History tells us that every once in a while, a group of people can come together with one dream and do beautiful things with it, burning brightly but too briefly before sputtering out. But just because history throws up a cloud of white noise, that dream doesn’t necessarily have to die. We know that Stephen Duffy had been a founder of Duran Duran, one of a number of bands to emerge on Birmingham’s fertile, exciting and often confusing post-punk scene. When TV Eye, the Second City’s Stooges-inspired garage punk band split, Dave Twist (drums) and Kusworth (guitar) and Paul Adams (guitar) approached Duffy (vocals/guitar/piano) and Simon Colley (bass) from that first Duran line-up to join their new project. So began Obviously Five Believers, who in turn became The Subterranean Hawks, before settling on The Hawks.
Adored by most who saw them, they recorded constantly, spawning one highly collectable single, ‘Words Of Hope’. They lasted from 1979 until Christmas 1981 “falling apart in a myriad of acrimony,” as Duffy wrote in 1984. “Success makes the best excuses and the Subterranean Hawks had none... They proved that it was impossible and implausible to be a rock'n'roll band in the eighties.” Impossible, perhaps, in a city that never developed the support networks, the label entrepreneurs, of a Manchester, Liverpool or Sheffield – but The Hawks undoubtably had most of the signifiers already in place for the ‘Scene In Between’ that would emerge later that decade.Years passed with the various members each finding degrees of success: Duffy solo, and later with The Lilac Time; Kusworth with Nikki Sudden and numerous other bands, often alongside current Black Bomber Twist. In 2019, when Duffy and Kusworth last met, Duffy, as custodian of The Hawks’ ‘tape archive’, promised that the recordings would one day be released. Sadly this was not soon enough for Kusworth who tragically passed away suddenly in September 2020. Duffy has remained as good as his word, however, in bringing these ten songs to release, in honour of his friend. Having languished on cassette for 40 years, they’re now set free, sounding the best they’ve done since the day they were recorded, thanks to the judicious mastering of Grammy-winning engineer John Paterno. The album was finally released in September 2021.
Nobody but You
The Hawks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause there's not a thing turning out right
Every step, I feel like I'm farther behind
End of my rope, out of a hope, that was days ago
That's what I thought, but somehow I faught
Every urge to let go
I knew I wasn't alone
And when I see a miracle come through
And turn my dark to day
My doubt to faith
It's never left to fate
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
I'm starting to see, noticing things
That carry Your fingerprints
All credit is due, pointing to You
I've seen the evidence to prove
There's no one but You
When I see impossible come true
And when I see a miracle come through
And turn my dark to day
My doubt to faith
It's never left to fate
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
All through my ips and downs,
You were just waiting on my call
You turned this life around
And You are never far
When I see impossible come true
And when I see a miracle come through
And turn my dark to day
My doubt to faith
It's never left to fate
When I see impossible come true
And when I see a miracle come through
And turn my dark to day
My doubt to faith
It's never left to fate
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
It couldn't be anyone but You
Anyone but You
(It couldn't be) Anyone but You
(It couldn't be) Anyone but You
(It couldn't be) Anyone but You
The lyrics to "Nobody But You" by The Hawks speak to a deep sense of despair and hopelessness that the singer is experiencing. He questions whether it's all just a dream, whether he is truly living in a reality where nothing is going right. He feels like he's falling behind every step of the way and is out of hope, but something within him keeps fighting the urge to give up. He acknowledges that he's not alone and that there's something beyond him that is making a difference in his life.
The second half of the song recognizes the evidence of a higher power at work in the singer's life. He sees the impossible happening and miracles coming through, and it's clear to him that there's no one else but this higher power responsible for turning his doubts into faith and his darkness into light. The lyrics emphasize that this couldn't be anyone else but this higher power that is responsible for transforming the singer's life.
Overall, "Nobody But You" is a song about finding hope in the midst of despair and recognizing the presence of a higher power making a difference in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it a dream? Is it real life? Is it a joke?
Questioning the reality of the situation, feeling like it might not be true.
'Cause there's not a thing turning out right
Feeling like nothing is going the way it should despite best efforts.
Every step, I feel like I'm farther behind
Despite trying to move forward, feeling like the situation is getting worse.
End of my rope, out of a hope, that was days ago
Feeling hopeless and like there's no way out of the situation.
That's what I thought, but somehow I faught
Initially feeling defeated, but finding the strength to keep going.
Every urge to let go
Feeling like giving up and letting go of the situation.
I knew I wasn't alone
Realizing that there is someone or something supporting them through the difficult time.
When I see impossible come true
Seeing something that seemed impossible happen, giving hope and faith.
And when I see a miracle come through
Experiencing a miracle or something that seems beyond explanation, strengthening belief.
And turn my dark to day
Shining light on a seemingly dark situation, making things better.
My doubt to faith
Transforming uncertainty and doubt into belief and faith.
It's never left to fate
Believing that there is always some force or agency working behind the scenes to make things happen.
It couldn't be anyone but You
Believing that the positive changes and miracles are the result of a higher power, specifically God.
I'm starting to see, noticing things
Beginning to recognize and appreciate the signs and evidences of a higher power at work.
That carry Your fingerprints
Recognizing that everything good in life is a result of God's work.
All credit is due, pointing to You
Giving credit and recognition to God for all the good things in life.
I've seen the evidence to prove
Having seen enough evidence and signs to believe in the existence and work of a higher power.
All through my ips and downs,
Through all the ups and downs that life brings.
You were just waiting on my call
Believing that God is always there, waiting and ready to help when called upon.
You turned this life around
Believing that God has the power to turn lives around for the better.
And You are never far
Believing that God is always close and ready to help.
Anyone but You
Believing that no one else but God could have helped in the situation.
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: AARON CHARLES RICE, JONATHAN ALLAN STEINGARD, SETH DAVID MOSLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paul Riofski
The Hawks were one of the earliest groups to come out of New Orleans (the biggest, of course, was the Spiders). Put together by bandleader Dave Bartholomew, they were the melding of a soloist and a gospel group. They recorded this number in June of 1954, and Imperial issued it on a single in August. Great post, Hans! For an excellent article on this group's history, see Uncle Marv Goldberg's page: http://www.uncamarvy.com/Hawks/hawks.html