Traffic reached a much wider audience when, on the dissolution of Cream, two thirds of that band, one third being Eric Clapton, joined Steve Winwood (during a temporary Traffic disbanding) to form Blind Faith, which also included future Traffic member and sometime Family man, Ric Grech.
In 1970, after the disbanding of Blind Faith, Winwood set about recording a solo album. After Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi became involved, the decision was taken to release this album (eventually what would become John Barleycorn Must Die) under the Traffic name, despite the absence of Dave Mason.
Around 1971, Mason left for good (having been in and out of the band from the beginning), and the the band experienced a variety of personnel changes. The resulting band added some jazzy elements to their style, pioneering the jazz-rock genre, and the compositions tended to stretch out over longer lengths. With their albums The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971) and Shootout at the Fantasy Factory (1973) their popularity in the US grew. After two more albums, personnel problems resulted in the band calling it quits (but for a brief reunion in 1994 without Wood, who had died in 1983). Winwood, Mason, Capaldi, and Wood all pursued solo careers, with Winwood garnering the most success.
There are/were other artists with the same name:
*2) Traffic is also a pop-rock band from Estonia.
3) Traffic is an upcoming rapper from Los Angeles.
2) The Estonian poprock band Traffic came together in 2006 and consists of five members: Silver Laas - Vocals, Stig Rästa - Guitars, Robert Vaigla - Guitars, Tõnis Kivisild - Bass, Ivo Priilinn - Drums. The band has been to Eesti Laul several times, trying to get to the semi-finals of Eurovision. In 2009 they ended up in the 2nd place, in 2014 in the 3rd place.
Traffic has two studio albums. Some of their most popular singles are "Für Elise", "See Päev", "Kesköödisko", "Päevast Päeva", "Elekter" and "Meie laul".
3) Darrail Cail, better known as Traffic, is a rapper from Los Angeles, CA. He first received major mainstream attention in the music industry when he was featured on “Tookie Knows II” from ScHoolboy Q’s fourth LP Blank Face. He is one of Schoolboy’s childhood friends.
4) The Spectes, a band that eventually became Status Quo discovered psychedelia in 1967 and named themselves Traffic, but were soon forced to change it to Traffic Jam to avoid confusion with Steve Winwood's Traffic, following an argument over who had registered the name first. Shortly after Rick Parfitt's recruitment, in August 1967, the band officially became The Status Quo
Here We Go
Traffic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The race is on, I'm out to win, before I start I must begin
Here we go round in circles to nowhere
Mulberry bush just won't let me see
If I am lonely when I arrive there
Mulberry bush, will you shelter me when I am naked and cold?
Yet no one must see, oh they're looking at me
With people running round and round, bringing one another down
People running round and round, bringing one another down
Here we go round, I'm looking for someone
Mulberry bush is calling to me
Red lights and green ones, I can't be nervous
Mulberry bush, your bright eyes I see
Here we go round in circle to nowhere
Mulberry bush just won't let me see
If I am lonely when I arrive there
Mulberry bush, will you shelter me?
The lyrics of Traffic's song Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush is about the endless cycle of life that leads nowhere. The singer is running a race, trying to win without ever stopping to reflect on whether the destination he is heading towards is worth the effort. He is looking back at his past, wishing he had started earlier so he could have won the race. However, he is stuck in a cycle and can't seem to break free. He seeks refuge in the Mulberry bush, hoping it will protect him from the harsh reality of life.
The lyrics suggest a sense of confusion and desperation that comes with pursuing a goal without a clear endpoint. The circular motion, the people bringing each other down, and the inability to see where he is going all point to a chaotic and dizzying existence. The Mulberry bush seems to be the only thing that provides the singer with a sense of comfort and safety, but even that is uncertain.
The deeper meaning behind the song is the futility of striving for success without a clear vision of what success means. The Mulberry bush represents a sort of delusion or fantasy that we create for ourselves to numb the pain of reality. The singer, in a way, is asking the bush to shelter him from the harsh reality of life when he is naked and cold - metaphorical representatives of vulnerability and adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn around every way, looking back another day
I reflect on my past and examine my life from different perspectives.
The race is on, I'm out to win, before I start I must begin
I am beginning something new and I am determined to succeed before I even start.
Here we go round in circles to nowhere
I feel like I am going in circles and not making any progress.
Mulberry bush just won't let me see
I am unable to see the truth because of distractions and obstacles in my way.
If I am lonely when I arrive there
I am afraid that I will feel alone and isolated once I reach my destination.
Mulberry bush, will you shelter me when I am naked and cold?
I am seeking comfort and protection from the hardships of life.
Yet no one must see, oh they're looking at me
I am self-conscious and worried about what others think of me.
When I am straight I feel that my world is real
I feel most connected to reality when I am sober and clear-headed.
With people running round and round, bringing one another down
People are constantly trying to bring each other down and no one is making any progress.
Here we go round, I'm looking for someone
I am searching for someone to connect with and share my experiences with.
Mulberry bush is calling to me
I feel drawn to distraction and temptation.
Red lights and green ones, I can't be nervous
I am determined to keep moving forward and not let my fears hold me back.
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIM CAPALDI, DAVE MASON, STEVE WINWOOD, CHRIS WOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind