Thursday, December 5, 2013

December Playlist: Living in the Gilded Cage

The Garanimals Method of putting together a rock band. Is Stevie Nicks #28?

To hear these songs is to hear that life on the road isn't all groupies, green M&Ms on the contract rider, and screaming "are you ready to rock [insert city name here]?!" before launching into the encore comprised of songs everyone knows by heart.

Limelight, Rush: Loving the life but loathing it at the same time.

Faithfully, Journey: song dedicated to the girlfriends and wives back home while the boys are dealing with flashpots, empty bottles of Jack, writer's block, etc.

Jukebox Hero, Foreigner: boy dreams, boy lives dream, boy realizes dream bigger than him, boy is washed up but never forgets the roar of the crowd.

Shooting Star, Bad Company: boy dreams, boy lives dream, boy realizes dream bigger than him, boy dies for dream, but if you listen to the wind, you can still hear him play.

Home Sweet Home, Motley Crue: kind of insightful yet ambiguously penned. Is every night on tour like coming home because they are at home on stage? Are they looking forward to tonight because it's one day closer to coming home?

American Band, Grand Funk Railroad: It's all about the groupies, and having a whore in every port. I don't know if it was the effect of the 70s but GFR isn't exactly poster boy material, but that didn't stop them from taking full advantage of rock stardom.

I Wanna Be a Rock Star, Nickelback: I despise this band, but this song is a hoot and a holler. It makes fun of while embracing all the trappings of rock stardom.

Turn the Page, Bob Seger: world weariness from Michigan's favorite son (sorry Ted Nugent). My next door neighbor use to play this over and over on an 8-track of Live! Makes you second guess approaching a celebrity if you see them alone in a diner nursing a cup of coffee.

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