Formed around the partnership of Lowe with Edmunds, the two musicians inspired by melodic 50s and 60s rock n roll, the band took its name from the title of a 1972 album by Edmunds. Rockpile was primarily known as a backup group to those two artists' solo projects. However, the band did release one official album, titled 'Seconds of Pleasure' in 1980, which spawned the minor hit "Teacher Teacher" while also receiving strong critical praise. In August of that year, the guys played the noted Heatwave festival near Toronto, and the group additionally made their only American television appearance on the ABC variety program 'Fridays'. The band broke up in 1981.
So It Goes
Rockpile Lyrics
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In a fit to save a bit of power
He got fifty thousand watts
In a big acoustic tower
Security′s so tight tonight
Oh, they're ready for a tussle
Gotta keep your backstage passes
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it's goin' no one knows
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it′s goin′ no one knows
In the tall buildings sit the head of our nations
Worthy men from Spain and Siam
All day discussions with the Russians
But they still went ahead and vetoed the plan
Now up jumped the U.S. representative
He's the one with the tired eyes
747 for the midnight condition
Flyin′ back from a peace keepin' mission
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it′s goin' no one knows
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it′s goin' no one knows
In the air there's absolution
In the wake of a snaky Persian
On his arm there′s a skin tight vision
Wonder why she admires she is hissin′
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it's goin′ no one knows
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it's goin′ no one knows
But where it's goin′ no one knows
But where it's goin' no one knows
But where it′s goin′ no one...
The lyrics to Rockpile's song "So It Goes" portray a world in turmoil, where nothing seems certain and anything can happen. The first verse tells the story of a boy who cuts off his own arm in a fit of desperation, trying to save electricity. He has a massive 50,000-watt sound system that he powers with a big acoustic tower, and the security around the concert is tight. The second verse shifts to the world of international politics, with "worthy men" from various nations discussing issues with Russia. Despite all the talk, nothing seems to get done, and even the US representative is tired from a peacekeeping mission.
Throughout the chorus, the lyrics repeat the phrase "And so it goes" to convey a sense of resignation and powerlessness. The world is moving forward, but nobody knows where it's going. The final verse introduces a snaky Persian with a skin-tight vision on his arm, but it's unclear who or what he represents. Like everything else in the song, there's a sense of chaos and uncertainty that leaves the listener feeling both intrigued and uneasy.
Overall, the lyrics to "So It Goes" present a world in which things are happening without obvious rhyme or reason, and nobody can be sure what will happen next. It's as if life is just a series of random events, and all we can do is watch and see where it all leads.
Line by Line Meaning
L remember one night the kid cut off his right arm
I remember one night when a guy cut off his arm in a desperate attempt to save electricity.
In a fit to save a bit of power
He did it in a moment of desperation, believing that cutting off his arm would save some electricity.
He got fifty thousand watts
The guy got a lot of power; he was able to generate electricity to run his acoustic tower.
In a big acoustic tower
The guy had a big structure, probably a tower, that was meant for producing/acoustic music.
Security's so tight tonight
The security is really strict tonight, probably because there's an important event going on.
Oh, they're ready for a tussle
The security guards are prepared for any fight that may break out during the event.
Gotta keep your backstage passes
You must hold onto your backstage passes, otherwise, you won't be allowed to go backstage.
'Cause your promoter had the muscle
Your promoter has a lot of power and influence backstage and can get you in if you have your passes.
And so it goes and so it goes
This is how things are; they just continue in this way.
But where it's goin' no one knows
No one knows where things are headed or what the future holds.
In the tall buildings sit the head of our nations
The leaders of our nations sit in the tall buildings.
Worthy men from Spain and Siam
There are worthy men from other nations like Spain and Siam present as well.
All day discussions with the Russians
The leaders from different nations have been discussing with the Russian leaders all day.
But they still went ahead and vetoed the plan
The Russian leaders still decided to go against the plan after all the discussions.
Now up jumped the US representative
The US representative came forward and spoke up.
He's the one with the tired eyes
The US representative is tired due to all the discussions and negotiations.
747 for the midnight condition
A 747 plane is ready for the midnight condition. Possibly referring to a rescue or evacuation mission.
Flyin' back from a peace keepin' mission
The 747 plane is flying back from a mission intended for peacekeeping purposes.
In the air there's absolution
There's a feeling of forgiveness and a sense of being free in the air.
In the wake of a snaky Persian
After the Persian person has gone by, the feeling of being at peace prevails.
On his arm there's a skin tight vision
The Persian person has a woman with him who has a tattoo that is tightly fitting on her skin.
Wonder why she admires she is hissin'
One wonders why the woman is admiring the Persian and hissing.
But where it's goin' no one knows
The future is unknown and uncertain; no one knows what's going to happen.
But where it's goin' no one knows
The future is still unknown and uncertain; no one knows where everything is headed.
But where it's goin' no one...
The future is still unknown and uncertain; no one knows where everything is headed.
Writer(s): N. Lowe
Contributed by Zoe B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brian Baker
Heart Of The City is still, in 2019, one of the best rock songs ever written.
Christian Patrick Douglass
Played it at my wedding in January of this year towards the end of the night. Long live Nick Lowe.
Tom Gebarowski
This was a really good underrated band from the 70's. Rockpile's lineup included the great Dave Edmonds & Nick Lowe amongst others. To me they're sort of a cross between The Kinks & glitter glam groups like T Rex or David Bowie. Cool, fun tunes. They deserve more attention.
Stephen Polly
Killer live music from one of the best no frills rock bands ever. "Heart of the City" is as authentically punk as any Ramones' song of 1976-78.
Jeff Davidson
If you listen to the album version of Heart of the City and Blitzkrieg Bop there are some similarities for sure, both killer rock n roll songs, and great driving music.
William Gamble
@John Douglas maybe heart of the route 128 down by the power lines
Nurk Nanker
Better than both put together imho. And i hate to compare bands.
John Douglas
I hear more Modern Lovers than Ramones
David Lynch
They were astoundingly good.
Simon Potter
@David Lynch My Uncle used to say Mantovani has salmon dripping down his elbow, I was confused. I think it was about him looking like a waiter !!!!