Friday 23 February 2007

"Lives and Ladies" -Family, 1970, from 'Anyway'



Written in the Vietnam era, but so relevant right now.

Family were a British band who produced a lot of distinctive and original work, but refused to bow to their record company's demands for catchy singalong chart numbers.
They toured in the US, but failed to break into the charts there.
It's rumoured that Roger Chapman's nearly decapitating Billy Graham with a flailing mic. stand at the Fillmore East earned them a bad press they never recovered from.
Were they any good? John Lennon said in 1970 "They're the best band around"


"Lives and Ladies"

People that you send to war
Who don't know what they're fighting for
Leaving their loved ones at home
Wondering if they're on their own
Oh, if they're alone

Mothers and fathers that wait
For news of their innocents' fate
Raising a son for some years
Only to end it in tears
Oh, only to end it in tears

You being masters of war
You never knew your fathers, that's for sure
Just counting the numbers that died
I hope that you're satisfied
I hope that you're satisfied

My friend he's a salesman up in Leicestershire
His wife and baby love him, to him they're all so dear
We got talking together about some rights and wrongs
And just before I left there, I heard him sing this song:

I love my lady and baby
And I'm sure that you love yours
We want to care for each other
That's what we're here for
Yes, I love my lady and baby
And I'm sure that you love yours
So don't go pulling your switches
We don't need your wars

My friend he's a tailor up in Leicester town
He works his own shop there, and I know he's alright now
He's got his way of thinking, and know's that I've got mine
There's mostly only one thing we agree on all the time

We love our lives and our ladies
And we're sure that you love yours
We want to care for each other
That's what we're here for
We love our lives and our ladies
And we're sure that you love yours
So don't go pulling your switches
We don't need your wars

He loves his lady and baby
And he's sure that you love yours
They want to care for each other
That's what they're here for
He loves his lady and baby
And he's sure that you love yours
So don't go pulling your switches
They don't need your wars

2 comments:

  1. I work with a young man that is always talKing about this band...i had not heard of them before...I will forward this on to him, he will feel somewhat vindicated I'm sure...
    he is always talking about another band caslled "audience" as well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'll be posting at least another family track. Maybe a couple.
    I liked them. Audiendce is not familiar to me though....
    In fact... I'll post 'Leroy'... right now!

    If he's.....'young'? wherever did he hear of them? not exactly getting loads of airplay...
    'In my Own Time' and 'My Friend the Sun', are the best known tracks.

    ReplyDelete


Spam will be reported and swiftly deleted. I will put a curse upon you if you post spam links.