Vanity Fare is a British pop/rock group formed in 1966, best remembered for… Read Full Bio ↴Vanity Fare is a British pop/rock group formed in 1966, best remembered for their million-selling song, "Hitchin' a Ride", which became a worldwide hit in 1970, and "Early In The Morning". The band continues to perform (with Eddie Wheeler on guitar since 1970 as the longest serving band member).

School friends Trevor Brice (vocals), Tony Goulden (guitar), Dick Allix (drums), and Tony Jarrett (bass) formed the band in Kent in 1966, originally calling themselves The Avengers. They played local clubs and were spotted by entrepreneur Roger Easterby who became their manager and producer. Having changed the name of the band to Vanity Fare after the novel Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, they signed to Page One Records (a division of Bell Records). Vanity Fare achieved a U.K. hit single with their first release, a cover of "I Live for the Sun" (originally recorded by The Sunrays in 1965) in 1968. Following two more singles, "Summer Morning" and "Highway of Dreams", both of which failed to make the U.K. Singles Chart, they released their biggest U.K. hit, "Early in the Morning". Written by Mike Leander and Eddie Seago, it reached number eight in the U.K.y in August 1969 and number twelve in the U.S. in early 1970.

For their next release "Hitchin' a Ride" they added keyboardist Barry Landemento the group. "Hitchin' a Ride", written by Peter Callander and Mitch Murray, gave them a million-selling hit reaching number five in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number sixteen in the U.K. in January 1970. This disc received a gold disc awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The hit was preceded by a tour of the United States, following which both Dick Allix and Tony Goulden left the band and were replaced by guitarist and singer Eddie Wheeler and drummer Mark Ellen.

Two more singles followed before the end of 1970; Mike Leander and Eddie Seago's "Come Tomorrow" and Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway's "Carolina's Coming Home", both of which failed to enter the charts on either side of the Atlantic.

Over the next couple of years more singles were released including Tony Macaulay's "Better by Far" on DJM Records in 1972, but none of them entered the charts. Following this they decided to concentrate on live performances touring Europe, where they were having hit singles. Following the mid 1970s, and amid many band member changes (including the departure of Tony Jarrett, replaced by Bernie Hagley), the group recorded only sporadically. In 1986, the band attempted to represent the U.K. in the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing third in the UK heat of A Song for Europe, with the song "Dreamer" featuring Jimmy Cassidy on vocals, Phil Kitto on keyboards alongside long time members Ellen, Wheeler and Bernie Hagley. In 2007 they toured alongside P. J. Proby.

They are still together today with a line up of Hagley, Wheeler, Ellen, and Steve Oakman.

Puppet On a String
Vanity Fare Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wonder if one day that, you'll say that, you care
If you say you love me madly, I'll gladly, be there
Like a puppet on a string
Love is just like a merry-go-round
With all the fun of the fair
when in doubt there is never a doubt
will you always be there?
Are you leading me on?

Tomorrow will you be gone?
I wonder if one day that, you'll say that, you care

If say you love me madly, I'll gladly, be there
Like a puppet on a string

Overall Meaning

The song "Puppet On A String" by Vanity Fare is a classic example of a love song with playful lyrics. The song talks about the feeling of being controlled by someone you love, like a puppet on a string. The singer wonders if one day their love interest will say that they care for them, and if they do, the singer will happily be there for them. The analogy used in the song compares love to a merry-go-round, where there are ups and downs, and uncertain moments. The singer questions if their love interest is leading them on, or if they'll be gone tomorrow, which shows the insecurity of love.

The lyrics of "Puppet On A String" reflects the innocence of a relationship at its early stage, where one party is not sure if the other party is genuinely interested in them or not. The singer is unsure of their partner's intentions, whether they are playing with their feelings or not. The phrase "puppet on a string" is a metaphor for the singer's lack of freedom when it comes to love. They feel controlled by their emotions and the uncertainty of their partner's feelings. The lyrics of the song speak to people who have experienced the mixed feelings of starting a relationship and not knowing if their love interest feels the same way.

Line by Line Meaning

I wonder if one day that, you'll say that, you care
I am uncertain if you will ever express your love for me and truly care about me

If you say you love me madly, I'll gladly, be there
I will be there by your side if you genuinely love me unconditionally

Like a puppet on a string
I feel helpless and controlled in our relationship, as if I am being manipulated like a puppet on a string

Love is just like a merry-go-round
Love can feel chaotic and unpredictable, like a ride on a carnival merry-go-round

With all the fun of the fair
Although love can be overwhelming and chaotic, there are still moments of joy and excitement

when in doubt there is never a doubt
Even when I am uncertain about our relationship, my feelings for you are unwavering

will you always be there?
I question if you will always remain by my side and be committed to our relationship

Are you leading me on?
I am unsure if you are being honest with your intentions towards me or if you are intentionally deceiving me

Tomorrow will you be gone?
I am afraid that you may leave me and abandon our relationship without warning

I wonder if one day that, you'll say that, you care
I still have doubts about whether you will ever truly express your love and care for me

If say you love me madly, I'll gladly, be there
Despite my doubts and uncertainties, I am willing to fully commit to our relationship if you genuinely love me

Like a puppet on a string
I still feel controlled by you and our relationship, as if my actions and emotions are being manipulated by an external force

Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ROY C. BENNETT, SID TEPPER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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