Wishbone Ash can trace its origins back to Torquay, Devon, England, a seaside resort in the southwest of the country. It was there that Martin Turner and Steve Upton first performed together; Turner on bass, Upton on drums, before moving to London in 1969 to seek fame and fortune. In the capital the decision was made to place an advertisement for a keyboard player and a lead guitarist. The resulting audition threw up two guitar leads, but nobody could decide who to choose and the trademark twin-lead sound of Wishbone Ash was born.
Ted (David) Turner and Andy Powell soon went through the poverty and growing pains of a new band, but were fortunate that Miles Copeland was championing their cause and a fairly rapid progression was achieved. The first Album, Wishbone Ash, was released in December 1970 and their second, Pilgrimage, surfaced just six months later to reach #6 in the NME charts. Great things were just 11 months away with the release of Argus (1972) -- possibly the band's best album; certainly their most commercially successful -- which reached #2 in the UK charts and went gold. Argus is considered to be one of the great rock classics of all time. The next album, Wishbone Four, only 12 months later, went silver.
After these early highs, Ted Turner decided that he had had enough, and left the band to be replaced by Laurie Wisefield. Although Laurie’s style was not to everyone’s taste, he was generally well liked by the fans and brought a slightly harder edge to the folk-tinged progressive rock that was the Wishbone Ash formula. Wisefield was a dynamic player and became an excellent partner to Andy -- they were to play together for a very successful 11 years and the MKII version of the band is very well thought of for most of its output. About this time the band became more influenced by America and would eventually move there.
The next album, There's The Rub (1974), was recorded in Florida and produced by Eagles producer Bill Szymczyk. Once again it was to do well, achieving silver disc status. There's the Rub included the instrumental piece F.U.B.B. Steve Upton was arrested in New Zealand for announcing at a concert it's full title. In New Zealand, swearing in public is a criminal offense, and when Upton announced the title at an outdoor concert, a woman sunbathing in her garden nearby complained to the mayor. Upton spent the night in jail, and the album reached #3 in New Zealand due to the publicity.
It was inevitable that a turkey was due and to fans Locked In (1976) fit this bill. This record was not released -- it escaped! Fortunately things were much better with the quality of the following albums and although the high chart positions were gone, the fans were enjoying some competent, well-crafted output.
After 11 years in the band, Martin Turner decided to leave. This move began a period of frequent changes of bass player with the likes of John Wetton and Trevor Bolder being two of the better known; however, Wishbone Ash always has attracted musicians of the highest order. A much more controversial move was the introduction of Clair Hamill to fill in some of the vocal talent Martin had taken away with him. Clair was not popular with the fans which was perhaps a little unfair. She had contributed backing vocals on Just Testing (Turner's last album (1980), which he had also produced) and had co-written the excellent Living Proof, which is still a crowd favourite today. Her stay was short-lived with Andy Powell taking on more vocal duties. Wisefield left in late 1985 and the band continued to tour with various replacements, but were very much in limbo until 1987 when a miracle occurred. Miles Copland persuaded the original lineup to reform for a project for a music charity that he was helping, and a Hammersmith Odeon concert which the BBC recorded resulted. The project produced an instrumental album Nouveau Calls (1987), which was very well received. Even better received was the fact that three years of the original lineup were to follow.
Just when things were going so well, Steve Upton decided to quit the business entirely in 1990, to be replaced by Ray Weston. Martin Turner carried on for another year before leaving to pursue a solo career, and Ted left two years later. The next five years saw lots of personnel changes, but eventually resulted in a good period of stability with Ray Weston returning and Bob Skeet joining on bass in 1998.
The new millennium has also seen stability in respect of Andy's guitar partner, with the last 6 years being filled by Ben Granfelt and subsequently Muddy Manninen, both of whom come from Finland. 2005 saw Wishbone Ash celebrate their 35th year. 2006 heralded the new album Clan Destiny (the first featuring Muddy as guitarist). 2007 saw the exit of long-term drummer Ray Weston, due to the increasingly hectic pace of band life. Joe Crabtree (formerly of The David Cross band) stepped up to fill his place. With regard to new releases, 2007 saw First Light, which features original recordings of the songs featured on their debut album, as well as some outtakes. Also released that year was the new album The Power of Eternity (partly featuring Joe Crabtree on drums), which coincided with the Autumn tour.
Wishbone Ash are still performing 150 gigs a year in the U.S. and Europe. They get very supportive crowds with good numbers turning out all over Europe -- the U.S. tends to attract smaller audiences, but very committed fans. If you want to hear classic Wishbone Ash, get ahold of Argus. Visit their web site www.wishboneash.com, where tour dates and albums, etc. can be obtained.
People in Motion
Wishbone Ash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to kill time.
I watch the people
They amuse my mind.
"Where are they going?
Where have they been?
Has she got a fast car?"
I ask myself within.
What makes the world spin around?
But then, time is your freedom
You just do what you've got to do.
People in motion
In motion
People in motion.
I'm taking my time
I'm taking it easy,
But the pace is never too slow.
I see a crying child
But nobody cares
All too busy rushing everywhere.
How many times do you stop and wonder
What makes the world spin around?
But then, time is your freedom,
You just do what you got to do.
People in motion
In motion
People in motion.
The lyrics to "People in Motion" by Wishbone Ash describe the observations and musings of the singer while waiting at a train station. The singer is watching the people around them, and wondering about their lives - where they're going and where they've been. The song captures a sense of restlessness and movement, with references to fast cars and busy people rushing around. The singer ponders the nature of time and how it governs our lives, but ultimately concludes that we must do what we need to do to keep moving forward.
The song's theme of people in motion speaks to the universal experience of being part of a world that is always changing and evolving. It's a reminder to take a step back and observe the people and places around us, and to reflect on our place in the larger scheme of things. The song's lyrics and rhythm capture this sense of movement and change, creating a feeling of momentum that propels the listener forward.
Overall, "People in Motion" is a thought-provoking song that offers a glimpse into the mind of someone who is watching the world in motion. Its themes of restlessness, time, and the human experience are as relevant now as they were when the song was first recorded.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm at a station
I am at a train station.
Trying to kill time.
I am waiting for something and trying to make the time pass more quickly.
I watch the people
I am observing the people around me.
They amuse my mind.
I find the people I am observing interesting and entertaining.
"Where are they going?
I am curious about the destinations of the people I observe.
Where have they been?
I wonder about the places the people have come from.
Has she got a fast car?"
I am speculating about the possessions of one of the people I am observing.
I ask myself within.
I am reflecting on these questions internally.
How many times do you stop and wonder
I wonder how many other people think about these types of questions.
What makes the world spin around?
I ponder the factors that contribute to the functioning of the world.
But then, time is your freedom
Despite these existential questions, I am free to spend my time however I choose.
You just do what you've got to do.
I know that my main priority is to complete the task or reach the destination I am waiting for.
People in motion
The individuals I observe are moving quickly and continuously.
In motion
They are constantly on the move, without a break or pause.
I'm taking my time
I am proceeding at my own pace, without worrying about keeping up with others.
I'm taking it easy,
I am relaxed and unhurried.
But the pace is never too slow.
Despite my leisurely approach, I still make progress and do not fall behind.
I see a crying child
I notice a child who is upset and in need of comfort.
But nobody cares
The other people around me seem too focused on their own tasks to pay attention to the crying child.
All too busy rushing everywhere.
Everyone is moving quickly and does not have time to stop and assist the child.
How many times do you stop and wonder
Once again, I reflect on how often people pause and consider the world around them.
What makes the world spin around?
This question still occupies my thoughts, even as I observe the lack of concern for the crying child.
But then, time is your freedom,
I remind myself that I am free to choose how I spend my time, including whether or not to assist the crying child.
You just do what you got to do.
Ultimately, my primary responsibility is to complete my own tasks, even if I wish I could do more to help others.
People in motion
The constant movement of people continues, even as other events occur around them.
In motion
This movement is never-ending and unstoppable.
Contributed by Nora H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Magnus Wettermark
Great band,great song,awesome guitars. And the singer is awesome. Its a voice you either hate or love!
Manny Ruiz
That Ash. Melodic, accessible, and guitar driven.
aitech nasus
People In Motion Is A Great Killer Straight Up Rock Song By WISHBONE ASH And Totally Rocks It Needs To Be Fully Cranked Up All The Way To Full Maximum Volume.
Max B
Why do you start every word with an upper-case letter?
Roberto Gomes
quite 80s, radio driven. Their core and soul remained in the 70s. Hot Ash is far better.
Kisa Wisa
It's hard to ascertain where the cutoff point is,
because there's good material as late as Number The Brave,
but every album after Argus is slightly more pop-centered than the last
(which is not necessarily a bad thing)
but once you get to their 80s albums,
the horrible production takes over and you end up with this.
WishboneAshAllSongs
Hot Ash is a Live Dates Vol. 2 rip-off, how can it be compared to a studio album?
John Berg
The day Martin left, Ash was no longer ash. God is this crap
Kisa Wisa
I would go with Wetton, but I'm probably biased. I still think it's cool that he made a cameo though.
maurice boyle
Wishbone Ash ? Sounds more like Foreigner or Reo Speedwagon or bands of that ilk. Vocals are terrible .