After learning guitar at the age of 12, Scaggs met Steve Miller at St. Mark's School of Texas in Dallas. In 1959, he became the vocalist for Miller's band The Marksmen. The pair later attended the University of Wisconsin together, playing in blues bands like The Ardells and The Fabulous Knight Trains. Leaving school, Scaggs briefly left Texas to join the burgeoning rhythm and blues scene in London. After singing in bands such as The Wigs and Mother Earth, he recorded his first solo album Boz in 1965, which was not a commercial success. He traveled to Sweden as a solo performer and did a brief stint with the band The Other Side with fellow American Jack Downing and Brit Mac MacLeod.
Returning to the US, Scaggs promptly headed for the booming psychedelic music center of San Francisco in 1967. Linking up with Steve Miller again, he appeared on the Steve Miller Band's first two albums Children of the Future and Sailor, which won over critical reviews. After being spotted by Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner, Scaggs secured a solo contract with Atlantic Records in 1968. Despite good reviews, his first Atlantic album was met with lukewarm sales, as were followup albums on Columbia Records. In 1976, he linked up with session musicians who would later form Toto and recorded his smash album Silk Degrees. The album reached number 2 on the US charts and number 1 in a number of countries across the world, spawning three hit singles: "Lowdown", "Lido Shuffle", and "What Can I Say", as well as the MOR standard "We're All Alone", later a hit for Rita Coolidge. A sellout world tour followed, but his follow-up album, the 1977 Down Two Then Left, lacked the cohesion of Silk Degrees.
Scaggs' 1980 album Middle Man would spawn two top 20 hits, "Breakdown Dead Ahead" and "Jojo," and Scaggs would enjoy two more hits over 1980 and 1981 ("Look What You've Done to Me" from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack, and "Miss Sun" from a greatest hits set).
Scaggs continued to record and tour sporadically throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although he semi-retired from the music business and turned owner of the San Francisco nightclub Slim's. His lengthy hiatus from the music industry slowed his chart career down dramatically.
Scaggs recorded Other Roads in 1988, took another hiatus, and then came back in 1994 with Some Change. In the late 190s he released Come On Home, an album of blues, and My Time, an anthology. He garnered good reviews with Dig, although the CD, which was released on September 11, 2001, was lost in the post-911 melée. In May, 2003, Scaggs released But Beautiful, a collection of jazz standards that debuted at number 1 on the jazz charts.
In 2013 he released the album Memphis
Hollywood
Boz Scaggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You stepped in and did the scene a whole new way
No one would resist you now and even if they could
Hollywood just never had it quite this good
I see your name in lights, I see them standing in line
They send the cards and the wine
Broadway here she comes
Camera, action, do it again
(Ooh, anyway I gotta do it)
What a reaction, do it again
(Yeah, gonna make you a star)
Camera, action, do it again
(Ooh, anyway I gotta do it)
What a reaction, do it again
(To get you this part)
No one had to tell you what your smile was for
You sure there's not an uncle name of Barrymore
Now she did this and she did that you are the latest talk
Now there lining up for you around the block
Throwing roses and Holy Moses
Even the Times say
Sparks fell from the skies
That gets you immortalized
Camera, action, do it again
(Oh, anyway I gotta do it)
What a reaction, do it again
(Yeah, I'm gonna make you a star)
Camera, action, do it again
Ooh, anyway I gotta do it)
What a reaction, do it again
(To get you this part)
They gave you 5 stars, they're sending big cars
And Sunset Boulevard will never be the same
You give it a brand new name
Camera, action, do it again
(Ooh, anyway I gotta do it)
What a reaction, do it again
(Yeah, I'm gonna make you a star)
Camera, action, do it again
(Ooh, anyway I gotta do it)
What a reaction, do it again
(To get you this part)
Camera, action, do it again
(Ooh, anyway I gotta do it)
What a reaction, do it again
(To get you this part)
Camera, action, do it again
What a reaction, do it again
Camera, action, do it again
What a reaction, do it again
Camera, action, do it again
What a reaction, do it again
"Hollywood" is a song about a rising star in the film industry receiving mass attention and adoration, to the point of becoming an icon. The lyrics depict the singer's success in the entertainment industry, including their ability to read and captivate a crowd, their fame, and the endless opportunities for stardom. The song suggests that this rising star is destined to become a household name, with their career prompting headlines and even immortalization in the media.
The phrase "Camera, Action, do it again" is repeated throughout the song and serves as a nod to the filmmaking process, which is a cornerstone of the Hollywood industry. This phrase reinforces the idea that the singer is on the rise and that their talent is being captured on film. The lyrics also mention the possibility of the singer becoming a star on Broadway, highlighting the vast opportunities for success in entertainment.
Overall, Boz Scaggs's "Hollywood" is a song that celebrates the idea of the Hollywood dream, where anyone can rise to fame and fortune with talent, ambition, and a bit of luck.
Line by Line Meaning
The way you read the crowd, the way you make them pay
You have the ability to perceive the audience's taste and make them pay for what they love.
You stepped in and did the scene a whole new way
You revolutionized the way things are being done in the industry.
No one would resist you now and even if they could
Nobody would resist you now and even if they wanted to, they couldn't.
Hollywood just never had it quite this good
Hollywood has never had as much success as it does with you now.
I see your name in lights, I see them standing in line
Your name is up in lights and people are eager to see you perform.
They send the cards and the wine
People are sending you gifts and messages.
Broadway here she comes
You are now ready to conquer Broadway.
You should be a natural
You are gifted and talented as if this came naturally to you.
Camera, action, do it again
Get ready for another take.
(Ooh, anyway I gotta do it)
No matter what, I have to make this happen.
What a reaction, do it again
The reaction is so great that we have to do it again.
(Yeah, gonna make you a star)
Yes, you're going to be a huge success.
(To get you this part)
We have to keep trying to perfect this until you get the part.
No one had to tell you what your smile was for
You knew just what to do without anyone having to tell you.
You sure there's not an uncle name of Barrymore
You are so talented that it's almost as if you're related to the famous Barrymore acting family.
Now she did this and she did that you are the latest talk
People are talking about your success and all that you have accomplished.
Now there lining up for you around the block
People are lining up and waiting for you to perform because of your popularity.
Throwing roses and Holy Moses
People are so excited and enamored with you that they are throwing roses and exclaiming expressions of surprise.
Even the Times say
Even respected newspapers are commenting on and praising your performance.
Sparks fell from the skies
Your performance was so electrifying that it seemed like sparks were falling from the sky.
That gets you immortalized
Your success ensures that you will be remembered and celebrated for years to come.
They gave you 5 stars, they're sending big cars
You received the highest rating and now people are sending you luxurious cars.
And Sunset Boulevard will never be the same
Sunset Boulevard has become even more famous because of your success.
You give it a brand new name
You have transformed Sunset Boulevard with your success, giving it a new reputation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MICHAEL OMARTIAN, WILLIAM R. ROYCE SCAGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dfliberty126
I love the song. The backup vocals are wonderful. Those ladies can sing!
wonderboyjoy
Vanetta fields?
Donald Fewell
Boz always worked with superlative backing singers! ;)
Brian Anderson
They sound like the Three degrees👍
Mark P
One of my favorite Boz songs!! Great memories! Nice job with the vid! :)
leegenix
This is my all time favorite Boz Scaggs album. I considered it even better produced than the previous Silk Degrees album that was a super smash hit. I also thought it was Boz's best work, which also happens to be his too, according to a magazine interview. There just isn't anymore music of this quality and caliber anymore. Sad to say that things have been reduced to recording entire sessions on an Ipad. Both remarkable and sad at the same time.
The old geezer Smith
I Agree 1000%!!!!
Bob Davis
This is my favorite Boz Scaggs album too! It's all great! This and "Hard Times" should have been big hits!
beardedba
This is SUPREME BOZ...one of my all time faves from one of my allp-time favorite singers, EVER. Remember this on radio in College...played the daylights out of it then! Gonna find a way to bring it back big, now!
ronjontigerfan
Cant believe this only went to #49 on the US charts.