Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
Almost Illegal
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I remember the first time
That I ever seen her face
I was standing by the drug store
Tryin' to save the human race
Took a raincheck on a blind date
To get her prescription filled
Through the lazy cottonfield
It was hot
She was cool and sultry
We made love
I was broke and lonely
She's wonderful, so beautiful
So delectable, she's mine
She's desirable, so lovable
And it's criminal, almost illegal
Well we woke up in a barnyard
When I heard a farmer shout
"Get away, boy, from my daughter!"
When a shotgun rang out
We took off
She was right behind me
Ran like the wind
What a crazy lady
She's fabulous, so sensuous
She's marvelous, she's mine
I'm delirious, it's serious
Kinda dangerous, almost illegal
Bring it down, now.
We had a one child by the springtime
And another on the way
I got a new life and a good wife
Ain't that amazing grace
It was hot
She was cool and sultry
We made love
I was broke and lonely
She's wonderful, she's beautiful
She's desirable, she's mine
I'm delirious, she's serious
It's kinda dangerous, almost illegal
Wonderful, so beautiful
She's not a radical, but she's mine
She's fabulous, so sensuous
And it's marvelous, almost illegal
Beautiful and she's wonderful
So desirable, almost illegal
The song 'Almost Illegal' by Rod Stewart is a beautiful love story that tells of the singer meeting his true love in a very unconventional and unexpected manner. The lyrics tell the story of how he stumbled upon the love of his life when he took a raincheck on a blind date to help her get her prescription filled at a drugstore. This chance encounter led to a conversation, and they ended up taking a long walk through a cottonfield. Despite the heat, she was cool and sultry, and they ended up making love.
There is no denying the chemistry between them, which is evident in the song's lyrics. He describes her as wonderful, beautiful, and delectable, and he feels that she is almost too good to be true. They woke up in a barnyard with a farmer chasing after them with a shotgun, but they ran away together, and he knew that he had found the one.
Years later, they have two kids together, and he is still amazed that he found this wonderful woman. The repeated phrase, "She's mine," shows the pride and joy that he feels about his relationship with her. The love that they share seems almost illegal, and he is aware that he is very lucky to have found such a fabulous and sensuous partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, I said yeah
Expressing enthusiasm and excitement
I remember the first time
That I ever seen her face
I was standing by the drug store
Tryin' to save the human race
Recalling the first time he saw her and the setting in which it happened
Took a raincheck on a blind date
To get her prescription filled
We had a short talk and a long walk
Through the lazy cottonfield
Postponing a scheduled date to go with her to the pharmacy, where they had a conversation and went for a walk in the fields
It was hot
She was cool and sultry
We made love
I was broke and lonely
Having passionate intimacy despite being poor and lonely, with her radiating confidence and allure even in the hot weather
She's wonderful, so beautiful
So delectable, she's mine
She's desirable, so lovable
And it's criminal, almost illegal
Describing her as incredibly appealing and attractive, making him grateful to have her even though he may feel like it is too good to be true
Well we woke up in a barnyard
When I heard a farmer shout
"Get away, boy, from my daughter!"
When a shotgun rang out
We took off
She was right behind me
Ran like the wind
What a crazy lady
Fleeing from the farmer when he discovered them together in his barn, but feeling an adrenaline rush and being amused by her reckless behavior
She's fabulous, so sensuous
She's marvelous, she's mine
I'm delirious, it's serious
Kinda dangerous, almost illegal
Expressing his immense admiration for her physical attractiveness and the intensity of their connection, feeling like they are venturing into dangerous territory
We had a one child by the springtime
And another on the way
I got a new life and a good wife
Ain't that amazing grace
Starting a family with her and feeling incredibly fortunate to have a new and improved life because of her
Wonderful, so beautiful
She's not a radical, but she's mine
She's fabulous, so sensuous
And it's marvelous, almost illegal
Beautiful and she's wonderful
So desirable, almost illegal
Reiterating how incredible she is and how she may seem too good to be real, but she is his and he is lucky to have her
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Fintage House Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDY TAYLOR, ROD STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind