British music is the theme for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday. Last week, I featured the original Fleetwood Mac, a band I saw at university.

Another memorable performance from my university days was the British group Family, probably much less familiar to a US audience. Perhaps best categorised as ‘psychedelic electric folk’. the key element – USP if you will – was the extraordinary voice of Roger Chapman.

And any song entitled ‘Drowned In Wine’ is always going to go down well with a student audience. Even if, back then, the wine came from Algeria in plastic bottles, was rough enough to bark and produced hangovers that defied the Geneva Convention. Allegedly.

After the turn
You finally learn to play along

Your feelings are blind
So you don’t really mind if it’s right or wrong
Fall in line, no

They won’t let it stand
On the back of their hand
Won’t take a cave in the mine
You see what they’ve done
The ends just begun to filter in

The end is in sight and the thought of a fight
Now it’s wiltering
Yours and mine
They won’t let it stand
On the back of their hand

Won’t take a cave in the mine
I could cry help
But I’d much sooner fend for myself
Don’t wanna feel that I’m drowned in wine
Hate every thought of having to fall in line
Just want to grow, just want to grow and share what’s yours and mine

As sure as I see they’re looking at me with glasses on
And as sure as I feel I know they’re for real and the gas is on

Well I’m drowned in wine
No, they won’t let it stand, no, no

Don’t wanna feel that I’m drowned in wine
Hate every thought of having to fall in line
Just want to grow
Want to grow and share what’s yours and mine

After the turn you’ve finally learned to play along
Your feelings are blind to you don’t really mind if it’s right or wrong
I’m drowned, drowned in wine
No they won’t let it stand
No they won’t let it stand
I said they won’t let it stand, no

Written by Roger Chapman and John Whitney

Song Lyric Sunday 11 June 2023