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.
The Confessor
Joe Walsh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What you see is only on the surface
When you try to see the meaning, hidden underneath
The measure of the depth can be deceiving
The bottom has a rocky reputation
You can feel it in the distance the deeper down
You stare
But you know when you're there
On the bottom words are shallow
The surface talk is cheap
You can only judge the distance by the company you keep
In the eyes of the confessor
In the eyes of the confessor
There's no place you can hide
You can't hide from the eyes (of the confessor)
Don't you even try
In the eyes of the confessor
You can't tell a lie
You cannot tell a lie (to the confessor)
Strip you down to size
Naked as the day that you were born
Naked as the day that you were born
Take all the trauma, drama, comments
The guilt and doubt and shame
The what if's and if only's
The shackles and the chains
The violence and aggression
The pettiness and scorn
The jealousy and hatred
The tempest and discord
And give it up
Joe Walsh's song "The Confessor" is a deep and introspective exploration of the human psyche. It begins with a metaphorical reflection of one's self in the bottom of a well. What you see on the surface is not truly reflective of the depth of our being or the hidden meanings that lay beneath. The rocky bottom gives way to a depth that is hard to fathom from the surface level above. He goes on to describe how words are shallow, and the talk on the surface is cheap when you're on the bottom. The only way to judge the depth, and see what lies beneath, is to observe the company you keep. It is only in the eyes of the confessor that you can truly be stripped down to the bare truth.
Walsh's lyrics dive deeper into the role of the confessor, who is often associated with a spiritual advisor, but in this context can also represent any person who has the ability to see through the surface level and connect with you on a deeper level. In the eyes of the confessor, you cannot hide, and you cannot lie. The confessor has a unique ability to strip away all the doubts, fears, and reservations that we may hold and expose us in our truest form. The final lines of the song encourage one to give up all of the negative emotions, and the shackles that hold us back. The confessor is here to help us connect with our true self and break free from the burdens of life.
Overall, Joe Walsh's "The Confessor" is a powerful examination of the human psyche and the role that our relationships with others and ourselves can play in revealing our true identity. Through the metaphorical exploration of a well and the eyes of the confessor, Walsh encourages his listeners to dive deeper and connect with their truest selves.
Line by Line Meaning
If you look at your reflection at the bottom of the well
Your reflection in the well is just a surface-level representation of who you really are
What you see is only on the surface
The version of yourself you see is only a shallow, incomplete picture
When you try to see the meaning, hidden underneath
When you try to understand yourself on a deeper level
The measure of the depth can be deceiving
The distance between who you are on the surface and who you are inside can be misleading
The bottom has a rocky reputation
Your true self, lurking beneath the surface, has a reputation for being difficult to face
You can feel it in the distance the deeper down, You stare
The further you try to delve inward, the more difficult and uncomfortable it becomes
From up above it's hard to see
It's difficult to truly understand yourself from an outside perspective
But you know when you're there
You'll know when you've reached a more truthful, uncomfortable space within yourself
On the bottom words are shallow, The surface talk is cheap
When facing your true self, the excuses and explanations you've used on the surface no longer suffice
You can only judge the distance by the company you keep
The people you surround yourself with can help or hinder your journey inward
In the eyes of the confessor
Within the context of confession, where you're being held accountable for your actions
There's no place you can hide
You can't run from your actions or their consequences
You can't hide from the eyes (of the confessor)
You can't deceive those who are holding you accountable
Don't you even try
Don't attempt to avoid accountability or responsibility for your actions
In the eyes of the confessor, You can't tell a lie
Confession requires truth and honesty in order to be effective
You cannot tell a lie (to the confessor)
Lies will be exposed and hinder progress toward true accountability and change
Strip you down to size
Hold you accountable for your mistakes and help you see yourself honestly
Naked as the day that you were born
Facing your true self requires the same vulnerability and honesty as being born into the world
Take all the trauma, drama, comments, The guilt and doubt and shame
All of the negative feelings and experiences you've had in the past
The what if's and if only's, The shackles and the chains
All of the self-imposed barriers preventing you from fully embracing your true self
The violence and aggression, The pettiness and scorn
All of the negative feelings or behaviors you've exhibited in the past that have hurt others or yourself
The jealousy and hatred, The tempest and discord
All of the negativity you've harbored within yourself or brought into your relationships with others
And give it up
Release yourself from the burdens of your past and move forward with honesty and accountability
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: JOE WALSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
alectocles
Lyrics:
If you look at your reflection at the bottom of the well
What you see is only on the surface
When you try to see the meaning hidden underneath
The measure of the depth can be deceiving
The bottom has a rocky reputation
You can feel it in the distance the deeper down you stare
From up above it's hard to see
But you know it when you're there
On the bottom, words are shallow
On the surface, talk is cheap
You can only judge the distance by the company you keep
In the eyes of the confessor
In the eyes of the confessor,
There's no place you can hide
You can't hide from the eyes (of the confessor)
Don't you even try
In the eyes of the confessor
You can't tell a lie
You cannot tell a lie (to the confessor)
Strip you down to size
Naked as the day that you were born
Naked as the day that you were born
Take all the trauma, drama, comments
The guilt and doubt and shame
The what if's and if only's
The shackles and the chains
The violence and aggression
The pettiness and scorn
The jealousy and hatred
The tempest and discord
And give it up!
WK McLennan
If you look at your reflection at the bottom of the well
What you see is only on the surface
When you try to see the meaning hidden underneath
The measure of the depth can be deceiving
The bottom has a rocky reputation
You can feel it in the distance the deeper down you stare
From up above, it's hard to see
But you know it when you're there
On the bottom, words are shallow
On the surface, talk is cheap
You can only judge the distance by the company you keep
In the eyes of the confessor
In the eyes of the confessor,
There's no place you can hide
You can't hide from the eyes (of the confessor)
Don't you even try
In the eyes of the confessor
You can't tell a lie
You cannot tell a lie (to the confessor)
Strip you down to size
Naked as the day that you were born
Naked as the day that you were born
Take all the trauma, drama, comments
The guilt and doubt and shame
The what if's and if only's
The shackles and the chains
The violence and aggression
The pettiness and scorn
The jealousy and hatred
The tempest and discord
And give it up!
MegaJetJaguar
♪♫ In the eyes of the Confessor,
There's no place you can hide.
You can't hide from the eyes (of the Confessor).
Don't you even try.
In the eyes of the Confessor
You can't tell a lie.
You cannot tell a lie (to the Confessor).
Strip you down to size.
Naked as the day that you were born.
Naked as the day that you were born! ♪♫
P Wilki
When I was a kid, music like this came out virtually every month. What a time to grow up.
P Wilki
@It's Just Me yup.....that was my first criminal exploit. I joined at least 15 times over a 5 year period under different names......never bought one.
michael calvert
There was always so much promise. I thought the present was great and the future would be better.
Gregg Terry
No it didn't!!!
Idiot.
This is a generation defined.
Trust me, it's a small tribe.
It's Just Me
Ah, how well I remember. Back in the days of the Columbia House 'get 20 cassettes of your choice for a penny'......
Chopper
This song came out the summer I graduated h.s
In other words, I'm getting old.
"I may be old, but I saw all the great bands" as someone said.
Alexander The Great
In my opinion, this is Joe Walsh's best track out of his entire music catalog. This single was way ahead of it's time, and the instrumentation is absolutely phenomenal!
James Burge
This song really showcases that Joe is not just a great guitarist but a master of effects and composition to boot. Every effect ( There are too many to count) is just right nothing unneeded, everything has it's purpose and fits where it is placed.
Kevin Mcnamara
5 years later and couldn’t agree more
stringbender11672
Lol I hear ya!!! This one and "County Fair"