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.
[edit]
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.
Michael Row The Boat Ashore
The Tremeloes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
River Jordan is chilly and cold, hallelujah
Chills the body but not the soul, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Jordan river is deep and is wide, hallelujah
I've got a home on the other side, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael's Boat is a music boat , hallelujah
Michael's Boat is a music boat , hallelujah
Michael row the boat, the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
The Tremeloes's song Michael Row The Boat Ashore is a traditional African American spiritual song that dates back to the mid-1800s. The song speaks to the biblical story of Michael the Archangel, who was sent by God to fight the devil in Revelation 12:7. In the song, Michael is metaphorically depicted as a boatman, helping to ferry souls across the Jordan River to the other side of heaven. The repetition of "hallelujah" serves as a call and response, a common feature of African American spiritual music that invites participation and encourages communal worship.
The song's second verse highlights the physical and spiritual challenges that souls must face during their journey across the Jordan River. The river is described as "chilly and cold" which alludes to the physical discomfort and suffering that souls must endure during their journey. However, the line "chills the body but not the soul" highlights that these physical obstacles cannot deter a soul from reaching its final destination: eternal life.
Finally, the last verse confirms that the ultimate goal for the singer is to "row the boat ashore" and cross the Jordan into the promised land. The mention of "Michael's Boat" as a "music boat" adds another layer of symbolism to the song; it suggests that music, like a boat, can be a vehicle that carries us through difficult times and helps us to reach our ultimate destination.
Line by Line Meaning
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael is rowing the boat to the shore and celebrating with hallelujah
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
Michael's sister is helping him to adjust the sail of the boat and they are rejoicing with hallelujah
River Jordan is chilly and cold, hallelujah
Jordan River is very cold and it sends shivers down the body, but they still celebrate with hallelujah
Chills the body but not the soul, hallelujah
Jordan River gives physical shivers but it cannot harm the spirit, and so they rejoice with hallelujah
Jordan river is deep and is wide, hallelujah
Jordan River is vast and deep, but they are happy because they have a home on the other side, and they celebrate with hallelujah
I've got a home on the other side, hallelujah
They have a home on the other side of the Jordan River, and they rejoice with hallelujah
Michael's Boat is a music boat , hallelujah
Michael's boat is a musical vessel and they are full of joy, celebrating with hallelujah
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: TRADITIONAL, ROGER NEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
shalom egoz
Beatiful version