Rhythm guitarist Dave Pritchard, bass guitarist Greg Masters and drummer Roger Spencer were the core of a band initally known as Billy King and the Nightriders, then later known as Mike Sheridan and the Nightriders and briefly as just The Nightriders.
In 1966 they advertised for a new guitarist/vocalist, Jeff Lynne applied and joined the band. After releasing one single they changed their name to Idle Race. Under Jeff Lynne's leadership they released two albums that sold poorly, despite support from John Peel and Kenny Everett.
In 1970, Jeff Lynne decided to join The Move so he and Roy Wood could work on what would eventually become Electric Light Orchestra
The remaining members of The Idle Race recruited 2 new members and released one further album. After Greg Masters left the group they became The Steve Gibbons Band.
By The Sun
The Idle Race Lyrics
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Raindrops, diamonds from the sky
Flowers, bending in the soft breeze
Carpets, woven by the sun
Carpets that are dried up by the sun
Carpets that are dried up by the sun
Turn soft then fade
Raindrops, just disappear
Flowers, blossom and then die
Carpets that are dried up by the sun
Carpets that are dried up by the sun
Colors, never ever ending
Raindrops, diamonds from the sky
Flowers, bending in the soft breeze
Carpets, woven by the sun
Carpets that are dried up by the sun
Carpets that are dried up by the sun
The Idle Race's song By The Sun has a profound message about the cycle of life and nature. The lyrics talk about the never-ending beauty of colors, raindrops, and flowers that are temporary and fleeting, just like life itself. The opening lines of the song evoke a sense of wonder and amazement towards the natural world. The colors that we see around us are infinite and never-ending, and the drops of rain are like diamonds that shine and sparkle in the sky. The flowers sway gently in the breeze, and the sun weaves carpets of light and shadows.
The chorus mentions carpets that are dried up by the sun twice, emphasizing the transient nature of everything that we see and experience. The colors, raindrops, and flowers eventually wither and die, just like the carpets that have fulfilled their purpose and are no longer needed. The second verse of the song further highlights this idea of impermanence. Colors come in different shades, but eventually, they all fade away. Raindrops may seem magical and beautiful, but they disappear just as quickly as they arrived. Flowers are born, bloom, and then die.
Line by Line Meaning
Colors, never ever ending
There is a never-ending array of colors in the world
Raindrops, diamonds from the sky
Raindrops look like sparkling diamonds falling from the sky
Flowers, bending in the soft breeze
Flowers are swaying in the gentle breeze
Carpets, woven by the sun
The bright sun is drying up the carpets that were once wet
Carpets that are dried up by the sun
The sun is so bright and drying that it changes the way we perceive the things it touches
Colors, many different shades
Colors come in a variety of different shades
Turn soft then fade
Colors can be soft and understated, but eventually they fade away
Raindrops, just disappear
Raindrops can be fleeting, disappearing as quickly as they came
Flowers, blossom and then die
Flowers have a short life cycle, blooming for a period of time and then dying
Contributed by Jayden C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Seven Antony
Great song imagery spot on. Carpets dried up by the sun - real poetry
PsychedelicGuy
Sounds like they were listening to The Doors at this point.
Mauri Dr.G
Far better than the stuff on their previous album (1969) with Jeff Lynne, sorry...
Johnny Denham
I agree!✌️
CaptainNnif
@Hoolaballoo Honestly, this song is amazing for multiple reasons (poetic lyrics, flows well, atmospheric, well sung, its basically a perfect song) but I would argue that the previous album is almost as good if not equally so.