What song lyrics describe the rock and roll industry?

inneedofgrace

Platinum Member
I was listening to one of my favorite bands the other day (Boston) and heard their song Rock and Roll Band for about the ten-thousandth time. I believe it is an fairly accurate indication of how the music industry operates, although it may be a bit outdated now due to the use of technology and social media.

Well, we were just another band out of Boston
On the road to try to make ends meet
Playin' all the bars, sleepin' in our cars
And we practiced right on out in the street
No, we didn't have much money
We barely made enough to survive
But when we got up on stage and got ready to play
People came alive.

Rock and roll band
Everybody's waitin'
Gettin' crazy
Anticipating love and music
Play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Dancin' in the streets of Hyannis
We were getting pretty good at the game
People stood in line and didn't seem to mind
You know everybody knew our name
Livin' on rock-n-roll music
Never worry 'bout the things we were missing
When we got up on the stage and got ready to play
Everybody'd listen.

Rock and roll band
Everybody's waitin'
Gettin' crazy
Anticipating love and music
Play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Playin' for a week in Rhode Island
A man came to the stage one night
He smoked a big cigar
Drove a Cadillac car
And said, "Boys, I think this bands outta-sight
Sign a record company contract
You know I've got great expectations
When I hear you on the car radio
You're going to be a sensation!"

Rock and roll band
Everybody's waitin'
Gettin' crazy
Anticipating love and music
Play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
 
Classic example is Free Man In Paris by Joni Mitchell (et al) which I believe was sparked by some comments from David Geffen about him being away from the music rat race while on a trip to Paris.

Only A Northern Song by The Beatles was basically about having to crank out an extra song for that album (their publishing company was Northern Songs... hence "it's only a Northern song...")

Just Another Town by Flo & Eddie is a very poignant song about touring.

I'm sure there are dozens of other obvious and not so obvious examples.

Bermuda
 
Two additional obvious ones are Turn the Page by Bob Seger and Stay by Jackson Browne.
 
"Barracuda" by Heart.

Songs about touring:
Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi
Home Sweet Home by Motely Crue.

Songs that mention or discus aspects of industry:
"Young Lust" by Pink Floyd
"Kick Start My Heart" by Motley Crue
"Faithfully" by Journey
"Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple
"Limelight" by Rush
"Band on the Run" by Paul McCartney and Wings

And you could make a case for
"The Ballad of John and Yoko" by The Beatles.
 
A more modern version, bad english and all : ) Rockstar By Cypress Hill

Alot of a...sharks out there...try'na take a bite of somethin'
What's hot
Lot of chameleons out there...try'na change up
Anytime somethin' new comes along...everybody wants a bite
Don't happen overnight

So you wanna be a rock superstar?
And live large, a big house, 5 cars, you're in charge
Comin' up in the world don't trust no body
Gotta look over your shoulder constantly

I remember the days when I was a young kid growin' up
Looking in the mirror dreamin' about blowin' up
The rock crowd, make money, chill with the honey's
Sign autographs or whatever the people want from me
Shit's funny how impossible dreams manifest
And the games that be comin' with it, nevertheless
You got to go for the gusto but you don't know
About the blood, sweat and tears and losing some of your peers
And losing some of yourself to the years past gone by
Hopefully it don't manifest for the wrong guy
Egomaniac and the brainiac don't know how to act
Shit's deep, 48 tracks
Studio gangster mack signed the deal, thinks he's gonna make a mil'
But never will 'til he crosses over
Still filling your head with fantasies
Come with me, show the sacrifice it takes to make the cheese
You wanna be a rock superstar in the biz?
And take shit from people who don't know what it is
I wish it was all fun and games but the price of fame is high
And some can't pay the way
Still trapped in what you rappin' about
Tell me what happened when you lost clout
The route you took started collapsing
No fans, no fame, no respect, no change, no women
And everybody shits on your name

People see rockstars, younawhaI'msayin?
But you still...try'na...get out more like, like everybody else
It's a fun job, but it's still a job
Save your money man, save your money too
It's single don't last very long, younawhaI'msayin?
I mean...you're lucky in this game too
There's gon' be another cat comin' out
Lookin' like me, soundin' like me, next year I know this
They'll be a flipside, do whatchu you do
Somebody'll try to spin off like some series

You ever have big dreams of makin' real cream?
Big shot, heavy hitter on the mainstream
You wanna look shanty in the Bentley
Be a snob and never act friendly
You wanna have big fame, let me explain
What happends to these stars and their big brains
First they get played like all damn day
Long as you sell everything will be O.K.
Then you get dissed by the media and fans
Things never stay the same way they began
I heard that some never give full to the fullest
That's while fools end up dining on the bullet
Think everything's fine in the big time
See me in my Lex' with the chrome raised high
So you wanna roll far and live large?
It ain't all that goes with bein' a rockstar


My own son don't know me
I'm chillin' in the hotel room lonely
But I thank God I'm with my homies
But sometimes I wish I was back home
But only no radio or video didn't show me
No love, the phony, gotta hit the road slowly
So the record gets pushed by Sony
I'm in the middle like mony
And the press say that my own people disown me
And the best way back is to keep your head straight
Never inflate the cranium
They're too worried about them honies at the Paladium
Who just wanna cling on, swing on, and so on
Go on, fall off, the hoes roll on
'Til the next rock superstar with no shame
Give him a year, he'll be right out the game
The same as the last one who came before him
Gained fame, started gettin' ignored, I warned him
Assured him, this ain't easy take it from Weezy
Sleezy people wanna be so cheesy, the fuckin' lethal
"Assassins, assassins"
 
The Bronx-Knifeman
so good.

The Bronx are awesome, love them.

Propagandhi - Rock for Sustainable Capitalism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfT6lU5sjJE

I f****n' love that one rock video where
that f****g jack-ass mohawked millionaire
prances around by far the worst sausage party on earth,
where by mere chance he's caught on film shaking hands
with an incredibly diverse collection of patriotic skins.
I like the message it sends:
With a Rebel yell, Just Do Exactly What You're Told.
One million douche bags can't be wrong?
"When did punk rock become so safe?"
You'll excuse me if I laugh in your face
as I itemize your receipts
and PowerPoint your balance sheets.

I hear this year's Vans Warped Tour is "going green!"
I guess they heard that money grows on trees.
Hope they ship all those shitty bands overseas
like they did the factories.

Music's power to describe, compel, renew...
It's all a distant second to the offers you can't refuse.
Anyone remember when we used to believe
that music was a sacred place and not some f****g bank machine?

Not something you just bought and sold?
How could we have been so naive?
Well, I think when all is said and done,
just cause we were young doesn't mean we were wrong.

And I'll rock back and forth
on this two-bit hobbyhorse
'til she splinters and gives way.
I'll tend the flowers by her grave.
And whisper her name.

If anyone out there understands
can I please see a show of hands
just so I know I'm not insane?
Ever get the feeling you've been played?

Well, that's rock for sustainable capitalism and you know,
we may face a scorched and lifeless earth,
but they're accountable to their shareholders first.
That's how the world works.
 
How could I forget Shooting Star by Bad Company?

Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatle song,
'Love me do,' I think it was. From there it didn't take him long.
Got himself a guitar, used to play every night,
Now he's in a rock 'n' roll outfit,

And everything's all right, don't you know?

Johnny told his mama, hey, 'Mama, I'm goin' away. I'm gonna hit the big
time, gonna be a big star someday', Yeah.
Mama came to the door with a teardrop in her eye.
Johnny said, 'Don't cry, mama, smile and wave good-bye'.

Don't you know, yeah yeah, Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you know, don't you know. Don't you know that you are
a shooting star, And all the world will love you just as long,
As long as you are.

Johnny made a record, Went straight up to number one,
Suddenly everyone loved to hear him sing the song.
Watching the world go by, surprising it goes so fast.
Johnny looked around him and said, 'Well, I made the big time at last'.

Don't you know, don't you know, Don't you know that you are
a shooting star,
Don't you know, oh, yeah, Don't you know that you are
a shooting star, yeah,
And all the world will love you just as long,
As long as you are, a shooting star.

Don't you know that you are a shooting star, Don't you know, yeah,
Don't you know that you are a shooting star, now,
And all the world will love you just as long, As long you are you.

Johnny died one night, died in his bed, Bottle of whiskey,
sleeping tablets by his head. Johnny's life passed him by like a
warm summer day, If you listen to the wind you can still hear him play
 
"Raised by Horses" - Clutch

I was eating dinner at the table with people from the music industry.
They asked me if I liked it in "The City." I said I liked it better in the country.
The label representative asked me what about it most appealed to me.
"I love to listen to the yellowhammer singing 'a little bit of bread and no cheese'."
Then I commenced to do a tap dance on eggplant Parmesan before their eyes.
Guided by voices, whole bag of tricks. Raised by Druids and Horses.

(Then I told them):
"Never underestimate the power of Love. You dig my new horseshoes?
Never underestimate the power of Love."

"Come here quickly he's lost his mind!"

"Frightened? Well I'm not surprised, you've never seen the likes of me.
Check it, I want a big fat advance and my alfalfa free!"

"Come here quickly he's lost his mind!"

The manager removed from the restaurant. A crowd got to gathering around.
I said, "You can throw a man out on his ear, but you can't keep a good horse down!"
Mounted police sprung to action. Never cut me any bit of slack.
But I wasn't going anywhere 'til they got off my brother's back.
 
"One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity." -Rush
 
"The Spirit of Radio" by Rush

That was the first thing that came to mind. The lyrics depict this powerful ability to make musical magic, for others to hear the artists' creativity over the airwaves and be impacted by it. the song explores how the enigmatic force of musical creativity touches complete strangers (regardless of their geographical location or the time period in which they live), fulfills them even in solitude, costing the listener only a few moments of their time, and yet those few moments can influence and sustain someone's mood for hours after. the lyrics tell of the elevation musical freedom brings. however, temptation of massive monetary procurement and the materialistic hunger for profit displayed by the record industry and bands alike has rendered artistic integrity into something that inhibits success for musicians. like it's the salesman that makes or breaks a band, not their talent or determination or lack thereof.

Begin the day with a friendly voice,
A companion unobtrusive
Plays the song that's so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood.

Off on your way, hit the open road,
There is magic at your fingers
For the Spirit ever lingers,
Undemanding contact in your happy solitude.

Invisible airwaves crackle with life
Bright antenna bristle with the energy
Emotional feedback on timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free

All this machinery making modern music
Can still be open-hearted.
Not so coldly charted, it's really just a question
Of your honesty, yeah, your honesty.

One likes to believe in the freedom of music,
But glittering prizes and endless compromises
Shatter the illusion of integrity.

For the words of the profits were written on the studio wall,
Concert hall
And echoes with the sounds of salesmen.
 
Radio Radio by Elvis Costello was a poke at the BBC.

Bermuda
 
'Saturday Gigs' by Mott the Hoople. That song says it all.

(btw the referernce in that song to going to Croydon - that was where Ian Hunter met David Bowie who gave him 'All the Young Dudes')
 
Two additional songs that sort of fit the topic at hand:

Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles

Radio Gaga by Queen
 
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