun Now it's peaceful there
This new world is a safe haven for anyone, regardless of their background or beliefs, and is a place where people can find peace and security.

And you will see You'll be with me Rah ha ha ha ha I found myself a real cool world
If you come with me, you too can discover this amazing new world that I have found.

Rah ha ha ha ha So come and join me in my world
I am so excited about this new world that I want to share it with everyone, and invite them to come and experience it with me.

Contributed by Taylor F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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