There are multiple artists under this name and/or spelled U.K.: 1. a Britis… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists under this name and/or spelled U.K.: 1. a British prog rock band, 2. a Latvian folk rock band.

1) U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 through 1980.

In September 1976, singer/bassist John Wetton formerly of the British Psychedelic band Family (with Roger Chapman and Rick Grech) and drummer Bill Bruford, both alumni of King Crimson, worked on forming a band with Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. The project was stopped by Wakeman's label. According to Bruford, "A&M Records were unwilling to let their 'star,' Wakeman, walk off with a used, slightly soiled King Crimson rhythm section, and the idea failed."

Determined to work together, Bruford and Wetton next asked guitarist Robert Fripp to reform King Crimson which Fripp had disbanded in 1974. When Fripp declined, Bruford and Wetton decided that each would bring in a musician of his choice to formulate a band. Wetton brought in keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson, whom Wetton knew from his work with Roxy Music in 1976 – "stealing" him from Frank Zappa. Bruford recruited guitarist Allan Holdsworth (formerly of Soft Machine and Gong) who had played guitar on Bruford's 1977 debut solo album, Feels Good to Me.

U.K. released their self-titled début album in 1978 and followed it with a supporting tour.

Following two lengthy American tours (June-October 1978), first Holdsworth and then Bruford departed U.K. over musical differences, going on to form the jazz rock fusion group Bruford. After the departure of Bruford and Holdsworth, U.K. didn't bring in another guitarist. Drummer Terry Bozzio (another one-time Frank Zappa band member) joined Wetton and Jobson, and as a result U.K. became a trio with a progressive rock lineup of keyboards/bass/drums (albeit supplemented by Jobson's violin). The trio recorded the album Danger Money, released in March 1979, and spent much of that year touring North America as opening act for Jethro Tull. A live album, Night After Night, was recorded in Japan that Spring and released in September. Following a final European tour in December 1979, and in spite of plans to record a new studio album in America in March 1980, U.K. disbanded. The reason for this was Jobson's and Wetton's different ideas on how the band should have gone on. Jobson wanted UK to go on with more long instrumental pieces, while Wetton thought that performing shorter songs was a better idea. Jobson stated that one song in particular was the reason of the band to disband: When Will You Realise?, a non-LP B-side (to date still unavailable on CD) featured on the Night After Night single, which Wetton would re-record (with slightly different lyrics) in 1980 on his solo album Caught In The Crossfire.

Throughout their brief existence, U.K.'s music was characterised by skilled musicianship, jazzy harmonies, close harmony vocals, use of odd time signatures (like 7/4 on the song In the Dead of Night), electric violin solos, and unusually varied synthesiser (Yamaha CS-80) sonorities.

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2) A folk rock side-project of members of Latvian band The Hobos. After the release of Radio Jah Jah, The Hobos decided to take some time to do other projects. Vilnis Krieviņš went back to play with the legendary Latvian hard rock band Līvi. Rolands Ūdris and Egons Kronbergs formed a side-project called U.K. and released the album KU. Finally, in year 2006 The Hobos went back to studio and a new album was expected sometime in 2009.

As Long As You Want Me Here
UK Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't let me catch you with no-one else
That would cost you dear
I'll stay beside you 'til the end of time
(by your side)
As long as you want me here

If you should stand me upon a stage
Naked before my peers

I'd sing my heart out for you every night
As long as you want me here

As long as you want me here
I'll do anything for you
Tell me what else can i do
I don't care what people say
Here i am and here i'll stay
(in any order)

I see your photos in those magazines
(pictures)
They burn me up inside
I'll work forever just keep you satisfied
As long as you want me here

And if catastrophies fall on you
I surely will appear I'll follow gladly to hell and back
As long as you want me here

I see your photos in those magazines
(pictures)
They burn me up inside
I'll work forever just keep you satisfied
As long as you want me here

I will stick to you, as long as you don't put me down
'cause i won't be leaving you, believe me i'll be around

I see your photos in those magazines
(pictures)
They burn me up inside

I'll work forever just keep you satisfied
As long as you want me here

Overall Meaning

The song "As Long As You Want Me Here" by UK is about devotion and loyalty in a relationship. The singer is telling their significant other that they will stick by their side no matter what, as long as they are wanted there. The lyrics mention the fear of losing the partner to someone else and the willingness to do anything to keep them satisfied, even if it means sacrificing personal dignity. The line "I'd sing my heart out for you every night" is particularly meaningful, as it suggests that the singer is willing to expose themselves emotionally for the sake of the relationship.

Overall, the song is an emotional plea for the partner to see how much the singer values and loves them. It also suggests a certain amount of insecurity and fear of abandonment on the part of the singer. The repeated refrain of "As long as you want me here" emphasizes the singer's willingness to do whatever it takes to keep the relationship going.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't let me catch you with no-one else
I don't want to see you with anyone else, it would hurt me and cost you dearly

I'll stay beside you 'til the end of time
I will never leave your side, no matter what happens or how much time passes

If you should stand me upon a stage
If you were to embarrass or humiliate me publicly

Naked before my peers
Exposed in front of my friends, colleagues or the public

I'd sing my heart out for you every night
I would do anything to make you happy, including performing for you every night

As long as you want me here
I will always be here for you, if that's what you want

I'll do anything for you
I am devoted to you and will do whatever it takes to make you happy

Tell me what else can i do
I am willing to do anything you ask of me

I don't care what people say
I am not concerned with the opinions of others

Here i am and here i'll stay
I am committed to being by your side forever

I see your photos in those magazines
I see pictures of you in magazines

They burn me up inside
Seeing those pictures makes me upset and jealous

I'll work forever just keep you satisfied
I am willing to work hard for you in order to make you happy and keep you satisfied

And if catastrophies fall on you
If something terrible happens to you

I surely will appear
I will be there for you, no matter what

I'll follow gladly to hell and back
I am willing to face any challenge or danger for you

I will stick to you, as long as you don't put me down
I will remain faithful to you and be there for you, as long as you treat me well and don't abandon me

'cause i won't be leaving you, believe me i'll be around
I will always be by your side, even if things get tough

Contributed by Gianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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