The Move evolved from several mid-1960s Birmingham-based groups, including Carl Wayne & The Vikings, The Nightriders & The Mayfair Set. The group's name seems to refer to the move various members of these bands made to form the group. Beside Roy Wood, the original members of the Move were drummer Bev Bevan, bassist Chris "Ace" Kefford, vocalist Carl Wayne & guitarist Trevor Burton.
Their first single, 'Night of Fear' was released in 1966 and was the first in a line of memorable hits penned chiefly by Roy Wood.
'I Can Hear the Grass Grow', 'Blackberry Way' & Flowers in the Rain (the latter being the first record played on BBC Radio 1), are The Move's better known work not forgetting 1971's 'Tonight'. The group became more experimental and innovative as time went on especially on the albums 'Shazam' and 'Message from the Country'.
Several changes left the final line-up in 1971 as Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan, evolving into the first incarnation of Electric Light Orchestra which Wood left soon after to form Wizzard.
Disturbance
The Move Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My mama dropped me on my head
I felt kinda dizzy but the doctor
Made note of all I did
Chorus
Ever since then there's been a slight disturbance in my mind
A kind of disarrangement that the surgeons cannot find
At the age of seven I just couldn't read my abc
But I gave my teacher tips on how the caveman used to be
Chorus
Reach the age of 21 ain't got no...to fit my clothes
Day and night I'm looning around
Dont know what I'm looking for
Will they carry me away?
Oh will they carry me away?
I was 97 and I'm sure my brain it had enough
Racing round in jet planes cause
My sports car ain't quite fast enough
Chorus
Will they carry me away?
Oh will they carry me away?
The Move's song Disturbance tells the story of a man who has had a lifelong struggle with his mental well-being, stemming from a childhood accident where his mother dropped him on his head. The opening lines outline this event, with the singer stating that his mother dropped him on his head when he was a young child, leaving him feeling dizzy. However, the lyrics go on to state that a doctor had made note of all his movements following the accident.
The chorus of the song establishes the central theme of the singer's mental unsteadiness. Ever since he was dropped on his head, he has had a "disarrangement" in his mind that has not been diagnosed by surgeons. The lyrics suggest that his mental health struggles have continued into his adult life, with references to his inability to read at age seven and his struggle to find clothes that fit at age 21. As he grows older, his restlessness and desire for excitement and thrill-seeking compounds his mental instability.
The final lyrics of the song pose the question, "Will they carry me away?" This could refer to a literal or metaphorical confinement in a mental institution, which may be seen as the only way to control or treat the character's unstable mental state. The song ends with this question unanswered, leaving the listener to ponder the fate of this tragic character.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a little boy
During my childhood
My mama dropped me on my head
I suffered a head injury due to my mother's mistake
I felt kinda dizzy but the doctor
I experienced dizziness but the medical professional
Made note of all I did
Documented my condition
Ever since then there's been a slight disturbance in my mind
I've had a mild disruption in my mental state since the incident
A kind of disarrangement that the surgeons cannot find
A disorder that medical experts can't identify and fix
At the age of seven I just couldn't read my abc
I struggled to master the alphabet at seven years old
But I gave my teacher tips on how the caveman used to be
However, I shared knowledge about prehistoric humans with my educator
Reach the age of 21 ain't got no...to fit my clothes
By the time I turned 21, I didn't have clothes that fit me
Day and night, I'm looning around
I engage in bizarre behavior constantly
Don't know what I'm looking for
I'm uncertain of my purpose
Will they carry me away?
Will someone institutionalize me?
Oh will they carry me away?
This is a repeated question, highlighting my fear of institutionalization
I was 97, and I'm sure my brain it had enough
In my old age, I felt mentally exhausted
Racing round in jet planes cause
To compensate, I took part in high-speed activity like flying
My sports car ain't quite fast enough
Driving fast cars wasn't enough
Contributed by Adalyn S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kat Fontaine
Roy Wood is the king of disturbing lyrics. I wish I'd heard of the Move back when I was a songwriter with a band in the late 80-early 90's...i found them through ELO....love them!!!🖒🖒🖒🎶🎶🎶
Ian Henderson
Ahead of it's time. Smart melodic punk bands like Buzzcocks and Husker Du owe their careers to the Move.
ZeddTheGuru
I love this! And "Night of Fear" (the A side of this record) is equally insane.
Kat Fontaine
The Amazin' Zedd hell yeah!!!!🖒🖒🖒🖒
Jacqueline Carty
And all the better for it
Alby 52
still sounds fresh after 49 years and as chris newman says its the b side of night of fear
derby1884
B-sides of the mid/late 60s contain so much long-forgotten genius such as this......
Sids60sSounds
Couldn't agree more. Many of my clips expose those fab flipsides, some even better that the chosen A's
Krzyszczynski
Yeah, record companies tended to play it safe when it came to A-sides, but bands were sometimes allowed to be a bit more adventurous on the flips.
FinnMove
The Move wanted to release this song as their single debut at first. But still Night of Fear / Disturbance is a great "double A- side- single ".