On Growing Older
Encyclopedia
"On Growing Older" is a song by English
band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins
. The track first appeared on the Grave New World
album, although it was written and recorded a few years earlier. The original recording was later released on the Strawberry Sampler Number 1
album.
album or perhaps "A Glimpse of Heaven" from From the Witchwood
. The instrumentation is simple, the jangling guitar sounds evocative of The Byrds
, of whom Cousins is a fan.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins
Dave Cousins
Dave Cousins has been the leader, singer and most active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.-Career:...
. The track first appeared on the Grave New World
Grave New World
Grave New World is a studio album by English band Strawbs. It was the first album to be released after the departure of Rick Wakeman, under circumstances about which band leader Dave Cousins was very bitter. Cousins has admitted that the track "Tomorrow" was written about Wakeman...
album, although it was written and recorded a few years earlier. The original recording was later released on the Strawberry Sampler Number 1
Strawberry Sampler Number 1
Strawberry Sampler Number 1 is a studio album by English band Strawbs. It was originally released as a publisher's demonstration record, intended to advertise Dave Cousins's and Tony Hooper's songs to other artists...
album.
Lyrical and musical content
As befits its place on the album, the song describes "a regret for the waste of my youth" of a middle-aged person who nonetheless realises that they still have time to accomplish some of their ambitions. The imagery is pastoral and natural, similar to "Another Day" from the DragonflyDragonfly (Strawbs album)
Dragonfly is a studio album by English band Strawbs. It contains the lengthy and rather progressive ballad "The Vision of the Lady of the Lake" describing the hardships of a boatman who encounters and battles all kinds of mystical creatures on a lake, with a sword that was given to him by the lady...
album or perhaps "A Glimpse of Heaven" from From the Witchwood
From the Witchwood
From the Witchwood is a studio album by English band Strawbs.It was recorded at Air Studios, London during February and March 1971 and reached number 39 in the UK Album Charts....
. The instrumentation is simple, the jangling guitar sounds evocative of The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, of whom Cousins is a fan.
Personnel
- Dave CousinsDave CousinsDave Cousins has been the leader, singer and most active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.-Career:...
– lead vocals, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound... - Tony HooperTony HooperTony Hooper is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a founder-member of Strawbs together with Dave Cousins. He left Strawbs in 1972 after their album Grave New World, when it became obvious that the band was moving further away from its folk roots towards rock and...
– backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, 12-string guitar - John Ford – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Richard HudsonRichard Hudson (musician)Richard Hudson is an English singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Richard Hudson was a member of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, in which he played drums and sitar and sang. In 1970, he and band-mate John Ford joined Strawbs...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....