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Love At The Downbeat
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Love At The Downbeat is about nightlife in pre-Beatles Newcastle, England.
martin craig acoustic fol
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Martin Craig wrote the bikers' anthem 'Rockin' At The Ace Cafe' about the legendary North London haunt in 1973. 'Mile After Mile' is a stripped-down solo acous
'Mile After Mile' is a 16-track acoustic solo album of English Road Songs by Martin Craig, whose 1973 single 'Rockin' at the Ace Café' helped to spark interest in the re-opening of the legendary 50s and 60s British biker haunt in North London. Martin says, "MILE AFTER MILE is a stripped-down, solo acoustic collection of 16 of my songs. Some of the tracks draw on my experiences of running a 13-year music & songwriting group in a high security prison and leading a long-term community development project in one of the UK's most deprived and high-crime areas." "During the 14 years I worked with the neighbourhood project, my family and I were on the receiving end of death threats, wrecked cars, ram raids, arson attacks and a burgled home, all carried out by criminals who wanted to take control of the troubled community away from the people who lived there. The area suffered large-scale rioting in the 1990s." "Writing and playing music has long been my way of dealing with the personal impact of incidents such as these, and my song 'Contract Killer' which opens MILE AFTER MILE is a literal description of real-life situations, sung from the point of view of a local hit-man." "I am promoting MILE AFTER MILE with live shows, radio performances and interviews. Check my web-site for further details."
Song Info
Charts
#5,678 in subgenre Peak #52
Charts
Peak #422
Author
Martin Craig (words and music)
Rights
Martin Craig/Goldmist Productions Ltd, 1978/2001.
Uploaded
March 10, 2004
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.1 MB 128 kbps 0:00
Story behind the song
The early 1960s was a time in the UK when regulations meant next to nothing - you could sneak into X-rated horror films from the age of 10 (and scare yourself witless) and I started going to 18+ clubs from the age of 15. No-one ever asked my age. Newcastle had the Downbeat and The A-Go-Go, where The Animals cut their teeth, and places like the Marimba and the El-Toro were good warm-up venues. Jazz fans had the New Orleans, where Animals manager Mike Jeffries brought a test pressing of 'House of the Rising Sun' to get our reaction (we wore it out!). Decor was black, lightbulbs were red, jukeboxes were hot! This song is about all that.
Lyrics
LOVE AT THE DOWNBEAT One red light bulb at the top of the stairs Nowhere to sit, but nobody cares They've raided the Marimba so they'll leave us alone Start the music quick, before that girl goes home Lookin' for love, lookin' for love at the Downbeat I'm looking for love at the Downbeat Black mohair sweater, points on my feet Choking through every kind of weird cigarette From Balkan Rough to Sobranie Palette Lookin' for love, Lookin' for love at the Downbeat SOLO Pink Lane Lucy, blue silk dress Waiting in the line, Barbecue Express Wearing white stilettos, scarf on her head Late last night, she spent the morning in bed She's lookin' for love, lookin' for love at the Downbeat Now the pictures are out, it's starting to rain Lucy kicks through the chip papers lying in the drain Sees the bingo crowd comin' out in a trance Remembers when the gang used to go there to dance Lookin' for love, lookin' for love at the Downbeat Beatnik beauty in a black leather skirt Oil paint splashes on her brother's old shirt She can look right through you as she dances slow Face won't tell you if it's 'yes' or 'no' Lookin' for love, lookin' for love at the Downbeat I'm lookin' for love at the Downbeat Black mohair sweater, points on my feet Choking through every kind of weird cigarette From Balkan Rough to Sobranie Palette Lookin' for love, lookin' for love at the Downbeat SOLO to END
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