Kravitz plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, percussion, and sitar. He often plays these instruments on each recorded track, but frequently collaborates with other musicians as well when recording.
His 1989 debut album Let Love Rule was a moderate success. In 1991 he released his second album, Mama Said, which reached the top 40 of the Billboard album charts. In 1993, the album Are You Gonna Go My Way was released, reaching #12 on the Billboard 200 and Kravitz earned a Brit Award for best international male artist in 1994. He released the Circus album in 1995, which reached number 10 on the Billboard chart on the back of his past achievement. With 5 (1999), Kravitz embraced digital technology such as Pro Tools and samplers for the first time. He would win the first of his four consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1999.
His cover version of The Guess Who's hit "American Woman" won him another Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 2000. Kravitz released a Greatest Hits compilation in 2000. It proved to be his most successful album. The single "Again" would earn him his third consecutive Grammy for the Best Male Rock Vocal in the Grammy Awards of 2001. Kravitz released his sixth album Lenny in October 2001. He won his fourth consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal at the Grammy Awards of 2002. Kravitz's seventh album Baptism was released in May 2004. His album, It Is Time For A Love Revolution was released in 2008. He has always edited his albums on Virgin Records America. The lead single from Kravitz’s ninth album, Black and White America, "Stand" was released on June 3, 2011. (Stand Songfacts).
He is the son of Ukrainian-Jewish American NBC television news producer Sy Kravitz, and Bahamian American actress Roxie Roker, best known as her character Helen Willis on the hit 1970s television sitcom The Jeffersons. Black and White America's title track is an autobiographical look back at his upbringing in New York. (Black and White America Songfacts).
Artist website: www.lennykravitz.com
I Don't Want To Be A Star
Lenny Kravitz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just want my chevy and an old guitar
I don't want to be a star
I don't need the fat cigar
My friends wonder what is wrong with me
'Cause I don't get off on my fame
I got so much confusion now
I don't want to be a star
Just want my chevy and an old guitar
I don't want to be a star
I don't need the fat cigar
Too many distractions run through my brain
So many girls they start to look the same
Too many options no time to choose
Too many clothes, too many shoes
I've had the world I've done it upside down
I played the part and I've been the clown
Now it's my time, it's a brand new day
To be myself in a different way
I don't want to be a star
Just want my chevy and an old guitar
I don't want to be a star
Just want my chevy and an old guitar
I don't want to be a star
I don't need the fat cigar
I got to meet all the wonderful people
I drank with Dylan boy did we act a fool
I got to meet all the fabulous people
I got high with Jagger, it was really cool
I don't want to be a star
Just want my chevy and an old guitar
I don't want to be a star
I don't need the fat cigar
Never.
Lenny Kravitz's song "I Don't Want To Be A Star" is a reflection of the artist's mindset and his feelings about fame and the trappings that come with it. He expresses his desire for simplicity and a life without the distractions brought about by his celebrity status. Kravitz sings that he doesn't want to be a star, but just wants his Chevy and an old guitar. He has had enough of the confusion brought about by fame and sometimes doesn't even know his own name. He eschews the material things that celebrities often enjoy, like the fat cigar, and just wants to focus on his music.
Kravitz's lyrics reveal a sense of dissatisfaction with the choices and distractions that come with stardom. He talks about the many options available to him, but not enough time to choose, and the pressure of so many things pulling him in different directions. He has seen and done it all, played the part and been the clown, and now it is his time to create and express himself in his own way. He does not want to be defined by his fame, but rather by his music and his own authentic self.
The experiences Kravitz sings about in the song are said to be autobiographical, with references to famous musicians like Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger. In interviews, he has talked about how he struggled with fame and how it affected his identity and sense of self. The song can be seen as a manifesto for a simpler and more grounded life, away from the excesses that often accompany success and celebrity.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to be a star
Fame and popularity do not appeal to me.
Just want my chevy and an old guitar
I am content with a simple life, and my passion lies in music.
I don't need the fat cigar
Extravagant luxuries do not interest me.
My friends wonder what is wrong with me
My lack of interest in fame and fortune confuses those around me.
'Cause I don't get off on my fame
I do not derive any pleasure or satisfaction from popularity.
I got so much confusion now
There is too much going on in my life causing chaos.
Sometimes I don't even kno my name
I am overwhelmed and not sure of myself.
Too many distractions run through my brain
I am easily distracted and overwhelmed with thoughts.
So many girls they start to look the same
I am not interested in all the attention from the opposite sex as it all seems similar.
Too many options no time to choose
I am burdened with so many choices, but not enough time to make them.
Too many clothes, too many shoes
Material possessions do not bring me happiness or satisfaction.
I've had the world I've done it upside down
I have experienced everything the world has to offer and turned it all around.
I played the part and I've been the clown
In my pursuit of fame, I have acted the part and played the fool.
Now it's my time, it's a brand new day
I have come to a realization that it's time for a change in my life.
To be myself in a different way
I want to be my true self in a way I have never explored before.
I got to meet all the wonderful people
Despite my dislike for fame, I have had the opportunity to meet amazing people.
I drank with Dylan boy did we act a fool
Going out and acting wild with Bob Dylan was a cherished experience.
I got to meet all the fabulous people
I have met many famous and wonderful people throughout my life.
I got high with Jagger, it was really cool
Surprisingly, hanging out and getting high with Mick Jagger was a really cool experience.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Lenny Kravitz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paela Peterson
on American Woman
There's you some GUITAR!