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'."
When I Come Home
The Spencer Davis Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Right from the start, yeah, yeah
I gave you my heart
Now you tear apart
You wrote me a letter
You found someone better, yeah, yeah
Better than me
When I come home
Tell me all about it
When I come home
Tell me all about it
I work all day
Earnin' my pay, yeah, yeah
I work all night
Make you feel alright
When I come home
Tell me all about it
When I come home
Tell me all about it
When I come home
Tell me all about it
When I come home
Tell me all about it
When I come home
Tell me all about it
The lyrics to The Spencer Davis Group's song "When I Come Home" expresses feelings of heartbreak and disappointment in a relationship. The singer gave his heart to the person he is singing to right from the start of the relationship, but now they have torn his heart apart. The person even went on to write him a letter notifying him of their decision to be with someone else who is better than him, leaving him unable to believe what he has just read.
The singer works hard all day and all night just to make the relationship work and to make his partner feel alright, but it seems that his efforts are not enough. The chorus of the song repeats the lines "when I come home, tell me all about it," expressing the singer's desire to hear more about the person's feelings and thoughts about the relationship. It is a desperate plea for communication and understanding.
The lyrics to "When I Come Home" are timeless and relatable to anyone who has ever experienced a broken heart or a relationship in turmoil. The song's melody is melancholic and soulful, accentuating the emotions behind the lyrics. Overall, the song is an excellent example of how music can evoke powerful emotions and connect with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
I gave you my heart
I gave you all of my love
Right from the start, yeah, yeah
From the very beginning of our relationship
Now you tear apart
You've broken my heart and hurt me deeply
You wrote me a letter
You communicated with me in writing
You found someone better, yeah, yeah
You've moved on and found someone you like more than me
Better than me
This new person is an improvement over me in your eyes
This I can't believe
I'm having a hard time processing and accepting this news
I work all day
I spend my entire day at my job
Earnin' my pay, yeah, yeah
Working hard to earn my income
I work all night
I continue working even into the late hours of the night
Make you feel alright
So that I can provide for you and make you happy
When I come home
After a long day of work
Tell me all about it
Please share with me the details of your day and what's happening in your life
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACKIE (GB) EDWARDS, STEPHEN LAWRENCE WINWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Edith van Loo
beautiful.. love him and his songs for ever..
Crystal Petals
You can't go wrong with ANYTHING the great Steve Winwood is involved in.
tony apthorpe
Wow wish I'd have had his voice and his bravery to go for it at a young age
Elliot Pierce
This song is very soulful
manchild3479
R.I.P spencer davis.part of my youth.
Sabine Brignell
Wonderful!
fab60s4ever
I Love this !!!!!!
eisenhertz
these where the days,good old times!
вεη
I'm using that line "No, I'm Dusty Springfield" in future. Great song!
stingray4real
RIP Spencer Davis