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)
Bright Lights
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gone to my baby's head
Ah bright lights, big city
They've gone to my baby's head
Well i tried to tell you woman
But you don't listen to what i said
Alright, pretty baby
You'll knock yourself out some day
You'll knock yourself out some day
Well i tried to tell you woman
But you don't listen to what i say
In Rod Stewart's song Bright Lights Big City, the lyrics describe the allure and excitement of the city, specifically the bright lights. The singer of the song warns his lover about the dangers of this fast-paced life and how it could be detrimental to her mental health. He acknowledges that he has tried to reason with her but laments that she never listens to him. The repetition of the phrase "bright lights, big city" creates a sense of urgency and a feeling of being overwhelmed. The line "gone to my baby's head" suggests that the city has had a strong and negative influence on his lover.
The second verse of the song continues the warning that the singer gives his lover. He tells her that she will eventually burn out or "knock yourself out" if she continues to live this way. He knows that she is not listening to him, but he continues to try and persuade her to see the dangers of her lifestyle. These lyrics are a reflection of the time period in which the song was written, where there was a fascination with the city and the fast-paced lifestyle it offered.
Overall, the song Bright Lights Big City is a commentary on the dangers of living life in the fast lane and the potential negative effects on mental health. It is an insightful look into the culture of the time and how it influenced people's attitudes towards city living.
Line by Line Meaning
Bright lights, big city
The dazzling lights and fascinating possessions of city life.
Gone to my baby's head
My lover is distracted and enamored by the city's glamour and materialistic lifestyle.
Ah bright lights, big city
Reiteration of the alluring and captivating impact of the city on one's senses.
They've gone to my baby's head
My lover is consumed and overwhelmed by the fast-paced lifestyle and the glitz of the city.
Well i tried to tell you woman
I have attempted to convey my opinion and sincere feelings to my partner.
But you don't listen to what i said
You're disregarding my advice and insights.
Alright, pretty baby
An expression of compassion, understanding, and affection to my lover.
You'll knock yourself out some day
You'll exhaust or endanger yourself by indulging excessively in the city's lifestyle.
Oh alright, pretty baby
A repetition of my sympathy and care towards my beloved partner.
Well i tried to tell you woman
A reaffirmation of my well-intentioned advice and concern for my partner's well-being.
But you don't listen to what i say
A confirmation of my partner's inattentiveness and heedlessness towards my words.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jimmy Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind