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.
Life's Been Good
Joe Walsh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice
I live in hotels, tear out the walls
I have accountants pay for it all
They say I'm crazy but I have a good time
I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime
Life's been good to me so far
My Maserati does one-eighty-five
I lost my license, now I don't drive
I have a limo, ride in the back
I lock the doors in case I'm attacked
I'm makin' records, my fans they can't wait
They write me letters, tell me I'm great
So I got me an office, gold records on the wall
Just leave a message, maybe I'll call
Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through
(Everybody say, "I'm cool," "He's cool")
I can't complain but sometimes I still do
Life's been good to me so far
I go to parties sometimes until four
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybody's so different, I haven't changed
They say I'm lazy but it takes all my time
(Everybody say, "Oh yeah," "Oh yeah")
I keep on goin' guess I'll never know why
Life's been good to me so far
Ah, yeah, yeah
(Uh-oh, here comes a flock of wah-wahs)
The song “Life’s Been Good” by Joe Walsh is a satirical take on the life of a rockstar, highlighting the irony and absurdity of a life in the limelight. The lyrics convey the idea that despite all the extravagances of rockstar life, including mansions, fancy cars and record walls, it is not a perfect life.
The opening lines, “I have a mansion, forget the price / Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice”, serve as a metaphor for the idea that the material possessions of rockstars have high monetary value but may not hold much personal value to them. Joe has never been to his mansion, so it’s just a symbol of his wealth, not a home.
The lyrics also highlight the quintessential rockstar life of partying and excess with lines like, “I go to parties sometimes until four / It's hard to leave when you can't find the door / It's tough to handle this fortune and fame”. The reference to the “flock of wah-wahs” also serves as an ironic way of poking fun at the notion that everything in a rockstar's life is perfect and glamorous.
Overall, “Life’s Been Good” has been hailed as a classic rock anthem that skewers the lifestyle and excess of the 70s rock stars.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a mansion, forget the price
I own a luxurious house which cost me a lot of money, but its value is so high that it does not even matter
Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice
Even though I bought the mansion, I have never had the time to visit it, but people say it's incredible
I live in hotels, tear out the walls
I travel a lot and prefer to stay at hotels where I often cause damage by tearing out the walls
I have accountants pay for it all
I have financial professionals take care of my bills and take care of my expenses
They say I'm crazy but I have a good time
People often describe me as insane, but I don't mind because I enjoy myself anyway
I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime
I am always seeking new experiences and adventures to keep things interesting
Life's been good to me so far
Until now, things have been pretty great in my life
My Maserati does one-eighty-five
I have a Maserati car, which is so fast that it can go up to a speed of 185 miles per hour
I lost my license, now I don't drive
I had my driver's license taken away, so now I am not allowed to drive
I have a limo, ride in the back
I use a limousine as a mode of transportation, and sit in the back seat like a VIP
I lock the doors in case I'm attacked
I am cautious and always take safety measures such as locking the car doors at all times
I'm makin' records, my fans they can't wait
I create music albums, and my fans are eagerly waiting for the next album to be released
They write me letters, tell me I'm great
My fans show their support and admiration for me by sending letters telling me that I am awesome
So I got me an office, gold records on the wall
I have an office where I showcase my achievements such as gold records
Just leave a message, maybe I'll call
If you want to contact me, just leave a message, and I may or may not respond
Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through
Considering all the challenges and difficulties I have faced, I consider myself lucky to still be sane and mentally stable
(Everybody say, "I'm cool," "He's cool")
People around me often describe me as cool and unfazed by everything around me
I can't complain but sometimes I still do
I have nothing to complain about in my life, but sometimes I still find myself complaining about trivial things
Life's been good to me so far
Overall, my experiences in life have been positive and I'm content with my life
I go to parties sometimes until four
I attend parties frequently that sometimes last until 4 am
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
Parties can be hard to leave, especially when you can't seem to find the exit
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Managing the attention and wealth that comes with popularity is a challenge
Everybody's so different, I haven't changed
Everyone around me seems to be evolving and changing, but I still the same person I was before
They say I'm lazy but it takes all my time
People always criticize me for being lazy when in fact, all of my time is occupied with my work
(Everybody say, "Oh yeah," "Oh yeah")
People often show their agreement and confirmation of what I say by saying 'Oh yeah'
I keep on goin' guess I'll never know why
I keep pushing forward with my lifestyle, which is something that I cannot explain or describe why I do it
Life's been good to me so far
Despite my rough around the edges lifestyle, I'm still incredibly grateful for the blessings in my life so far
Ah, yeah, yeah
Some sort of exclamation expressing my enjoyment or agreement
(Uh-oh, here comes a flock of wah-wahs)
Referring to some sort of background music or sound that is about to play
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Joe Walsh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@George-rb6bv
hello Mr. Walsh, I went to the Eagles concert a few weeks ago and it was simply amazing, and even more so because you were there. Your songs take me back to my days as a kid in the 70s at the C.N.E. when they always played your hits at the Polar Express ride. Even as a kid your 'Life's Been Good' tune always resonated deeply with me, I don't know, but it was such a perfect 70s rock tune, and there's never been a time when I've been at the Ex. over the years when I didn't think about your songs - I also love Funk#49. The C.N.E. and Joe Walsh tunes in the 70s just seemed to work really, really well together. It's always a trip down memory lane for me in that your songs were so synonymous with the C.N.E. in those hot 70s late summer nights, the blissful atmosphere, happy people, the rides, the games i.e., doggy, doggy, where's that doggy?.....Being 10 in 1975 was a really happy time in my life. The world wasn't perfect, but for me as a 10 year old boy it was pretty damn close to perfect. A million thanks for being a happy part of it to me.
Now at 57, it feels like the worst time in life for me. I just can't seem to fit this 2000's vibe, I feel so out of place in it, to say nothing of the deep depression that I can't seem to shake. Nowadays all I feel is like I want the world to go away. I've always struggled with depression and anxiety, but being diagnosed with MS in 2015 really fucked up my life. I'm still walking, albeit with difficulty and a cane, but far from normal. This has really killed my motivation to do anything. I myself am a guitar player (since I was 13), but my hands are stiff now which makes playing so challenging, and music is my greatest passion in life. So many things I enjoyed doing have been taken away from me now because of this dreadful disease. At least I'm relatively stable since having a stem cell treatment some years ago. Since the treatment I have not gotten any worse, but not too much better either - just stable. I just have to exercise my legs as much as possible to get back some of the strength and stamina I've lost, but it is so hard to get motivated.
I'm sorry for going on and on about my ills, it's just so hard not to vent because having MS is a very, very lonely experience even if people support you. Talking about it does help a lot though. I'm in a very frustrating place in my life right now. Everything is limited by the MS. But at least I am still relatively mobile, not bed ridden, and unable to do anything for myself like so many MS sufferers out there are - I'm very thankful for that. Still, it really makes a picture of the future a very blurred one for me. It's very difficult to be positive.
There are some other personal issues complicating my life too, and so my life right now is one big ball of confusion, depression, frustration, and uncertainty as I'm sure you understand. I Would like to continue dialoguing with you if you're okay with it, but I understand if you not. Living inside myself is lonely and hellish, especially when solutions are very few, if there are any at all. My best childhood buddy (he's a bass player) is going through his own personal hell too. We use to get together often over the years (I am so grateful to have him in my life still) and drive around, go for a coffee, visit music stores, play in bands together, we partied together on many Friday nights at the bars and such, but even that doesn't happen anymore for obvious reasons. However, we are trying to plan a coffee date soon - we have so much to talk about. We do talk over the telephone, it's fine, but seeing and talking to each other in person is the absolute best. My buddy and I are very old school. We are the babies of the baby boomers 🙂
Thank you so much for listening to me Mr. Walsh. It is much, much appreciated from the bottom of my heart. To me you always seemed like such a nice gentleman - a really down to earth kind of guy. It goes without saying that your are an extremely talented man, and your very funny too! God bless, and I truly hope to get a reply from you. That would really help to boost up my spirit.
Your fan and friend,
George
@user-dj4dq9nz9y
Anyone here 2024?? May all your dreams come true in life
@EpicAndrew97
Yeah, I’m 17 myself and I’ve heard this song on classic rewind multiple times, I regretted not writing the name of the song down, so I went through the classic rewind playlist SONG BY SONG, and had to scroll halfway through their 800+ songs before finding this gem
@jstam4886
22 here and I just got my licenses back after I year because of a dui and im glad to have this playing in my car😁
@omaga9265
Yo!
@nibrasge6375
I'm here!
❤
@KerryGentry-pm6mv
He'll yeah I wish you the same..that's awesome 👌
@michaelastorga3187
One of the greatest songs of all time. Who in 2023 is jamming to Joe Walsh's masterpiece here
@mifune3000
Amen
@austinenfinger4123
Fuck yeah
@jhonnyhotbodei1986
im here