If you approach any Texan who lived during the 70s and ask him about the Texan music scene, the name of England Dan & John Ford Coley will surely come up. This Texan soft rock duo was formed back in 1960s. The band was composed of Danny Wayland Seals and John Ford Coley. The music ran in Seals’ veins as his older brother Jim Seals was part of the duo Seals and Crofts. The duo began jamming in school as their bond of friendship deepened. The genres that they began to perfect included soft rock, country rock, and pop rock. The duo performed at local venues and began to garner popularity among the locals. It was only in late 1960s that they got their big break and had a chance to perform on the bill with Led Zeppelin. They also toured a lot during their early years which helped them perfect their sound. Their song ‘Simone’ reached the number one spot in Japan and also became pretty popular in France. However, this song wasn’t able to make a mark in the US.
The band toured a lot in Texas, and they were eventually signed by Big Tree Records. Their signing happening only after they had pitched their version of the song ‘I’d Really Love to See You Tonight’. This song of theirs would go on to become a defining one for their whole career as a duo. With Big Tree Records, they released their debut album by the name of ‘Nights are Forever’. Thereon, they were on a road to musical success. The duo went their separate ways in 1980 as Seals’ interest was piqued by country music and he wanted to pursue that. However, ‘I’d Really Love to See You Tonight’ would forever be etched in every soft rock enthusiast’s mind.
What does the Title mean?
The title of the song is about a man wanting to see his lover for one night. The song is basically about a one-night stand with no strings attached. It was a time when the concept of free love was booming due to the rise of Hippie and Beatnik culture. Moreover, rockstars have always had a promiscuous lifestyle, and this was especially true for the rockstars of 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Moreover, the song also invokes the popular American western cowboy imagery wherein the man wanders from town to town, wooing different women and having romances all over.
Verse 1 – What does it mean?
“Hello, yeah it’s been awhile
Not much how ’bout you?
I’m not sure why I called
Guess I really just wanted to talk to you”
The song begins in a conversational tone that is inviting and warm. It seems as if the singer is talking to his lover. They’ve been meeting after a long time. This is in line with the interpretation that the narrator in the song is a wanderer who goes around romancing different women. From today’s perspective, it’s more like calling your previous lover for a hook-up. In the last line, he makes it clear that he was missing her and just wanted to talk to her. As with everyone of us, we end up calling those who were left behind, but we’re not sure why we do so.
Verse 2 – What does it mean?
“And I was thinking maybe later on
We could get together for awhile
It’s been such a long time
And I really do miss your smile”
In the second verse, he continues with his message. He wants to meet his lover for one more time. After all, it’s been such a long time and he is dying to be with her. He unloads sweet words on her and mentions how he misses her smile. The lyrics of the song might feel a bit cliché according to today’s standards. However, one must remember that this song was remastered back in 1972. It was originally a song by a small-time artist named Parker McGee. Thus, the lyrics are obviously not on a level with greats such as Bobby Dylan. Moreover, it was not cliché at that time.
What does the Chorus mean?
“I’m not talking ’bout movin’ in
And I don’t want to change your life
But there’s a warm wind blowing the stars around
And I’d really love to see you tonight”
The core philosophy of the song can be found in its chorus. It speaks about the kind of love that the narrator is looking for. Due to him being his own man, he cannot be tied down to a specific place. In other words, he cannot settle down. He doesn’t want to change the life of his lover. Neither does he want to move in with her. He just wants her for a moment, in which both of them can have the time of their life. This ‘love is fleeting’ and ‘seize the moment’ attitude towards relationships can be found in quite a few artists’ songs including Bob Dylan and a plethora of other rockstars and popstars. In the second-last line, the narrator begins to paint a romantic picture and declares that he really wants to see his lover tonight.
Verse 3 – What does it mean?
“We could go walking through a windy park
Or take a drive along the beach
Or stay at home and watch TV
You see it really doesn’t matter much to me”
In the third verse, he goes on about what all they can do together tonight. Basically, he puts forwards ideas for a romantic date. He suggests a walk, a drive, and a stay-at-home date. However, it doesn’t really matter much to him as long as he is with his lover. This is quite a common feeling for anyone who’s been in love or even infatuated with someone. It doesn’t matter what the surroundings are and what activity you are engaged in. As long as you are together with the person you like, you feel content.
Verse 4 – What does it mean?
“I won’t ask for promises
So you won’t have to lie
We’ve both played this game before
Say I love you
Say goodbye”
The last verse truly captures the essence of the song. It is about how fleeting love is, and how we can’t really hold on to a person. The narrator acknowledges that he and his lover both have played the game of love. And he implies that both of them have realized that love doesn’t last due to external conditions, and one always has to part with their lover. Therefore, he won’t ask for any promise from her such as marriage or the promise of waiting for him. And if he doesn’t ask for a promise, she wouldn’t have to lie. The last verse also implies that the narrator’s lover is also not an orthodox woman. She too doesn’t like to be tied down. The last two lines of this verse are quite impactful as they exude a sense of grief and relief at the same time. It seems that the narrator doesn’t want to leave his lover, but the external conditions are forcing him to do so. So, he just wants it to be over quickly. He asks her to say ‘I love you’ and ‘Goodbye’. Then, he’ll be on his way again.
Conclusion
This was the very song that got England Dan and John Ford Coley a deal with Big Tree Records. It reached the number 2 spot on Billboard hot 100. It even reached the number 26 spot on the UK charts. It’s a wonderful rendition of the original by Parker McGee. Not only did the duo elevate this song, but also made McGee quite famous in the music industry.
