Welcome To The Club
Joe Walsh Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Standin' in the runway
Wavin' at the plane
There goes everything you own
You called home collect
And they didn't know your name
Starin' at the telephone

You thought he was a doctor
Now he says he's not
But the noices seem to tell for sure
And according to the symptoms
It isn't all you got
A shame they haven't found a cure

Didn't know the reason
You start to feel the rub
You know it isn't easy
Well, welcome to the club
Well, you thought they'd take it lightly

They're actin' kinda rash
Caught you in a loadin' zone
So they smile very politely
Relieved you of your cash
Suddenly you're all alone

You play the double agent
You bug each other's phone
You got the place surrounded
There ain't nobody home

It's gettin' hard to please 'em
You start to feel the rub
You know it isn't easy




Well, welcome to the club
Come on and join us in the club

Overall Meaning

In Joe Walsh's song "Welcome to the Club," the lyrics tell the story of someone facing challenges and difficulties in life, and feeling isolated as a result. The imagery at the beginning of the song sets a desolate scene, with the singer "standing in the runway" and watching "everything" they own take off without them. The only communication they have is through a payphone, and even that is a source of frustration as they feel unrecognized and unheard. The metaphorical doctor referred to in the song is likely a reference to someone who was supposed to have answers or solutions to their problems, but who has failed to provide any clear guidance. Meanwhile, the singer is dealing with their own issues, unsure of what is causing their discomfort or how to fix it.


As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly disillusioned with the world around them. The previous comfort they had in being part of a group is lost when they realize that people are more interested in taking advantage of each other than offering support. The line "you play the double agent" suggests that the singer has tried to navigate these betrayals by turning on others, but ultimately they are left alone and unsatisfied. The repetition of the line "you start to feel the rub" underscores the emotional and physical toll this experience has had on the singer. However, even as the song acknowledges the struggle and pain of this experience, the chorus offers a kind of dark comfort in urging others to "come on and join us in the club."


Line by Line Meaning

Standin' in the runway
Being in a position where you're about to leave everything behind


Wavin' at the plane
Saying goodbye to all that you're leaving behind


There goes everything you own
Watching everything you possess disappear into the horizon


You called home collect
Calling home under the assumption that all would be well and uneventful, but it wasn't so


And they didn't know your name
Being in a strange place and feeling alone and unacknowledged by even those you know best


Starin' at the telephone
Failing to make sense of the situation you find yourself in


You thought he was a doctor
Trusting someone to take care of you but ending up being disappointed


Now he says he's not
Realizing that the person who you thought would take care of you is either not qualified or simply doesn't care


But the noices seem to tell for sure
Realizing that the situation is more serious than it appears at first glance


And according to the symptoms
Understanding that the problem you have is not a singular one


It isn't all you got
Realizing that you have more problems than you initially thought


A shame they haven't found a cure
Feeling like your problems are insurmountable, and there might not be a way out


Didn't know the reason
Being stuck in a problem and not knowing how to solve it


You start to feel the rub
Realizing that the burden of your problem is growing heavy


You know it isn't easy
Fully acknowledging that the situation you are in counts as a struggle


Well, welcome to the club
Joining a community of those who are in a similar situation hoping for a solution


Well, you thought they'd take it lightly
Thinking that the people responsible for solving the problem would be more sympathetic or understanding


They're actin' kinda rash
Watching those responsible overreact to the situation rather than calmly fixing it


Caught you in a loadin' zone
Being caught doing something wrong and subsequently getting penalized for it


So they smile very politely
Seeing others present a false sense of niceness while they take advantage of your predicament


Relieved you of your cash
Watching others take advantage of you and rob you of the resources you have


Suddenly you're all alone
Feeling like nobody is on your side and everyone has turned against you


You play the double agent
Pretending to go along with someone's plan while secretly plotting against them


You bug each other's phone
Finding yourself involved in a situation full of mistrust and spying among people trying to get ahead of each other


You got the place surrounded
Trying to fix the problem from all angles and not giving up hope even if it seems like a lost cause


There ain't nobody home
Realizing that there is no one willing or able to help


It's gettin' hard to please 'em
Becoming frustrated because no matter what you do, you can't seem to satisfy those around you


Come on and join us in the club
Inviting others to join in on the shared experience of dealing with difficult situations




Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DEAN COLLINSON, MICK WALSH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Crazy Uncle Ted

Standin' in the runway
Wavin' at the plane
There goes everything you own
You called home collect
And they didn't know your name
Starin' at the telephone

You thought he was a doctor
Now he says he's not
But the noices seem to tell for sure
And according to the symptoms
It isn't all you got
A shame they haven't found a cure

Didn't know the reason
You start to feel the rub
You know it isn't easy
Well, welcome to the club
Well, you thought they'd take it lightly

They're actin' kinda rash
Caught you in a loadin' zone
So they smile very politely
Relieved you of your cash
Suddenly you're all alone

You play the double agent
You bug each other's phone
You got the place surrounded
There ain't nobody home

It's gettin' hard to please 'em
You start to feel the rub
You know it isn't easy
Well, welcome to the club
Come on and join us in the club



Elizabeth Mann

Standin' in the runwayย 
Wavin' at the planeย 
There goes everything you ownย 
You called home collectย 
And they didn't know your nameย 
Starin' at the telephone

You thought he was a doctorย 
Now he says he's notย 
But the noices seem to tell for sureย 
And according to the symptomsย 
It isn't all you gotย 
A shame they haven't found a cure

Didn't know the reasonย 
You start to feel the rubย 
You know it isn't easyย 
Well, welcome to the clubย 
Well, you thought they'd take it lightly

They're actin' kinda rashย 
Caught you in a loadin' zoneย 
So they smile very politelyย 
Relieved you of your cashย 
Suddenly you're all alone

You play the double agentย 
You bug each other's phoneย 
You got the place surroundedย 
There ain't nobody home

It's gettin' hard to please 'emย 
You start to feel the rubย 
You know it isn't easyย 
Well, welcome to the clubย 
Come on and join us in the club



All comments from YouTube:

Chis Flanagan

I forgot how much I like this tune. I'm digging the clean, crisp riffs & singing every word. My day just got a bit better.

Gregg Torgeson

This song has been stuck in my brain for -oh- about 42 yrs now. I have to get a fix on it pretty much weekly. And then it's hard to leave, cause I just want some more.. I think it's the leads, they are so "intelligent"/unique/well executed, and they keep me begging for them to go on forever, or maybe its the lyrics they talk to some spot in my brain, or just the rhythm, the way the instruments so work together and push things along, and the bit of "rogue" timing, there just isn't anything like this music anymore.

Raymond J. Voas, Jr.

An artist with a unique form of courage.

Rusty Baldwin

Or a laid back guitar playing master like ole " how ya doing" Walsh!

mauricemorning

It's one I forget and then remember all of the sudden and just have to hear. You couldn't be more correct sir!

Lord London

Joe Walsh is legend.
So underrated.

The Last Rebel Show

Not underrated in my book, never was, never will be! ๐Ÿ‘

Timbo Gillyfish

Joe Vitale is just amazing on this record. The bass and drums are beyond spectacular. Viciously understated brilliance.

Joseph M.

Joe plays drums and Kenny P plays bass.

Dan Calestini

This album 1970 way ahead of its time love joe way better before he joined the eagles I always thought the eagles were kind of douchie

More Comments

More Versions