The Masters Apprentices

Wars or Hands of Time

1966 · Astor A-7071 · Australia

Wars or Hands of Time – The Masters Apprentices (A-side label)

Artist
The Masters Apprentices
Title
Wars or Hands of Time
Release
Undecided / Wars or Hands of Time
Year
1966
Label
Astor # A-7071
Format
7" · Single
Language
English
Country
Australia
Songwriter
Bower
Genre
Garage Rock · Psychedelic Garage Rock
Primary theme
Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective

Annotation

The well-known song "Wars or Hands of Time" (Astor # A-7071), by The Masters Apprentices, a psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in Adelaide. With a strong reverberating guitar and hard drumming, this song grew in popularity in Australia, reaching # 4 in the Australian charts, after 14 weeks in the top 40. Inspiration for the song came partly from the experience of the lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Keays, who had been selected in the Australian conscription for the Citizen's Military Force (the army reserve) in September 1966 - only two months before the release of this single. He did not serve in Vietnam. It is largely considered to be an anti-war song, although it is really about a soldier leaving for the war, and saying goodbye to his sweetheart: "at dusk we said goodbye". The soldier asked his girl to "wait for me, I'll be back some day". While away, the soldier would be "dreaming of your love".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Australian rock band formed 1965 in Adelaide, Australia. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

ANZUS · Soldier's Perspective · Draft

In collections

Australian & New Zealand Songs · Garage Rock Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs