A native of Wichita, Kansas, Walsh moved to Montclair, New Jersey and attended Montclair High School. He spent time in various bands playing around the Cleveland area while attending Kent State University, but came to widespread attention in 1969 after replacing Glen Schwartz as lead guitarist for the James Gang, an American power trio. Walsh was the standout of the band, noted for his innovative rhythm playing and creative guitar riffs. The James Gang had several minor hits and became an early AOR staple before Walsh left the group in 1971 for a career as a solo artist.
Walsh's solo debut was Barnstorm (1972). Its follow-up was The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get (1973). Several cuts from these albums, notably "Rocky Mountain Way", received heavy airplay and continue to be classic rock favorites.
After releasing another studio album and a live set, Walsh was invited to join the Eagles in 1976, replacing departing guitarist Bernie Leadon. He brought a harder-edged sound to the group, giving their light country rock sound a shot in the arm and kept the Eagles from becoming a country act altogether.
As the Eagles began to decline after the release of Hotel California, Walsh re-ignited his solo career with the well-received discs But Seriously Folks (1978) (which featured his hit comic depiction of rock stardom, "Life's Been Good") and There Goes the Neighborhood (1981). He continued to record and release albums throughout the 1980s. In 1989, Walsh recorded a MTV Unplugged with the RnB musician Dr. John, but musical trends had passed him by and he maintained a very low profile until the late-1990s Eagles reunion and tour. Walsh sang the US National Anthem at the beginning of Game 4 of the 1995 World Series. In 2004, Walsh performed live before a huge crowd at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Texas.
A versatile guitarist, Walsh's abilities on acoustic, electric, and slide guitar have also made him well-regarded as a featured player or guest soloist; Walsh has recorded and performed with many other artists including Dan Fogelberg, Steve Winwood, The Who's John Entwistle and on the first two Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band tours.
Joe Walsh ran for President in the 1980 US Elections promising "free gas for all". In an interview for Planet Rock radio station he commented that he did this to raise people's awareness of the election. He felt that many Americans were not even aware that there was an election going on.
Some of his most recent compositions deal with his struggles with substance abuse.
Joe Walsh (WB6ACU) is an active amateur radio operator. Joe is also an active member and contributor of the ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio. Joe has contributed to many simmilar causes over the years.
Falling Down
Joe Walsh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Making the same mistakes, we never learn
All of the pain in those faces
Trying not to show concern
Spent and broken
Like a worn out subway
Talking in the city
Hanging in the closet, wait in line
When you go by the laws, you pay the fine
I'm burning the candle at both ends
Twice the light in half the time
Damn the calling
Feel like I'm falling
Ooh, and as the rain doesn't have to hurry in the city<
Falls sadly to the ground
Rain doesn't have to hurry in the city
Only way to fall is down
Falling down
But still you're running in a race that can't be won
Aiming hard to fill the spaces when they're gone
Worn out shoes with no laces
Getting too loose to stay on
Back to crawling
Feel like I'm falling
Ooh, and as the rain takes its time to fall in the city
Falls sadly to the ground
Rain kinda of says it all in the city
Only way to fall is down
Falling down
In Joe Walsh's song "Falling Down," he sings about the cycle of making mistakes and not learning from them. The first verse speaks to the idea of not investing in anything and not receiving any return, as well as continuing to make the same mistakes over and over again without showing any concern for the pain that it causes others. The image of a worn out subway is used to represent the singer and those around him who are just going through the motions of life, and the city is described as a place where people talk but don't really make any meaningful connections.
The second verse shifts the focus to the idea of following rules and the consequences of not doing so. The singer feels like he is burning out quickly, doing everything twice as fast as he should be. He is aware of the mistakes he is making but is still unable to break the cycle. The chorus repeats the phrase "feel like I'm falling," which can be interpreted in different ways. It could be a feeling of failure, or it could represent falling into the same patterns over and over again.
The bridge of the song uses rain as a metaphor for the singer's feelings of sadness and disappointment. The rain falls slowly in the city, just like the singer's life is moving slowly without any real progress. The line "only way to fall is down" reinforces the idea that there is no progress or upward movement in the cycle of making mistakes and not learning from them. Overall, the song portrays a sense of hopelessness and resignation, with the singer feeling like he is stuck in a never-ending cycle.
Line by Line Meaning
Making no deposit, no return
Not investing anything in life, expecting no returns
Making the same mistakes, we never learn
Repeating past errors without gaining any wisdom
All of the pain in those faces
Witnessing the agony and suffering of others
Trying not to show concern
Hiding one's own empathy and compassion
Spent and broken
Completely drained and shattered
Like a worn out subway
Tired and dilapidated like an old, overused train system
Talking in the city
Engaging in idle chatter in a bustling metropolitan area
Hanging in the closet, wait in line
Languishing and queuing up for something while being neglected like old clothes in a closet
When you go by the laws, you pay the fine
Punished for breaking the rules even inadvertently
I'm burning the candle at both ends
Exhausting oneself by working too hard and for too long
Twice the light in half the time
Achieving more in a shorter span of time but at the cost of personal well-being
Damn the calling
Rejecting one's own responsibility or purpose
Feel like I'm falling
Experiencing a loss of control or balance
Ooh, and as the rain doesn't have to hurry in the city
Observing how natural forces move at their own pace amidst a hectic urban environment
Falls sadly to the ground
Falling and landing with a sense of sorrow or defeat
Rain doesn't have to hurry in the city
Life moves fast in a city, but nature remains unaffected and constant
Only way to fall is down
Losing grip and descending to rock bottom
But still you're running in a race that can't be won
Compelled to compete in an unwinnable contest
Aiming hard to fill the spaces when they're gone
Striving to keep up with what has been lost or removed
Worn out shoes with no laces
Rundown footwear that cannot be retied to stand up to the next challenge
Getting too loose to stay on
Losing one's grip and not being able to hold on any longer
Back to crawling
Returning to a state of vulnerability and helplessness
Ooh, and as the rain takes its time to fall in the city
Watching water fall slowly and unobstructed from above, despite the urban hustle and bustle
Rain kinda of says it all in the city
The rainy weather in the city reflects the gloomy reality of its residents
Falling down
Hitting rock bottom and experiencing defeat
Lyrics © CACOPHONY LIMITED, Cass County Music / Wisteria Music / Privet Music
Written by: DEAN COLLINSON, MICK WALSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind