Of course I respect the word of the Great and Perfect Master. Even though he is referring to the explanation from the writer of the song, Robert Lamm, same as my linked article did, I’m sure Cecil was better able to divine the true intention of the writer, and thus confirm the meaning with much higher clarity and certainty.
“Road Ladies”- Frank Zappa
“On the Road”- The Kinks
“Success Story” and “How Many Friends” from The Who’s underrated Who By Numbers
Are you thinking of “Life On the Road” or “The Road”?
Also, “Taxi” is a no, but “Sequel” is a yes…
Yeah, I think “The Road” is it. I have the album (actually CD), but was to lazy to get up to confirm the name on a Saturday morning.
Ani DiFranco’s “Napoleon” is about a friend who signs with a commercial record label - something Ani’s always refused to do - then complains to her about being taken advantage of, and the pressures of fame.
Oh yeah now that, now that there’s a problem
You call me up to confide
And you go on for over an hour
About each one that took you for a ride
And I guess that you dialed my number
'Cause you thought for sure that I’d agree
I said baby, you know I still love you
But how dare you complain to me?
Fan speculation is that it’s about Suzanne Vega.
Half of the songs by Bon Scott were about sex, the other half were about touring. The rest just were about having sex while touring.
Two more songs by AC/DC about being a musician:
The hope of rise to fame (written and recorded before they became famous)
The downsides:
Um, you missed a kinda obvious one there - The Moneygoround is about music promotions and management.
speaking of which, Queen’s “Death on Two Legs” was written about their first manager. That’s (unfortunately) part of the music business.
Yeah, that’s a subset of songs about being a musician, songs about being pissed off by your label. I once started a thread about it. Here’s some more:
Must be a lot of performers Wanting to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star… the advice is even a little more poignant when being given from the middle of a tour (I looked for live performances).
Tom Petty
Crowded House (with Roger)
Patti Smith
Byrds (“fake live”)
“Songs of Love” by The Divine Comedy, a rather entertaining ditty about writing love songs for the pubescent crowd.
If it sounds familiar, it’s probably because a slower instrumental version was used as the theme to Father Ted. (Divine Comedy - or at least Neil Hannon, who is basically the band anyway - was also responsible for writing and singing “My Lovely Horse” BTW.)
Pretty much all of Joe’s Garage Act 1 by Zappa
Playin In the Band by the Grateful Dead
I Like To Rock by April Wine
We Are the Nowtones – Blotto
here is a classic time capsule of 1979
Another one from April Wine, The Band Has Just Begun
Somehow the above song, beginning with “The Band”, reminded me of Joe Jackson’s “The Band Wore Blue Shirts”.
Yes! I learned this a zillion years ago from an old Doonesbury comic with “Jimmy Thudpucker”.
I suggest (from one of Black Sabbath’s original line-up’s worst albums, Technical Ecstasy), “Back Street Kids”. I love Sabbath but that album was just awful.
Bachman Turner Overdrive - “Takin’ Care of Business”