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.
Shut up
Joe Walsh Lyrics
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They was gonna have a party and they called me to say
Hey Joe, how ya doin', how's your album, how's your tour
How's Don Henley, how's Glenn Frey,
And who, what where and when and why
They could not shut up (can't shut up)
They couldn't shut up (can't shut up)
So I hung up (can't shut up)
Well I followed their directions and arrived a little late
I had a couple Chardonnays and started feelin' great
I said I hate to interrupt, I'll be right back I gotta pee
30 people in the bathroom started talkin' to me
They could not shut up (can't shut up)
(can't shut up)
I said hey, shut up (can't shut up)
They could not shut up
Well, just to get out of the bathroom took the rest of the year,
And then a polyester pantsuit named Mandingo grabbed my ear
Said I heard you're rich and famous but I don't know who you are
You gotta sign this for my nephew or he won't believe I met you
She just could not shut up (can't shut up)
No, no she could not shut up (can't shut up)
She couldn't shut up (can't shut up)
I said: "Shut up" (can't shut up)
She could not shut up (can't shut up)
She, she, she, she could not shut up (can't shut up)
No, no, no she could not shut up (can't shut up)
She said: "blah, blah, blah" (can't shut up)
I said: "hahahaha, Shut up"
Shut up (can't shut up)
In Joe Walsh's song "Shut Up," the artist depicts a scenario where he receives a call from some friends who invite him to a party. Upon arriving a little late and having a couple of Chardonnays, Walsh has to go to the bathroom. There, he is interrupted by 30 people who start talking to him. Even after he's done with his business, he finds it hard to leave as a woman in a polyester named Mandingo stops him to sign something for her nephew, insisting that Walsh is rich and famous but she doesn't know who he is.
Through the song, Walsh paints the picture of an annoying situation where individuals cannot stop talking. Although the artist is known for his humor and laid-back style, the song reflects his feelings towards persistent people and the need for some quiet moments. The chorus "They could not shut up" emphasizes the frustration of Walsh's character with the incessant talking, leading him to tell off the woman in the end, saying "Shut up" and bring closure to the event.
The song's humor and relatability make it a fan favorite, with most people being able to relate to being stuck in a situation where somebody or a group of individuals just continually talks. The artist's personality and passion come through in the song through his ability to create humorous lyrics, light instrumentation, and add a touch of rock to it. "Shut Up" is an excellent representation of Walsh's quirky and playful approach to composition, breathing life into situations that most people would class as mundane.
Line by Line Meaning
Some friends of mine I never met called me the other day
I received a call from some acquaintances who I've never actually met in person
They was gonna have a party and they called me to say
They called me to tell me about a party they were having
Hey Joe, how ya doin', how's your album, how's your tour
They asked me how I was doing, about my music album, and how my tour was going
How's Don Henley, how's Glenn Frey,
They also asked about other musicians such as Don Henley and Glenn Frey
And who, what where and when and why
They asked me a bunch of questions, including who, what, where, when, and why
They could not shut up (can't shut up)
They couldn't stop talking, even when I tried to interject or change the subject
So I hung up (can't shut up)
I finally had to end the call and hang up on them
Well I followed their directions and arrived a little late
I went to the party they invited me to but got there later than expected
I had a couple Chardonnays and started feelin' great
I had a few glasses of Chardonnay and started feeling good
I said I hate to interrupt, I'll be right back I gotta pee
I excused myself briefly to go to the bathroom
30 people in the bathroom started talkin' to me
A large group of people started talking to me while I was in the bathroom
They could not shut up (can't shut up)
The people in the bathroom wouldn't stop talking to me, even when I tried to leave
I said hey, shut up (can't shut up)
I finally had to tell them to be quiet
Well, just to get out of the bathroom took the rest of the year,
It felt like it took forever to get out of the bathroom and away from the people talking to me
And then a polyester pantsuit named Mandingo grabbed my ear
After finally escaping the bathroom, a woman in a polyester pantsuit named Mandingo grabbed my attention
Said I heard you're rich and famous but I don't know who you are
She mentioned that she had heard I was rich and famous but didn't actually know who I was
You gotta sign this for my nephew or he won't believe I met you
She asked me to sign something for her nephew so he would believe she had met me
She just could not shut up (can't shut up)
She was talking non-stop and wouldn't give me a chance to respond or leave
No, no she could not shut up (can't shut up)
Even though I tried to interject, she wouldn't stop talking
She said: "blah, blah, blah" (can't shut up)
At one point, she was just saying nonsense and not actually having a real conversation with me
I said: "hahahaha, Shut up"
Eventually, I had to tell her to be quiet and tried to make a joke about it
Shut up (can't shut up)
In the end, I encountered a lot of people who just wouldn't stop talking, no matter what I did
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ROSS KNIGHT, WILLIAM WALSH, ROBERT WATTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind