On his return, Lewis entered Cornell University, joining the engineering program. While there, he made friends with Lance and Larry Hoppen, who later played with Orleans and King Harvest. Initially being an active student and a member of the fraternity Eta Lambda Nu, Lewis soon lost interest in college. He signed up with a band called Slippery Elm, and in December 1969, during his junior year, he dropped out of Cornell, moving back to the San Francisco area. His aim was to continue playing music, but along the way he also tried other fields of work including landscaping, carpentry and natural foods.
In 1971, Lewis joined the Bay Area band Clover. Around this time he took the name Huey Lewis. The Lewis is for his mother Magda Cregg's boyfriend, Beat Generation poet Lew(is) Welch, whom he considered his stepfather. Sean Hopper joined the band in 1972; other members of the band were John McFee, Alex Call, John Ciambotti, Mitch Howie, Mickey Shine and Marcus David. Lewis played harmonica with the band and only sang lead vocals on a few tunes. Clover's main rival band (which developed into a friendly rivalry) was Soundhole (Johnny Colla, Mario Cipollina, and Bill Gibson were band members).
In 1976, after playing in the Bay Area with limited success, Clover went to Los Angeles. They had their "big break" in a club there when their act was caught by Nick Lowe, who convinced Clover to travel to Britain with him. However, Clover was not successful in Britain, and the band arrived just as their folk-rock sound (known as pub rock in Britain) was being replaced by punk rock. They recorded two albums for the British Phonogram label; both albums produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, but neither were successful.
While Huey went on vacation, the rest of Clover backed Elvis Costello on his debut album My Aim is True. The band returned to California, McFee joined the Doobie Brothers, and Clover disbanded.
Huey Lewis played harmonica on Thin Lizzy's 1978 landmark album Live and Dangerous. That same year, Lewis was playing at Uncle Charlie's, a club in Corte Madera, California, doing the 'Monday Night Live' spot, along with future members of the News. After recording the song "Exo-Disco" (a disco version of the theme from the film Exodus), Huey landed a 'singles contract' from Phonogram Records, and Bob Brown became his manager. Huey Lewis and the American Express formed in 1979, with the same line-up as the News. The band played a few gigs (including an opening for Van Morrison), but on Brown's advice, they changed their name again. Huey Lewis and the News became their moniker.
After a failed self-titled debut in 1980, the band finally broke through to Top 40 success with the gold album Picture This (1982) riding to #13 on the Albums chart thanks to the Mutt Lange-penned "Do You Believe In Love" (#7), which became the band's first hit.
The band's third LP, the #1 Sports (1983), is one of the best-selling pop releases of all time. It has sold ten million copies in the US alone.[4] It was followed up by Fore! (1986), another #1 multi-platinum smash.
in 1995, Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker, Jr. over similarities between Parker's theme for the 1984 movie Ghostbusters and Lewis' own "I Want A New Drug". The case was settled out of court, with both parties agreeing to keep the settlement secret. Mr. Parker sued Mr. Lewis in 2001, alleging that Mr. Lewis violated the agreement in a "VH1- Behind the Music" Episode, when he stated that Mr. Parker paid some amount to settle the case.[5]
Lewis produced Nick Lowe's 1985 cover of "I Knew The Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll)". Huey Lewis and the News provided backup vocals and played on the song. He and his bandmates also performed on USA for Africa's 1985 fund-raising single "We Are the World", and spent the remainder of the 1980s and early 1990s adding to an impressive string of 14 Top-20 Billboard Hot 100 hits and releasing two more hit albums: Small World (1988) #11 and Hard At Play (1991) #27. By the time the band released their critically-acclaimed album of cover songs Four Chords & Several Years Ago (1994) #55, their chosen lower profile and lack of promotion from new label Elektra saw their Top 40 appeal dip for good, yet they have endured as one of America's top drawing live acts[citation needed] and have continued to have the occasional hit on adult contemporary radio.
As well as singing lead vocals and playing harmonica with the band, Lewis also writes or co-writes many of the band's songs.
Huey Lewis has sung with Umphrey's McGee at several shows beginning with the 2005 Jammys and is featured on two tracks of their album Safety In Numbers.
The band, now in self-proclaimed semi-retirement, still plays 80+ U.S. dates a year, with an occasional European tour. The average fee for Huey Lewis & The News to play a private college-sized show is around US$200,000.
On February 13, 2007, Huey was interviewed on the podcast series "Stuck in the 80s," during which he revealed that the band has written several new songs that they plan to record next year, though he states that, given how much the industry has changed since their last album, he's unsure at this point how they will sell the new material.[6]
During a show at the California State Fair on August 21, 2007, Huey was named Sacramento's "Musician of the Year" by the fair's General Manager and presented with a gold statue of the California state bear.
Huey has also recorded a duet version of "Workin' For A Livin'" with Garth Brooks, which was included in Brooks' 3-Disc set The Ultimate Hits, in late-2007.
Huey Lewis's real name is "Hugh Cregg"
Trouble In Paradise
Huey Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Plenty of lines but nothing to say, he said, "I
Seen this movie and it don't end nice"
Looks like trouble in paradise
He used to be cool, he used to laugh a lot
Down at The Brother's in the parking lot
Now he's sick and he's scared and he's paying the price
Trouble in paradise
(Trouble in paradise)
Mama said he always was so nice
Trouble in paradise
American son, he's not very old
An American dream that's never been sold
The smile on his face is his last disguise
We've got trouble in paradise
There's a scream inside that shouts, "here I am"
Some people say we got to do all we can
Me, I don't know, you see, I've been there myself once or twice
Trouble in paradise
(Trouble in paradise)
Mama said he always was so nice
Trouble in paradise
I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble
(Trouble in paradise)
Mama said he always was so nice
(Trouble in paradise)
I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble
(Trouble in paradise)
(Trouble in paradise)
(Trouble in paradise)
(Trouble in paradise)
(Trouble in paradise)
The lyrics to “Trouble in Paradise” expound on the theme of disillusionment and unfulfilled expectations. The singer, Billy, has returned home from L.A. after pursuing the dream of living the high life to ultimately find out that it's not what he expected it to be. He has plenty of stories to tell, but nothing meaningful to say- he’s just going through the motions. The chorus speaks to the overarching message of the song, that despite the seemingly perfect life he had pursued and the façade he had created for himself, there's trouble in paradise. Billy used to be happy and carefree, always laughing and enjoying life. But his time in L.A., where he may have been exposed to more than he was prepared for, has taken its toll on him. He's no longer cool, and he's now sick, scared, and paying the price for his choices.
The song takes on a broader perspective when it shifts to talk about the “American son,” who's never been sold the American Dream, which Billy pursued relentlessly. The “smile on his face” is his last disguise, signifying that even he, an innocent in this world of the materialism and excess that has taken hold of America, has begun to employ a façade that hides the truth of his situation. The scream inside that shouts, “here I am” is a call for authenticity, but some say that we must do whatever it takes to make it to the top, even if it means hiding behind a mask. The final repetition of the chorus is modified to include, “I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble,” perhaps indicating that the singer himself is experiencing his own form of trouble in paradise, and can relate to Billy’s situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy's home, he just back from L.A.
Billy has recently returned home from Los Angeles.
Plenty of lines but nothing to say, he said, "I Seen this movie and it don't end nice"
Billy has a lot of experiences, but he feels like he has nothing to share with others. He mentions seeing a movie with a tragic ending.
Looks like trouble in paradise
Things seem to be going wrong in this usually happy place, as implied by the phrase 'trouble in paradise.'
He used to be cool, he used to laugh a lot Down at The Brother's in the parking lot
Billy used to be fun and happy, hanging out with friends at a local spot known as 'The Brother's.'
Now he's sick and he's scared and he's paying the price
Billy has become ill and afraid, possibly due to his past actions, and is now dealing with the consequences.
(Trouble in paradise) Mama said he always was so nice
Despite Billy's current issues, his mother remembers him as a kind person.
American son, he's not very old An American dream that's never been sold The smile on his face is his last disguise
Billy is a young man with potential, but he has never achieved his dreams. He puts on a facade of happiness that disguises his internal struggles.
We've got trouble in paradise
There are serious issues in this once-happy place, as implied by the phrase 'trouble in paradise.'
There's a scream inside that shouts, "here I am" Some people say we got to do all we can Me, I don't know, you see, I've been there myself once or twice
Billy feels like he has an inner voice that is calling out for help, but he is unsure of what to do about it. He admits to having had similar struggles in the past.
I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble
Billy is experiencing serious issues and is in need of help.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARIO CIPOLLINA, JOHN VICTOR COLLA, WILLIAM SCOTT GIBSON, CHRISTOPHER JOHN HAYES, SEAN THOMAS HOPPER, HUEY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danielolson5378
I just can't get enough of Marc Russo's alto sax! He really blows the crap out of his sax it's such a killer solo!! Great song as well!
@locovel10
Word! I have a friend who is an accomplished saxophonist who turned me on to the Yellowjackets after i showed him this. That's when i first learned about altissimos and how well Russo could play them!👏🤙
@andrewhutton3565
Yeah man, his notes are perfect 🤘
@TheBoondoggler
Best sax solo in rock n roll history, period.
@Dakjams
TheBoondoggler Stealy Dan has got some awfully tasty solos on FM and Deacon Blues, but damn these guys are kicking all kinds of ass in this song.
@indianahoosiersfan1970
DAK454 Isn't that the truth ;)
@joel8583
Hell yea, for sure!!
@angelaholmesnb8267
night and day Tay Charles
@skillonaire
No one can argue... Many years watching this vid, I still think about Marc Russo's solo on the Sax! Jesus...
@JeremiahRocker
I am very proud to say I am 19, living in a generation filled with people who are obsessed with rap music and come in the middle of it all, blasting this song on my car stereo!