Since the early 90's Ron has released over 200 songs through solo CDs and DVDs, and digital releases. He's had numerous appearances on compilation CDs and as a guest performer for other artists, appeared on magazine covers, and as a soloist toured internationally headlining venues and guitar festivals. In 2008 Ron released the "Abnormal" album, described as "Sex Pistols meets Queen, with innovative guitar and a quirky Zappa-esque twist..." In 2011 he released a song a month that included transcriptions, alternate mixes and recording stems, as an innovative way to release singles.
As a child, Ron would play Bach pieces with his feet. Today, his guitar-work can be heard on Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy album, the theme of VH1's "That Metal Show", the Latin acoustic guitar on Jessica Simpson's "Irresistible" dance mix, and CNN-Turkey station IDs to name a few. Live, he's just as diverse, whether touring the world with GNR or at local fundraisers (notably performing with Nancy Sinatra, Cyndi Lauper, composer Fahir Atakoglu, and jazz legend Allen Toussaint.)
A record producer and songwriter for artists and publishing companies often working out of his own studio in Princeton NJ, Ron has written theme songs and background music for shows that include So You Think You Can Dance, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brokaw, Anthony Bourdan, MTV, VH1, MuchMusic, FuseTV, CW, SpikeTV, Oxygen, E!, A&E, ESPN, UFC, WWE, NFL, MLB, NBC, PBS, and SEGA, SSI and Atari videogames.
Ron is a Professor at SUNY Purchase College teaching music production, does guitar clinics around the world, and writes articles for music magazines. He is a volunteer for many charities such as Musicians On Call visiting sick children in hospitals and the MS Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that donates funds directly to Multiple Sclerosis research.
Top Of The World
Bumblefoot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lookin' down from on top of the world
Ready to take a step into waiting arms
To hold her as her body falls
There's a little girl lost
Somewhere on top of the world
She wants to lay her head on a pillow of clouds
The world spinnin' and crashin' into her all the time
But this time (it's her instead)
Standin' on the edge
Lookin' down from on top of the world
She says goodbye to all the beautiful things
And closes her eyes and listens
To the water passing under the bridge - reminds her
Of the whisper of a man she was once missin'
Only in the past will time forever last
And she's gonna fly (Dweezil now say goodbye...)
Little girl up on a ledge
Lookin' down from on top of the world
She steps forward
And her breath connects to the sky as her body curls
She smiles as all wishes are granted - to fly
Like she does in that recurring dream.
Free.
Collision.
Shock.
She shatters, opens, becomes the river.
But for a moment, she was on top of the world.
She ends.
Like a song, we end.
The lyrics to Bumblefoot's song "Top of the World" describe the thoughts and feelings of a little girl who is standing on top of a ledge, contemplating jumping off. The song begins with the girl ready to take a step into waiting arms that will hold her as her body falls, but then changes to reflect the girl's desire to lay her head on a pillow of clouds and pull a blanket of sky over her head. She is tired of the constant noise and chaos of the world around her and just wants to escape. At the end of the song, it becomes clear that the girl does jump, but rather than falling to her death, she becomes the river below.
The lyrics of this song are powerful and thought-provoking, inviting the listener to consider the reasons why someone might want to end their own life. The idea of the little girl becoming the river is one of transformation and freedom, suggesting that perhaps in death, she has found peace and release.
Line by Line Meaning
A little girl up on a ledge
A young girl is standing on a high place, likely a ledge.
Lookin' down from on top of the world
The girl sees everything below her and feels powerful.
Ready to take a step into waiting arms
The girl wants to jump off the ledge and trusts that someone will catch her.
To hold her as her body falls
She hopes someone will be there to catch her as she jumps off the ledge.
There's a little girl lost
The girl is unsure and potentially confused about what she wants to do.
Somewhere on top of the world
The girl feels like she's on top of the world, but also lost.
She wants to lay her head on a pillow of clouds
She wishes she could rest on soft, fluffy clouds in the sky.
And pull a blanket of sky over her head
She wants to be enveloped by the beauty of the sky and nature around her.
The world spinnin' and crashin' into her all the time
The girl feels overwhelmed by the constant chaos and changes in the world.
But this time (it's her instead)
She wants to control the situation and take action, rather than feeling helpless.
Standin' on the edge
She's on the edge of a high place, preparing to jump.
She says goodbye to all the beautiful things
She's letting go of all the wonderful things in her life for this one moment.
And closes her eyes and listens
She's focusing on her other senses and quieting her mind.
To the water passing under the bridge - reminds her
The sound of the water helps her remember something meaningful to her.
Of the whisper of a man she was once missin'
She's thinking about someone she once loved and misses.
Only in the past will time forever last
Memories are lasting, and we can only experience the past as it is gone forever.
And she's gonna fly (Dweezil now say goodbye...)
She's going to jump off the ledge and fly, saying goodbye as she does so.
She steps forward
She takes a leap of faith off the ledge, letting go of all her fears.
And her breath connects to the sky as her body curls
She feels at peace and one with nature as she falls through the air.
She smiles as all wishes are granted - to fly
She's happy and grateful to be experiencing the sensation of flying.
Like she does in that recurring dream.
She's finally experiencing her dream of flying, even if it's only for a moment.
Free.
She feels liberated and unburdened by her fears and worries.
Collision.
She hits the ground, coming back to reality and experiencing the shock of the fall.
Shock.
She experiences the pain and reality of the landing.
She shatters, opens, becomes the river.
The impact causes her to break apart and merge with nature, becoming part of a river.
But for a moment, she was on top of the world.
Even if it was just a moment, she felt powerful and free as she was falling.
She ends.
The moment has ended, and life goes back to reality.
Like a song, we end.
Everything has a beginning and an end, just like a song. This is a reminder to cherish and appreciate each moment.
Contributed by Scarlett H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.