Jeff Golub was a contemporary jazz guitarist with 11 solo albums and 3 CD's… Read Full Bio ↴Jeff Golub was a contemporary jazz guitarist with 11 solo albums and 3 CD's as the leader of the instrumental band "Avenue Blue". Before becoming an instrumentalist, Golub worked as a sideman to a number of very successful rock and pop artists.

He's arguably best known for his work with Rod Stewart, who he played with from 1988 until 1995 performing on 4 albums and 5 world tours as well as recording the live DVD "One Night Only" live at Royal Albert Hall.

Born in Copley, Ohio, Jeff started playing by emulating 60's blues rock guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, etc...Then, following up on the artists that these musicians cited as their inspiration, he delved deeper into the blues listening to Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and anyone named King --B.B., King, and Freddie.

Golub was in his teens when he first heard a Wes Montgomery record. This moment set him on a whole new course which led him to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. From Boston Jeff moved to New York in 1980 where his first major gig was with rocker Billy Squier. Jeff appeared on 7 albums and 3 world tours with Billy. He released his first solo recording, "Unspoken Words" for Gaia Records in 1988 but really embraced his role as band leader and instrumentalist with the release of "Avenue Blue" in 1994 for Mesa Bluemoon/Atlantic records.

Golub was a member of Dave Koz & The Kozmos, the house band of The Emeril Lagasse Show. In June 2011, Golub became blind due to collapse of the optic nerve. In September 2012, Golub fell on the tracks of a subway but was saved by good samaritans. Golub was brought to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center with minor injuries.

Jeff Golub died on January 1, 2015 due to complications of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (“PSP”)

If I Ever Lose This Heaven
Jeff Golub Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you're foolin' only foolin'
All I ask is why
If you're playin' all I'm sayin'
Feelins' sure can lie

If your lyin' keep on lyin'
Don't tell the truth don't you dare (don't you dare)
‘Cause you can't drop me ‘cause you still got me

After takin' me way up there

Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I f I ever lose this heaven
If I ever, ever ever lose this heaven
Oh oh oh oh oh
I'll never be the same
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I f I ever lose this heaven
If I ever, ever ever lose this heaven
Oh oh oh oh oh
I'll never be the same

When you kind extra kind
Then suddenly you're cross
You're so moody you get to me
Still can't turn you off
You're fascinating, more fascinating
Than the dark side of the moon
You're so exciting that I'm rewriting
The book of love called you

Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I f I ever lose this heaven
If I ever, ever ever lose this heaven
Oh oh oh oh oh
I'll never be the same
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I f I ever lose this heaven
If I ever, ever ever lose this heaven
Oh oh oh oh oh
I'll never be the same
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I f I ever lose this heaven
If I ever, ever ever lose this heaven

Oh oh oh oh oh
I'll never be the same

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jeff Golub's song "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" convey the feeling of uncertainty and the fear of losing a blissful state of happiness. Golub talks about a relationship where the other person's behavior is inconsistent, and their feelings can lie. He begs to know why they're fooling or playing, and if they're lying, he urges them to keep the lie going and not shatter the illusion of happiness. The feeling of being taken on a high is so intense that the fear of losing it is palpable. The person he's with is fascinating enough to rewrite the book of love, and they are so exciting that losing them would mean never being the same again.

The song's opening lyrics of "If you're fooling, only fooling, all I ask is why" and "If you're playing, all I'm saying, feelings sure can lie" convey the theme of uncertainty and a fear of losing something precious. The verse "When you're kind extra kind, then suddenly you're cross, You're so moody, you get to me, still can't turn you off" adds to the feeling of inconsistency, adding to the fear mentioned earlier. The chorus repeats in intervals to emphasize the fear of loss, and the fear is established as almost palpable, making the experience of the song more relatable.

Line by Line Meaning

If you're foolin' only foolin'
If you are pretending, then you are just fooling yourself

All I ask is why
I just want to know why you are playing games

If you're playin' all I'm sayin'
If you are playing me, then I am simply stating a fact

Feelins' sure can lie
Emotions can be deceiving

If your lyin' keep on lyin'
If you are lying, then you might as well continue lying

Don't tell the truth don't you dare (don't you dare)
Do not tell the truth, do not even think about it

‘Cause you can't drop me ‘cause you still got me
You cannot get rid of me because I am still attached to you

After takin' me way up there
You have taken me to a higher place, emotionally

Oh oh oh oh oh oh
This line repeats throughout the song as a musical interlude

I f I ever lose this heaven
If I ever lose this wonderful feeling or situation

If I ever, ever ever lose this heaven
Repeating the notion of losing this wonderful feeling or situation