Formed in 1963 in Birmingham after the Welsh guitarist Spencer Davis encountered vocalist and organist Steve Winwood (then aged 14 and still at school), and his bass playing brother Muff Winwood performing at a pub, the Golden Eagle, as the Muff Woody Jazz Band. He recruited them and Pete York on drums to form the Rhythm and Blues Quartette, which performed regularly in the city. In 1964, they signed their first recording contract after Chris Blackwell of Island Records saw them at an appearance in a local club; Blackwell also became their producer.
The group's first professional recording was a cover version of Dimples, but they came to success at the end of 1965 with Keep on Running, the group's first number one single. In 1966 they followed this with Somebody Help Me and When I Come Home. For the German market the group released "Det war in Schöneberg, im Monat Mai" and "Mädel ruck ruck ruck an meine grüne Seite" (the first is from a 1913 Berlin operetta, the second is a Swabian traditional) as a tribute single for that audience, Spencer Davis having studied in West Berlin in the early 1960s.
By the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967, the group released two more hits, Gimme Some Lovin' (which was re-released in a live, nine-minute version by Steve Winwood's Traffic in 1971) and I'm A Man. These tracks proved to be their two best-known successes, especially in the U.S.
In 1967, Winwood left to form Traffic; his brother Muff moved into the music industry as A&R man at Island Records. In a so-called joint venture, the soundtrack to the film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush featured both the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic.
Despite the Winwoods' departure, the Spencer Davis Group continued performing and released more singles, though not repeating earlier successes. These included Time Seller in July 1967; the b-side, Don't Want You No More, also received radio airplay.
This was followed by "Mr. Second-Class" in late 1967, which was heavily played on Radio Caroline (at that time one of the two remaining pirate radio ships off the British coast) and the group's last minor hit, "After Tea", in 1968. The latter song was released at the same time by the German band The Rattles, providing competition that led finally to a temporary stop to all activities of the band. Davis continued working, however, producing some jazz-oriented albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Although short-lived, The Spencer Davis Group - particularly its incarnation with Steve Winwood - was influential, with many of the band's songs covered by other artists over the years. Notable among these are Chicago's 1969 version of "I'm a Man," The Allman Brothers Band's 1969 take of "Don't Want You No More," Three Dog Night's 1970 recording of "Can't Get Enough of It," and The Blues Brothers' 1980 recording of "Gimme Some Lovin'."
Keep On Running
The Spencer Davis Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One fine day I'm gonna be the one
To make you understand
Oh, yeah, I'm gonna be your man.
Keep on running, running from my arms
One fine day I'm gonna be the one
To make you understand
Hey, hey, hey
Everyone is talking about me
It makes me feel so sad.
Hey, hey, hey
Everyone is laughing at me,
It makes me feel so bad,
So keep on running
Keep on running, running from my arms
One fine day I'm gonna be the one
To make you understand
Oh, yeah, I'm gonna be your man
The Spencer Davis Group's song "Keep On Running" is a song about the pursuit of love. The lyrics describe a man who is chasing after a woman, who is constantly running and hiding from him, yet he is determined to catch up to her and make her understand that he's the one for her. The repetition of the phrase "keep on running" is emblematic of the man's persistence and determination to catch the woman he desires. Additionally, the lyrics provide insight into the man's feelings of sadness and dissatisfaction with how he is perceived by others. The line "everyone is talking about me, it makes me feel so sad" suggests that he is aware of the negative attention he receives from others, but he is driven to pursue his love interest despite this.
The use of upbeat instrumentation, including piano, drums, and guitar, underscores the man's determination and sense of urgency. The tempo of the song is fast-paced, suggesting that time is of the essence in the man's pursuit of love. The repetition of the phrase "I'm gonna be your man" reinforces his determination to catch the woman he loves and make her understand his feelings for her. Overall, "Keep On Running" is a song about the inner turmoil of pursuing love and the drive to overcome obstacles in the name of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep on running, keep on hiding
I want you to keep avoiding me because I know that one day you will come to me on your own.
One fine day I'm gonna be the one
I am confident that one day you will realize that I am the one for you.
To make you understand
I want you to truly grasp my love for you.
Oh, yeah, I'm gonna be your man
I am committed to being your one and only.
Hey, hey, hey
Listen to me, pay attention.
Everyone is talking about me
People are discussing my feelings for you.
It makes me feel so sad.
The gossip is hurtful to hear.
Everyone is laughing at me,
People are mocking my love for you.
It makes me feel so bad,
The ridicule is painful.
So keep on running
Despite the talk, I need you to keep running away until you come to me on your own.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JACKIE EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nitemareman1
Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is pure raw talent.
@meandwess
17 yrs old and already a star
@theresaakins2317
@@meandwess amazing!
@kennyamylee4046
That is spot on! Raw talent!
@larsgsanger3105
🌸🌺❤️
@oldbutfunkyable
I remember Saturday afternoons roller skating to this, I was 13, I’m nearly 69 now and still love this song. Steven Winwood’s voice is amazing.
@peterkonitzer4410
Same here.... still have that 45....
@geoffreystout5814
Stevie Winwood was only 18, what a talent!
@jimrawles6452
And even more amazingly, he was only 15 when he joined the Spencer Davis Group!
@kenseibert144
In 1966 when this concert was the Spencer Davis group and it was ahead of their times I'm listening to it in 2023 here and it's just beautiful music❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤