Wild Horses was formed in the summer of 1978 by ex-… Read Full Bio ↴Wild Horses (UK)
Wild Horses was formed in the summer of 1978 by ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson and ex-Rainbow bassist Jimmy Bain. At an early stage the line-up featured former Stone The Crows and Paul McCartney's Wings guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and former Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones, but eventually stabilized with the addition of drummer Clive Edwards (ex-Pat Travers, Uli Jon Roth) and guitarist/keyboardist Neil Carter (ex-Wilder, Gilbert O'Sullivan). This line-up recorded the Trevor Rabin-produced "The First Album", released in the spring of 1980 by EMI who signed the band after their 1979 Reading Festival appearance.
Carter left the band in August 1980 after the band's UK tour with Ted Nugent in order to join UFO and later Gary Moore. His replacement was guitarist John Lockton (ex-The Next Band, Red Alert) whose first appearance was on the band's Japanese tour in the autumn of 1980 followed by the release of the "Stand Your Ground" album, co-produced with Kit Woolven, in the spring of 1981.
In June 1981, Robertson and Edwards both left Wild Horses in the wake of the band's Paris Theatre show in London. Robertson teamed up with Motorhead a year later and recorded "Another Perfect Day" in 1983, before moving on to join fellow Scotsman Frankie Miller on the "Dancing In The Rain" album in 1986. Edwards continued with a number of different acts, including Bernie Marsden's S.O.S., Grand Prix, and Lionheart.
Bain assembled a new Wild Horses line-up featuring Lockton, former Lautrec stepfather and son team, Reuben (vocals) and Laurence Archer (guitar), and "The Def Leppard E.P." credited drummer Frank Noon. The Archers and Noon left only months later and went on to form their own band, Stampede, and Wild Horses ceased to exist, with Bain joining his former Rainbow bandmate Ronnie James Dio in Dio, while Lockton became a member of German hard rockers Victory.
Wild Horses members Laurence Archer and Clive Edwards were part of the UFO line-up that recorded the "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" and "Lights Out In Tokyo" albums in the early 1990s, before spending time in Medicine Head.
Both "The First Album" and "Stand Your Ground" were re-issued on CD in Japan and Europe in the 1990s; the latest set of re-issues came on 26 May 2009 through UK-based Krescendo Records.
Wild Horses (US)
Wild Horses was formed by former Kingdom Come member James Kottak (drums) and ex-King Kobra front man Johnny Edwards, the two had previously worked together in Buster Brown and a revamped Montrose. A few members came and went before they added another Kingdom Come alumni in Rick Steier. A major label contract was handed to the band almost immediately, but at the same time Edwards was given the opportunity to front the legendary Foreigner and he jumped at the chance. John Levesque was brought in as the new vocalist with Jeff Pilson of Dokken handling the bass duties (although the album listed Chris Lester as the group's official bassist).
The radio-friendly melodic rock album got rave reviews, but was ignored by the record buying public and the band quickly folded. Kottak and Steier resurfaced in Warrant, with Kottak departing in 1996 and Steier in 2000. Both would show up together in a band called Krunk before Kottak rose to stardom as a member of the Scorpions.
In 2002 it was announced that Wild Horses would return with the same line-up that recorded the debut album (with Pilson on bass once again), and release a new album titled Dead Ahead
Face Down
Wild Horses Lyrics
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Police raids and fistfights
Just like it was ten years ago
Elvis Presley on the radio
Peroxide blondes in nice blue jeans
Stiletto heels, just seventeen
'Cos two would dance and meet a boy
Falls in love with Foxy Roy, what a boy
Those fifteen suits, all custom made
Knows all the tunes in the hit parade
Made his money in the retail trade
No one around him put him in the shade
He's down to Brighton for the weekend
[?] a convoy and cavalcade
Takes his Jenny for a pillion ride
Ends up in hospital with broken pride
Face down
No sound
Knows what it's all about
Face down
Hard ground
He's got his work cut out
Over and over and over again
(solo)
Fire escapes and flashing lights
Police raids and fistfights
Just like it was ten years ago
Elvis Presley on the radio
Ten years later he's a different man
He married Jenny, got his family planned
His big excitement now's a pint or two
Still he remembers just like me and you
Face down
No sound
Knows what it's all about
He's face down
Hard ground
He's got his work cut out
Face down
No sound
Knows what it's all about
He's face down
Hard ground
He's got his work cut out
Over and over and over and over again
The lyrics to Wild Horses's "Face Down" paint a picture of a rough and tumble world full of fire escapes, flashing lights, police raids, and fistfights. The opening verse takes us back in time, evoking a sense of nostalgia for the way things used to be, with Elvis Presley on the radio and peroxide blondes in nice blue jeans. The chorus repeats the refrain "face down, hard ground" reflecting the violent and dangerous nature of this world.
The second verse introduces us to a character named Foxy Roy, a boy who falls in love with one of the dancing girls in a local club. The lyrics tell us that Roy is a member of a gang of fifteen men, all of whom wear custom-made suits and know all the tunes in the hit parade. Roy made his money in the retail trade, and he enjoys taking his girlfriend Jenny for a pillion ride on his motorbike.
The final verse tells us that ten years later, Roy has settled down and married Jenny, and his big excitement is now drinking a pint or two. However, the memories of his youth and the dangerous world he used to inhabit are still with him, as reflected in the chorus repeating "face down" and "hard ground."
Overall, the lyrics to "Face Down" offer a snapshot of a bygone era, full of danger and excitement, told through the lens of nostalgia and reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
Fire escapes and flashing lights
The singer is describing a scene of chaos and danger, with fire escapes and flashing lights suggesting some kind of emergency or danger.
Police raids and fistfights
The danger is confirmed by the line, 'police raids and fistfights,' indicating that something illegal may be taking place.
Just like it was ten years ago
The singer notes that this scene is not new, but a repeat of something that happened ten years ago.
Elvis Presley on the radio
The reference to Elvis Presley on the radio locates the scene in a specific time period, likely the 1950s or 60s.
Peroxide blondes in nice blue jeans
The artist describes the appearance of some of the people at the scene, highlighting their glamorous or fashionable appearance.
Stiletto heels, just seventeen
The singer notes that some of the women there are very young, but dress very provocatively.
'Cos two would dance and meet a boy
This line suggests that some of these young women are there to dance and flirt with the boys or men at the scene.
Falls in love with Foxy Roy, what a boy
The line 'falls in love with Foxy Roy' indicates that one of the young women has taken a particular interest in a boy named Roy.
Those fifteen suits, all custom made
The scene shifts to another location where the artist describes a group of wealthy men, noting their sharp and expensive suits.
Knows all the tunes in the hit parade
The artist suggests that these men are cultured and knowledgeable, with an interest in pop music and popular culture.
Made his money in the retail trade
The singer further describes these wealthy men, suggesting that they are successful businessmen who have made their fortune in retail.
No one around him put him in the shade
This line suggests that the men in question are very successful and powerful, with no one able to match their achievements.
He's down to Brighton for the weekend
The scene shifts to another location, this time on the coast, with Brighton being a seaside resort town in England.
[?] a convoy and cavalcade
This line is unclear, but may suggest that the wealthy man in question is attending an event or travelling in style with a group of people.
Takes his Jenny for a pillion ride
The wealthy man is spending time with his partner, named Jenny, taking her for a ride on the back of his motorbike.
Ends up in hospital with broken pride
This line suggests that something goes wrong with the ride, and the man ends up in the hospital with some kind of injury and shame.
Face down
The refrain of the song begins with the line 'face down,' which seems to suggest a moment of defeat, vulnerability, or humiliation.
No sound
This line deepens the moment of defeat, suggesting that the character is unable to speak or cry out.
Knows what it's all about
The singer suggests that this moment of defeat or humiliation is a familiar one, and that the character understands it well.
Hard ground
The image of 'hard ground' reinforces the idea of a painful fall or failure.
He's got his work cut out
This line suggests that the character has a difficult task ahead, possibly in the form of recovering from his injuries or regaining his self-respect.
Over and over and over again
The repetition of this phrase at the end of the refrain suggests that the character will continue to face moments of defeat and humiliation again and again.
(solo)
This line suggests that the music will shift to a solo, instrumental section.
Ten years later he's a different man
The story jumps ahead ten years to check in on one of the characters, indicating that time has passed and things have changed.
He married Jenny, got his family planned
The character in question, who was in the hospital ten years ago, has now settled down and started a family with his partner Jenny.
His big excitement now's a pint or two
The character's interests and priorities have shifted since the earlier scene of chaos, with his idea of a good time now being a simple drink or two.
Still he remembers just like me and you
The lyrics conclude by suggesting that even though the character has moved on, he still remembers the events of ten years ago, just as the singer (and the listener) do too.
Writer(s): Brian Robertson, James Bain
Contributed by Lincoln B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.