Once Poole had left, and after a couple of near misses, rhythm guitarist and keyboard player Alan Blakely took over leadership of the group, and Len 'Chip' Hawkes (father of 1990s hitmaker Chesney Hawkes) replaced bassist Alan Howard. They started an even more successful hit run in 1967 with Cat Stevens' “Here Comes My Baby”; “Suddenly You Love Me”, “Hello World”, and “My Little Lady”, and their number-one recording of an old Four Seasons' B-side “Silence Is Golden”. Both this last single and “Here Comes My Baby” also entered the U.S. Top Twenty. All members shared vocals, though most of the songs featured either Hawkes or drummer Dave Munden as the lead singer. Guitarist Ricky West sang lead vocal on "Silence Is Golden". Their regular hits were accompanied by frequent appearances on BBC's Top of the Pops television programme. Their songs were popular with younger music fans and parents rather than rock music fans. Altogether, without Poole the group had nine UK Top Twenty hits.
“Me and My Life” was a hit in 1970, but the group did themselves no favours when an interview in the weekly paper Melody Maker quoted them as calling the fans who had bought their earlier singles 'silly suckers'. Their album Master failed to sell well, and they had no British hits after "Hello Buddy" in 1971.
After the hits
Their music is still available on CD, and they quite often play concerts and are part of the pop-revival shows that constantly tour the UK. Their line-up changed several times from 1972 onwards, with Munden remaining the only constant member. Hawkes pursued a solo career for a while, and Blakely produced records for other acts, including the Rubettes and Mungo Jerry. In 1983 the original quartet reformed and narrowly missed the charts with their cover version of the Europop hit "Words".
As a soloist, Poole failed to chart with subsequent records, but pursued a successful cabaret career. In 1996 his daughters Karen and Shellie hit the charts as post-Alanis Morissette popsters Alisha's Attic. Blakely died from cancer in June 1996, leaving Munden and West to continue in concert with newer recruits Dave Fryar (bass) and Joe Gillingham (keyboards). In 2005 Fryar was replaced by Jeff Brown.
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The Class Of 64
In April 2004, at the request of The Animals who were about to do their 40th anniversary tour, Hawkes was asked to form a band to tour with The Animals. This he did, bringing together a true supergroup also including Mick Avory (ex-The Kinks), Eric Haydock (ex-The Hollies), who have teamed up to perform as The Class of 64, also featuring guitarists, Telecaster Ted Tomlin and Graham Pollock. The band have toured around the world, recorded an album of past band hits and a new single.
Blessed
The Tremeloes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blessed is the lamb, whose blood flows
Blessed are the sat upon, the spat upon, the ratted on
Oh, Lord, why have you forsaken me?
I got no place to go
I've walked around Soho for the last night or so
Ah, but it doesn't matter, no
Blessed is the man, whose soul belongs to
Blessed are the meth drinkers, pot sellers, illusion dwellers
Oh, Lord, why have you forsaken me?
My words trickle down
From a wound that I have no intention to heal
Blessed are the stained glass, window pane glass
Blessed is the church service, makes me nervous
Blessed is the penny rookers, cheap hookers, groovy lookers
Oh, Lord, why have you forsaken me?
I, I have tended my own garden
Much too long
The first stanza of the song "Blessed" by The Tremeloes talks about the meek and the lamb being blessed. The meek are supposed to inherit something, and the lamb's blood flows--both are considered divine blessings. The next line highlights the people who have been treated poorly in life. Those who are sat upon, spat upon, and ratted on are blessed, according to the song. However, there is some confusion and distress in the lines that follow. The singer asks, "Oh, Lord, why have you forsaken me?" and admits that they have nowhere to go, having walked around Soho for the past night or so.
The second stanza talks about the land and the kingdom being blessed, and the person whose soul belongs to God being blessed as well. The line "Blessed are the meth drinkers, pot sellers, illusion dwellers" is interesting because it seems to challenge conventional perceptions of what is considered blessed. These people are often stigmatized in society, and the song takes a different approach by including them. The stanza ends with the same anguished cry as the first stanza, asking why the Lord has forsaken the singer, whose words spew out of an unhealed wound.
The third and final stanza includes yet more unconventional blessings. Stained glass and church services can be sources of blessings, but the song acknowledges that they also make some people nervous. The next line is particularly interesting because it includes "penny rookers, cheap hookers, groovy lookers." The song seems to be sending a message of inclusivity, acknowledging and valuing all individuals, no matter their station in life. The final lines return to the singer's own personal struggles, admitting that they have tended their own garden for far too long.
Overall, "Blessed" is a thought-provoking song that challenges and expands traditional understandings of blessings.
Line by Line Meaning
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit
People who are humble and modest will be rewarded greatly in the future.
Blessed is the lamb, whose blood flows
The sacrifice of the lamb is honored and appreciated by those who respect and understand it.
Blessed are the sat upon, the spat upon, the ratted on
Those who have been mistreated and abused will be rewarded for their struggles in the end.
Oh, Lord, why have you forsaken me?
The artist is expressing their feelings of abandonment and hopelessness towards a higher power.
I got no place to go
The artist is conveying their sense of displacement and lack of direction in life.
I've walked around Soho for the last night or so
The singer is describing their recent experiences wandering around Soho with no clear purpose or direction.
Ah, but it doesn't matter, no
Despite their sense of displacement, the singer is expressing that these experiences are ultimately inconsequential.
Blessed is the land, and the kingdom
A prosperous and fertile land and kingdom are highly valued and admired.
Blessed is the man, whose soul belongs to
A person whose soul is devoted to a higher power is highly respected and honored.
Blessed are the meth drinkers, pot sellers, illusion dwellers
Even those who struggle with addiction or live in a fantasy world are still recognized and valued as human beings deserving of blessings.
My words trickle down
The singer's words are expressed in a way that conveys a sense of sadness or defeatism.
From a wound that I have no intention to heal
The source of the artist's sadness or defeatism is something that they do not want to address or resolve.
Blessed are the stained glass, window pane glass
Beautiful and ornate stained glass and window panes are highly revered and praised.
Blessed is the church service, makes me nervous
The sanctity and solemnity of a church service can be overwhelming or intimidating to some, but is still respected and valued.
Blessed is the penny rookers, cheap hookers, groovy lookers
Even those that society may view as undesirable or unsavory are still valued and deserving of blessings.
I, I have tended my own garden
The artist is emphasizing their tendency to focus on their personal life and responsibilities instead of external experiences or struggles.
Much too long
The artist may feel that they have been too focused on their own life and not enough on the world around them for an extended period of time.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind