Fella In The Cellar

Album: More Miles Per Hour (1979)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Running to 6 minutes 43 seconds, "Fella In The Cellar" is the fourth track on the More Miles Per Hour album. Produced by Alan Parsons, it has an orchestral arrangement by Andrew Powell - not to be confused with Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash.

    John Miles is one of the few rock artists to use a string or orchestral backing to a lead guitar solo, and here it works magnificently on an album that doesn't have a duff track.
  • According to Stephen Carson of the John Miles website, the lyrics - which were supplied by Miles' regular collaborator, bass player Bob Marshall - are probably autobiographical. In the song, the fella in the cellar was going nowhere; the same can't be said of Marshall, although it has to be admitted that the enormous talent of the Miles/Marshall songwriting partnership has never won either the acclaim or the superstardom it rightly deserved. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Don Brewer of Grand Funk

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the Song

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.