| Steve Winwood – Back In The High Life Again Lyrics | 12 years ago |
|
1986 might be considered by many to be the year many rock greats of the '70s "sold out" and began considering the profit potential of the music they created. That same year Peter Gabriel released "So" and Eric Clapton (a major collaborator with Steve Winwood during the days of Blind Faith) released the slightly underrated, Phil Collins-produced disaster "August." Of these artists, Steve Winwood's "Back in the High Life" best encapsulates the excitement felt by many musicians who began to reap the rewards of a hugely profitable music industry. Also, it's a consistent--and dare I say historically relevant--'80s pop-rock record, unlike the others mentioned above ("So" was also proved to be quite revolutionary, but mostly from a music video perspective, IMO). Of the British musicians who sought resurrection during the late '80s, Winwood wins over Gabriel and Clapton by far. His longevity following the release of "Back in the High Life," compared to the others, however, hasn't fared too well. That said, the song merely speaks to the sense of excitement Winwood (and perhaps other musicians of his era) felt as a result of being catapulted back into the limelight (also: "the high life") following the uncertainty of the late-70s and early-80s. Not to say that the rise of the recording industry during this period was a good thing, but famous musicians such as Winwood, Clapton and Gabriel had much to be thankful for at the time. The song structure itself is pretty standard. The key here is the hook-filled chorus, which is inspirational and rousing--very similar to British folk music, as exemplified by the beautiful extended cadence where he repeats the title of the song. |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.