Lyrics: The definitive collection of the Roxy Music frontman’s iconic lyrics

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Also included are the evocative lyrics of romantic longing and lost illusions for which Ferry is rightly revered: ‘Slave to Love’, ‘Mother of Pearl’, ‘More Than This’. As he writes in his preface, “The low points in life so often produce the most keenly felt and best-loved songs.” And, it might be added, some of the best poetry. Richard was an important influence when I was a student. He was such a cool and charismatic figure. I remember being quite in awe of him at tutorials, as he paced the room, cigar in hand, intense and eloquent. He was the most intellectual of artists and it was inspiring to be around him in the mid 6os, when he was doing such great work. His enthusiasm for American pop culture had a big impact on me at an impressionable age, and his well-known collage Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing? led to my own interest in making collages of sound. Although the general tone of the book reflected Hall’s carefree and cheerful persona, it featured a not very flattering portrayal of Bryan Ferry. The man himself avoided talking about the book to the media, but confessed that he found the idea of tell-all books ‘disturbing’ and later claimed that Hall was ‘addicted to publicity’.

In my student days I went to the pubs in the Bigg Market, the Lord Chancellor and the Royal Court. That had fairy lights over the bar and a great jukebox. Those pubs were rough – you had to watch yourself and you wouldn’t find many students there – but then we’d walk home to where we lived in Jesmond. I used to go there with the historian Jeremy Catto, who was teaching in Durham. He was one of my great mentors. Very intelligent – medieval history, not my field – but great fun. Lyrics’ collects the words written for music across seventeen albums, from the first iconic Roxy album of 1972 via the masterpiece of Avalon to 2014’s reflective Avonmore, introduced by the author, with an insightful essay by James Truman, and the cover features a previously unseen portrait of Ferry by Antony Price.I usually write music at the piano, but lyrics can be jotted down anywhere. There’s no particular formula for songwriting. I’m not a fast writer and sometimes they take a long time to complete. Some of my favourite songs are the simpler ones, like Chance Meeting [from 1976]. She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end.

The woman saying “You don’t ask. You don’t ask why” at the end of For Your Pleasure is none other than Judi Dench. Was that a sample of her voice or was she booked for the recording session? HugoBarrett This article was amended on 2 June 2022 to remove a reference to River of Salt being the B-side of Ketty Lester’s Love Letters; it was the B-side of You Can’t Lie to a Liar. I agree that the music greatly enhances the meaning of the lyrics. The female vocals at the end of the song are particularly beautiful and awe-inspiring. They too seem effortless, like the voices of angels. You studied art under my great uncle Richard Hamilton . Do you have any standout memories of your time with him? xFallenAngelx The song itself was based on a painting I had done a few years before while I was an art student at Newcastle University. I was interested in stream of consciousness writing, and since the songs on the first album hadn’t been very wordy, I felt it was time for a bit of verbal dexterity.

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Bryan Ferry's work as a singer and songwriter, both as a solo artist and with Roxy Music, is legendary. My road to Damascus experience was in 1967 when I hitchhiked from Newcastle to London to see the Stax/Volt Revue. I didn’t have any money but somebody might give you a lift for 50 miles, then 20 … It was a pilgrimage and a very powerful experience, seeing incredible musicians, one after another: Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper. Really powerful singing, and it was very visual. Sam and Dave came on in canary yellow suits. Otis Redding strode across the stage in a bright red suit, grabbing the audience from the first note. It was like all these great records coming to life in front of you. I’d sung for a couple of years in college [in local band the Gas Board] and had sort of [laughs] retired by then to concentrate on my art studies, but that show changed my life. I thought: “This is something I wish I could do.” Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. We’re excited to announce a new book simply titled ‘Lyrics’: Bryan Ferry’s evocative lyrics of aspiration and romantic longing, introduced by the author and published on 5 May, marking the 50th Anniversary of the first Roxy Music album

It seemed like a good idea to start our first album with a party scene, a kind of celebration. We used sound effects tapes and added our own voices to the party to make it more real. You turned down the option to record Don’t You (Forget About Me) for the 1985 film The Breakfast Club. Simple Minds’ subsequent version sold more than 1m copies in the UK and went to No 1 in the US. Why didn’t you record the song ? McScootikins So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started. My nephew is studying music composition at the Royal Academy of Music. What would be the best advice you could give him to promote his talent and career? LawyerJoBryan Ferry's evocative lyrics of aspiration and romantic longing, introduced by the author and published on the 50th anniversary of the first Roxy Music album This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive. What is the best use of your music in other media? It’s surely Bill Murray in Lost in Translation ? catchy-titled

Lyrics collects the words written for music across seventeen albums, from the first iconic Roxy album of 1972 via the masterpiece of Avalon to 2014's reflective Avonmore, introduced by the author, and with an insightful essay by James Truman. All the classic Roxy anthems are here - 'Virginia Plain', 'Do the Strand', 'Love is the Drug', 'The Thrill of it All' - songs in which the real and the make-believe blend in a kaleidoscopic mix, shot through with cinematic allure. Also included are the evocative lyrics of romantic longing and lost illusions for which Ferry is rightly revered: 'Slave to Love', 'Mother of Pearl', 'More Than This'. As he writes in his preface, 'The low points in life so often produce the most keenly felt and best-loved songs.' And, it might be added, some of the best poetry. We had just released the first Roxy Music album and the record company (Island Records) seemed as surprised as we were by its amazing instant success.As a fellow exiled north-easterner, how much do you think the NE shaped who you were and now are? orso Lyrics collects the words written for music across seventeen albums, from the first iconic Roxy album of 1972 via the masterpiece of Avalon to 2014's Avonmore, introduced by the author, with an insightful essay by James Truman.