The band is best known for their singles "Ball of Confusion" (1985, a Temptations cover), "No New Tale to Tell" (1987), "So Alive" (1989) and "No Big Deal" (1990).
L&R's first album was 1985's trippy Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven; Seventh Dream was followed in quick succession by 1986's Express;which featured a cover of Ball of Confusion, which became a club hit. 1987's Earth * Sun * Moon and 1989's eponymously titled release Love and Rockets (all on Beggar's Banquet). Love & Rockets was met with cries of sellout due to the overly slick So Alive (the band toured stadiums following the hit single) and the group disbanded. Tracks recorded for an abandoned EP Swing were added to a reissue of Love & Rockets in 2002.
After working on solo albums they reformed, recorded material for Hot Trip to Heaven which infused dance/electronica elements into their sound. Fearing the world wasn't prepared for it yet in 1992, they waited until 1994 to release it. A fire destroyed the studio they were working in, and all material was scrapped. The next album, Sweet F.A. features one of Daniel Ash's charred guitars on the front cover. The final album Lift was an epic dance/electronic swan song, owing much to producer Doug DeAngelis, who was given honorary L&R member status. After the Lift tour, they disbanded again in 1999 to work on solo projects, and to reform Bauhaus for a series of tours. L&R reunited in 2007 at Coachella. Plans for a 2009/2010 release fell through as the band went their separate ways again.
On 23 January 2023, Love and Rockets announced a reunion for an appearance at the Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, California on 20 May 2023, the band's first concert in 15 years. They later announced a 2023 U.S. tour in support of their appearance at Cruel World. A Bauhaus reunion was aborted in 2022 after Peter Murphy forced the band to cancel the tour as he entered rehab. Daniel Ash said that the 2023 tour would be the band's final.
Ball Of Confusion
Love and Rockets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why, because of the color of their skin
Run, run, run but you just can't hide
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
Vote for me and I'll set you free
Rap on, brother, rap on
Well, the only person talking about love and affection is the preacher
And it seems nobody's interested in learning but the teacher
Segregation, determination, demonstration, intergration
Aggravation, humiliation, devastation of our nation
Ball of confusion
Yeah, that's what the world is today
Hey, hey
Ball of confusion
Yeah, that's what the world is today
Hey, hey
The sale of pills are at an all time high
Who was walkin' down with there heads in the sky?
The cities aflame in the summer time!
go on and we go home
Economics, Reaganomics, Birth Control, The Status Quo
Shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon
Politicians say
And the band played on
So, round and around and around we go
Where the world's headed, nobody knows
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today
Hey hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today
Hey hey
Hey hey
Fear in the air, tension everywhere
Unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record's a gas
And the band played on
Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors
Solid Gold in demand, population out of hand, suicide
Too many bills, hippies movin' to the hills
People all over the world are dying in the war
And the band played on
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today
Hey Hey
The Love and Rockets song “Ball of Confusion” is a social commentary on the state of the world during the 1980s. The song highlights the turbulence of the time and creates a sense of confusion for people of all races, backgrounds, and beliefs. The lyrics speak loudly about the constant movements of people in and out of their homes due to their skin color, as well as the lack of love and affection in the world. The preacher is the only one talking about love, but nobody seems to want to listen to the teacher. The song also highlights various social issues, such as segregation, determination, demonstration, integration, and deprivation of the nation. It emphasizes the worldwide “ball of confusion” that is caused by various factors, such as economics, Reaganomics, birth control, and the status quo.
Through this song, Love and Rockets depict the world as a global entity that is always in flux, with changes and conflicts. The song also portrays a sense of uncertainty about where the world is headed, as the world seems to be moving around in circles without direction. The lyrics of “Ball of Confusion” take a satirical approach that uses humor and irony to deconstruct and challenge the values and behaviors of society. The song aims to create an awareness of the political, social, and environmental problems of the world and invites individuals to make conscious decisions and take action.
Line by Line Meaning
People moving out, people moving in
People are constantly changing their homes and surroundings
Why, because of the color of their skin
People are forced to move due to racial discrimination
Run, run, run but you just can't hide
You can't escape from problems by just running away
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
Taking revenge will only create more problems
Vote for me and I'll set you free
Politicians make empty promises just to gain votes
Rap on, brother, rap on
Keep talking about issues that matter and spread awareness
Well, the only person talking about love and affection is the preacher
Love is rarely talked about in today's world
And it seems nobody's interested in learning but the teacher
People don't seem to care about gaining knowledge
Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration
Issues of segregation, determination, and demonstration affecting integration
Aggravation, humiliation, devastation of our nation
Nation is facing problems of aggravation, humiliation, and devastation
Ball of confusion
The world is in a state of chaos
Yeah, that's what the world is today
This is how the world is right now
The sale of pills are at an all time high
Pharmaceuticals sales are booming
Who was walkin' down with their heads in the sky?
People are not aware of their surroundings due to drug use
The cities aflame in the summer time!
Cities are affected by riots in the summer
go on and we go home
We go about our lives in the midst of all this chaos
Economics, Reaganomics, Birth Control, The Status Quo
Issues of economics, politics, and social norms
Shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon
There are advancements in technology, but children are not getting a proper childhood
Politicians say
Politicians make empty promises
And the band played on
Despite everything, life goes on
So, round and around and around we go
We are stuck in a cycle of chaos and confusion
Where the world's headed, nobody knows
It's impossible to predict where the world is headed
Fear in the air, tension everywhere
Fear and tension are prevalent everywhere
Unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record's a gas
Unemployment is increasing while new music is being released
Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors
There are issues of destruction, taxes, inspections, and debt collection
Solid Gold in demand, population out of hand, suicide
People want more materialistic things, while the population is increasing and leading to strife and suicide
Too many bills, hippies movin' to the hills
People are tired of being burdened by bills and are moving to simpler lives
People all over the world are dying in the war
War is causing death and destruction all over the world
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joannaprevost426
Love this version ! Here we are on a verge of War, it's October of 2023 everything in this song still rings true today ! History repeating itself in real modern times. We didn't learn anything , the world is still a 'Ball of Confusion"... and the beat goes on .....round and round and round we go , where the world stops , know one knows and the Band Played On .......................
@kristinamoneyhun3646
Sad almost forty years later and this song rings more truth than ever
@ChrsSprs
Even sadder ... it's a cover from many years before that :(
@moondog7774
@Chris Sprs and even sadder how bad this song is. Pop music!
@Tacit_Tern
....still stollen from the Temptations.
@ALCH2112
@Chris Sprs and even SADDER is the high probability that the confusion will remain indefinitely.
@renaysari6631
@Tacit Tern It wasn't stolen, they redid it. I think they did a great job. Sometimes songs like this need to be redone in whatever type of music is popular at the time in order for people to hear it and understand why it was written.
@davidbarrett1072
An incredibly talented band. So underrated.
@robintaylor485
They didn’t even write this song
@jjgalletta66
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" is a 1970 hit single for The Temptations written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. I first heard the L&R version and loved it thinking it was their song. But, we must credit those who deserve it. Peace.