Originally a blues-based band noted for their signature "rave-up" instrumental breaks, the Yardbirds broadened their range into pop, pioneering psychedelic rock and early hard rock; and contributed to many electric guitar innovations of the mid-1960s. Some rock critics and historians also cite their influence on the later punk rock, progressive rock and heavy metal trends. Following the band's split in 1968, Relf and McCarty formed the acoustic-duo Together, and then later Renaissance, a progressive rock group memorable for being heavily influenced by medieval instruments and sound, and guitarist Jimmy Page formed Led Zeppelin - the latter of which was initially intended as a direct successor to the Yardbirds. Dreja was first invited to play guitar in the new group, then known as "The New Yardbirds", however he turned it down, opting to become a photographer instead. He captured the back cover of Led Zeppelin's first album.
The band formed in the south-west London suburbs in 1963. Relf and Samwell-Smith were originally in a band named the Metropolitan Blues Quartet. After being joined by Dreja, McCarty and Top Topham, they performed at Kingston Art School in late May 1963 as a backup band for Cyril Davies. Following a couple of gigs in September 1963 as the Blue-Sounds, they changed their name to the Yardbirds. McCarty claims that Relf was the first to use the name; he may have got it from Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, where it referred to rail yard hobos. He adds that Topham identified it as a nickname for jazz saxophonist Charlie "Yardbird" Parker.
The quintet achieved notice on the burgeoning British rhythm and blues scene when they took over as the house band at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, succeeding the Rolling Stones. Their repertoire drew from the Chicago blues of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James, including "Smokestack Lightning", "Good Morning Little School Girl", "Boom Boom", "I Wish You Would", "Rollin' and Tumblin'", "Got Love if You Want It" and "I'm a Man".
Original lead guitarist Topham left and was replaced by Eric Clapton in October 1963. Crawdaddy Club impresario Giorgio Gomelsky became the Yardbirds manager and first record producer. Under Gomelsky's guidance the Yardbirds toured Britain as the back-up band for blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson II in December 1963 and early 1964, recording live tracks on 8 December and other dates. The recordings would be released two years later during the height of the Yardbirds popularity on the album Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds.
After the tours with Williamson, the Yardbirds signed to EMI's Columbia label in February 1964, and recorded more live tracks on 20 March at the legendary Marquee Club in London. The resulting album of mostly American blues and R&B covers, Five Live Yardbirds, was released by Columbia nine months later, and it failed to enter the UK Albums Chart. Over time, Five Live gained stature as one of the few high-quality live recordings of the era and as a historical document of both the British rock and roll boom of the 1960s and Clapton's time in the band.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. They were included at number 89 in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and ranked number 37 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
The Yardbirds re-formed in the 1990s, featuring drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja as the only original members. In 2003, the Yardbirds released the album "Birdland" featuring original personnel Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja, along with contributions from Jeff Beck, and John Idan replacing Relf on lead vocals.
Dreja left the band in 2012, leaving McCarty as the sole original member of the band in the present lineup.
Along with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds were part of the British blues scene of the 1960s. As the blues rock genre developed, some acts like Chicken Shack were playing a louder and more aggressive style, while the Yardbirds emphasized instrumental textures and extended instrumental improvisations. They covered blues classics like Howlin' Wolf's Smokestack Lightning (1956) and Bo Diddley's I'm a Man (1955) which had a repetitive structure where instrumental solos were brief breaks between repetition of verses. The Yardbirds often extended these instrumental sections into "heavy jams", known as 'rave-ups'.
Five Long Years
The Yardbirds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out.
I got a job in a steel mill, shucking steel like a slave.
Five long years, every Friday I come straight back home with all my pay.
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out.
I finally learned my lesson, should a long time ago.
The next woman that I marry, she gonna work and bring me the dough.
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve,
She had the nerve,
She had the nerve,
She had the nerve to put me out.
The lyrics of The Yardbirds's song Five Long Years describes a common emotion and experience many people go through in their lives; being mistreated by someone they trust and love. The song is about a man who worked hard for one woman for five long years, only to be put out by her in the end. The lyrics talk about the betrayals and hardships he faced during these five long years, including working at a steel mill, where he had to shuck steel like a slave, only to come back home every Friday with all his pay. The woman he loved had the nerve to throw him out after all the work he had done for her.
The song's repeated question "Have you ever been mistreated?" is a direct address to the listener, creating a sense of empathetic recognition between the listener and the singer. The lyrics convey themes of struggle, resilience, and lessons learned from hardships. The man in the song finally learns his lesson and decides that the woman he marries next will also have to work and bring him money, making it a criticism of gender-role expectations in relationships. The repetition of the phrase "she had the nerve" highlights the singer's anger and resentment towards the woman who mistreated him.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
Have you ever experienced unfair treatment or injustice? If so, you understand the pain and frustration that comes with it.
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out.
I dedicated five years of my life to a woman, only to have her kick me out without any regard for my effort or feelings.
I got a job in a steel mill, shucking steel like a slave.
I started working in a demanding job in a steel mill, where I worked tirelessly and was treated like a slave.
Five long years, every Friday I come straight back home with all my pay.
For five years, I worked hard every week and brought all of my earnings straight home to my ungrateful partner.
I finally learned my lesson, should a long time ago.
I have finally realized my mistake, even though I should have recognized it much earlier.
The next woman that I marry, she gonna work and bring me the dough.
In the future, the woman I marry will have to contribute financially and help support me, as I am unwilling to bear the burden alone again.
She had the nerve to put me out.
I am still shocked and angry that my former partner had the audacity to eject me from our home after all that I had done for her during our time together.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Eddie Boyd
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Sika1956
Thanks for posting this. A lovely solo by Mr Clapton (3:23 - 4:10) who is just starting to find his real blues chops. Fantastic!
@CooManTunes
This is already posted by the record company, which is why I put a thumbs-down on this one. People need to stop cluttering the internet with repeat uploads.
@50105nelson
thanks for putting this up, good quality.
@williamblueboy
Great version, Real bluesy,,,,
@johnharpdalton4092
Clapton lovely and sounding rather spiky in the Freddie King manner at this time.
@juanjosesanchezramirez3893
gracias por compartir esta canción y no olvidar a este grupo, the yardbirds 3 leyendas de la guitarra......nadie como estos 3.
@davidpendry7731
While everyone had Beatles/ Stones emblazoned on their school bags I had Yardbirds
Remember No Yardbirds equals No Led Zeppelin
@meyou-dv8ns
Thank God for The Beatles, I mean don't get me wrong. I love songs with the same three chords and the same 5 note scale. "The Blues Scale". but. man oh mn. the Beatles taught me I can play any kind of music and change when ever I wanted to, The Blues taught me to play fast notes and cool stuff too. I guess, It is all good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As Frank Zappa he will tell ya
@SteveHorner-m8r
The Yardbirds were incredibly talented!
@craigmccauley3972
WOW!