He has been active in the 00s and since, touring both as a single artist and as a member of the rotating supergroup 'Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band'. Before fronting the band titled in his name, Squire was the frontman of the power pop group Piper. Said band had some underground fame in the 70s before Squire left for bigger things.
Squier started off his solo career with May 1980's 'The Tale of the Tape'. Although a commercial breakthrough eluded him, the release spent three months on Billboard's album chart and gained a large fan response. Working with songwriter impresario Desmond Child and Kiss co-guitarist Bruce Kulick, his album also brought him praising critical reviews, noting his talent for meeting catchy pop hooks with aggressive guitars and vocals.
His 1981 follow-up, 'Don't Say No', shot his career into the stratosphere. It hit the Top Five on the Billboard album chart and remained on the chart for over two years (a total of 111 weeks). Getting RIAA certified as triple-platinum, singles such as "Lonely Is The Night" and "The Stroke" became staples of arena rock radio. His music from this album has popped up in variety of places such as in the comedy film 'Blades of Glory' and in the popular Guitar Hero video game series.
Squier's third album, 'Emotions in Motion', also picked up both critical praise, with Allmusic calling it a "slice of AOR heaven", and commercial acclaim. The album itself peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart while singles such as "Everybody Wants You" and "Learn How To Live" achieved top 40 rock stardom. Squier also achieved notability both for his album cover, devised by famous artist Andy Warhol, and for his popular music videos, played often on MTV.
Massively successful touring with artists such as Queen had Squier labeled as one of the best hard rock artists of the decade. Still, 'what goes up, must come down', as the saying goes, and his next album would spell his downfall. 1984's 'Signs of Life' came out with initial good press, viewed as perhaps lacking the rock crunch of his previous affairs but still involving some catchy tunes. Single "Rock Me Tonite", released in June 1984 as the lead single, became his highest charting U.S. song, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hitting the Top 10 on the Cash Box singles chart. It also returned him to #1 on the Top Rock Tracks chart in August of 1984.
Nevertheless, the music video for the song was the beginning of the end for this part of Squier's career. Popularly regarded as one of the worst ever music videos ever made, if not the worst, it shows Squier putting on a pink tank top and making effeminate dance moves around a bed with pastel-colored satin sheets while badly miming to the song, rolling around on the floor in several parts. Many viewers who saw it thought that it depicted the singer on drugs or pretending to be flamboyantly gay. It was directed by Kenny Ortega, who was the third director to be considered for the job.
After an acrimonious break from his label and also making other changes, Squier re-grouped and released 'Enough Is Enough' on September 27, 1986. Signed to Capitol Records, he achieved some success, with the album having peaked at #61 on the Billboard album chart, but failed to meet expectations. Some critics charged that the stress that he had been put under took its toll on his songwriting. Future releases over the next few years failed to change things as his popularity slid downwards, and he ultimately quit the music industry for several years in the 90s.
As stated before, he has been active in the 00s and since, touring both as a single artist and as a member of the rotating supergroup 'Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band'. More recently, a few live albums have come out featuring his music. He also has had several low-key tours.
Long Way to Fall
Billy Squier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Off in the land of heroes and fables
a man would not think to decline
Wrapped in your arms I'd climb any mountain
but that's only half the climb
Follow the treasures of darkest desire
Dance with Medusa, but don't look in her eyes
You took the wrong turn after all - I won't be there
Knowin' what I know - knowin' I got to go
Cause I don't believe
There was a time when I could forgive you
and laugh at those sad games we'd play
I always thought that you were the strong one
and you'd break the walls down one day
Follow the circle, you come round again
Land on my doorstep, but I can't let you in
It's a long, long way to fall - don't pull me down
You took the wrong turn after all - I won't be there
Knowin' what I know - showin' what doesn't show
knowin' what I know
That I don't believe
I didn't lie when I said that I loved you
but you couldn't hope to believe
You can't come home to claim what you squandered
I've barely got room for my grief
Heart of the mineshaft the sun never shines
Lost in a minefield you might as well be blind
It's a long, long way to fall - I won't go down
You took the wrong train after all - I won't be there
Knowin' what I know - knowin' I've got to go
knowin' what I know
That I don't believe, and I can't conceive
now I just can't see you no more
In Billy Squier's song Long Way to Fall, the lyrics seem to be about a relationship that has gone wrong. The first stanza talks about a man who would not decline a challenge, even if it's climbing a mountain. However, the singer says that it's only half the climb, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for their relationship. They may have overcome many obstacles together, but there's still the other half of the journey that they can't conquer. The next few lines mention following desires and dancing with Medusa but not looking into her eyes. This could mean that they knew they were heading towards a dangerous path but didn't stop themselves. The chorus repeats that it's a long way to fall, implying that whatever happened in the relationship was a steep fall from grace. The next few stanzas talk about forgiveness and the fact that the singer can't forgive the other person anymore. He thinks that he can't trust the other person again and so will not be there for them. The last two lines, " that I don't believe, and I just can't conceive now I just can't see you no more," means that the singer can't believe that they were ever together, and he can't even see them in his life anymore.
Overall, the song is a sad and regretful tale of a relationship that couldn't last. The title - Long Way to Fall - is a perfect descriptor of the emotions tucked away inside the lyrics because the phrase is indicative of a steep fall from a high point, which is the best way to define an all-consuming love that ended.
Line by Line Meaning
Off in the land of heroes and fables
In a far-off place filled with legends and myths
a man would not think to decline
No person would refuse an opportunity there
Wrapped in your arms I'd climb any mountain
I would do anything for your love
but that's only half the climb
However, that is not all there is to it
Follow the treasures of darkest desire
Pursue the things that you truly crave, even if they are dangerous
Dance with Medusa, but don't look in her eyes
Engage in risky activities, but be careful not to be entranced or hurt
It's a long, long way to fall - I won't go down
I will not allow myself to fail or be destroyed
You took the wrong turn after all - I won't be there
You made a mistake, and I will not be around to help you
Knowin' what I know - knowin' I got to go
Realizing the truth, I understand that I must leave
Cause I don't believe
Because I do not have faith in you or our situation
There was a time when I could forgive you
In the past, I was able to pardon your actions
and laugh at those sad games we'd play
And find humor in the unfortunate situations we found ourselves in
I always thought that you were the strong one
I believed that you were tough and resilient
and you'd break the walls down one day
And that you would overcome challenges eventually
Follow the circle, you come round again
The cycle repeats itself
Land on my doorstep, but I can't let you in
You may return to me, but I cannot reconcile with you
It's a long, long way to fall - don't pull me down
I must avoid failure or destruction, and you should not drag me along
You took the wrong turn after all - I won't be there
You went the wrong way, and I will not be involved
Knowin' what I know - showin' what doesn't show
Understanding the reality of the situation, even if it is not apparent
knowin' what I know
Being aware of what I am aware of
That I don't believe
That I lack belief in you or our circumstances
I didn't lie when I said that I loved you
I was honest when I expressed affection for you
but you couldn't hope to believe
But you could not trust or rely on my love
You can't come home to claim what you squandered
You cannot return to me after wasting our opportunities
I've barely got room for my grief
I have little space left for grieving
Heart of the mineshaft the sun never shines
A dark and desolate place where nothing grows
Lost in a minefield you might as well be blind
If you are trapped in a dangerous place, you are helpless
knowin' what I know
Being aware of what I understand
It's a long, long way to fall - I won't go down
I will not allow myself to fail or be destroyed
You took the wrong train after all - I won't be there
You made a mistake, and I will not be involved
Knowin' what I know - knowin' I've got to go
Knowing the truth, I understand that I must depart
That I don't believe, and I can't conceive
I lack faith, and I cannot imagine
now I just can't see you no more
At this point, I can no longer be with or understand you
Contributed by Isaac P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.