Don't Get Me Wrong

Annotation

Folk rock group Everyone formed in London, UK, in 1969/70. They only released this 1971 album, led by the singer-songwriter Andy Roberts, and featuring Bob Sargeant and John Porter, well-known British musicians and producers. Roberts said that the song "Don't Get Me Wrong" (B&C Records # CAS 1028) addressed the Kent State student demonstration. He had actually performed at Kent State back in 1969, with the Liverpool Scene, as a support act to Sly & The Family Stone.123 The narrator sung that the "masters" in power wanted to "burn the house of reason down", while "strangers shoot you as you stand". The narrator hoped that "you" - i.e. the protesters - "don't change" and "stick around", despite the threat of violence and what happened on the university campuses. The narrator also seemed to apologies for composing this about protesters being killed: "please don't get me wrong...you don't need a song".Sources1andyrobertsmusic.com: Bio andyroberts biography↩2mekons.de: Members of the Liverpool Scene — Andy Roberts↩3Colin Harper: Andy Roberts (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Kent / Jackson State Songs

Folk rock group Everyone formed in London, UK, in 1969/70. They only released this 1971 album, led by the singer-songwriter Andy Roberts, and featuring Bob Sargeant and John Porter, well-known British musicians and producers. Roberts said that the song "Don't Get Me Wrong" (B&C Records # CAS 1028) addressed the Kent State student demonstration. He had actually performed at Kent State back in 1969, with the Liverpool Scene, as a support act to Sly & The Family Stone.123 The narrator sung that the "masters" in power wanted to "burn the house of reason down", while "strangers shoot you as you stand". The narrator hoped that "you" - i.e. the protesters - "don't change" and "stick around", despite the threat of violence and what happened on the university campuses. The narrator also seemed to apologies for composing this about protesters being killed: "please don't get me wrong...you don't need a song". Sources1andyrobertsmusic.com: Bio andyroberts biography↩2mekons.de: Members of the Liverpool Scene — Andy Roberts↩3Colin Harper: Andy Roberts (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: This is my song for you alone hoping that you don't change / Although the mist inside the room hides the sadness in your eyes / When I need to talk to you you're always out of rain / This is my song for anyone who tried to stick around / Though the masters of your life burn the house of reason down / Pin your shoulders to the wall and drive you under the ground / This is my song for everyone, please don't get me wrong / Cause when the tide has cut you up and strangers shoot you as you stand / A flower held in either hand, you don't need a song / This is my song for you alone, hoping that you don't change / Although the mist inside the room...conceals the acid in your eyes

About the artist

Everyone was a British folk-rock/progressive band led by guitarist Andy Roberts (ex-Liverpool Scene), active c. 1970-71; its lone album 'Everyone' (B & C CAS 1028, 1971, also issued as 'Andy Roberts With Everyone') includes "Don't Get Me Wrong". [Source: Discogs]

Themes

Anti-War · Kent State

In collections

European Songs · Kent / Jackson State Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]