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)
Hard Road
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I told 'em I was leaving home I was leaving school
So then in a couple of hours I found myself
Heading down that southbound road
With everything I owned on my back
I carried such a heavy load
And it's a hard, hard road that I travel
It's a hard, hard road that I travel down the line
And it's a hard, hard road down the line
Well I want to tell ya friends
That it's good to be a traveling man
'Cause I'm doing what I want to
Living just the best that I can
Nobody putting rings around my neck
To put me in a pigeon hole
I've got my dog and my radio
To listen to some rock 'n' roll
And it's a hard, hard road that I travel
It's a hard, hard road that I travel
It's a hard, hard road that I travel down the line
And it's a hard, hard road down the line
Rod Stewart's song "Hard Road" is a tribute to the freedom and adventure of a life on the road. The lyrics convey the singer's desire to pursue his dreams and find independence, despite the warnings of his parents. He sets out on a journey with nothing but the clothes on his back and the few belongings he can carry, feeling the weight of his decision to strike out on his own. But the promise of the open road and the thrill of the unknown keep him going, even when the going gets tough.
The chorus of the song, with its repetition of the phrase "it's a hard, hard road that I travel," suggests that the singer is aware of the challenges he faces. But rather than being deterred by them, he sees them as part of the journey. The verses reinforce this idea, with the singer celebrating the freedom he has to live life on his own terms. He revels in the fact that no one can pigeonhole him, and that he has the freedom to listen to the music he loves as he travels.
Overall, "Hard Road" is a song about the joys and sorrows of a life on the road. It's an ode to the courage it takes to strike out on one's own, and the rewards that come with the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
My mama 'n' papa told me son that you're just a fool
When I said I was leaving home and school, my parents thought I was foolish.
When I told 'em I was leaving home I was leaving school
I informed my parents that I was leaving home and school.
So then in a couple of hours I found myself
Shortly after telling my parents, I left my home.
Heading down that southbound road
I went south.
With everything I owned on my back
I took everything that I owned.
I carried such a heavy load
It was very hard for me to carry everything.
And it's a hard, hard road that I travel
It is difficult for me to travel down this path.
It's a hard, hard road that I travel
This path is very challenging.
It's a hard, hard road that I travel down the line
I will keep struggling for a long time.
And it's a hard, hard road down the line
I will continue to struggle going forward.
Well I want to tell ya friends
I want to share with you, my friends.
That it's good to be a traveling man
Traveling is beneficial.
'Cause I'm doing what I want to
This is what I want to do.
Living just the best that I can
I am trying to live my best life.
Nobody putting rings around my neck
Nobody is trying to control me.
To put me in a pigeon hole
No one is trying to limit my potential.
I've got my dog and my radio
I have my loyal dog and music.
To listen to some rock 'n' roll
I enjoy listening to rock music.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: George Young, Johannes Henderikus Vandenberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Narinder Dhanjal
I was spinning this super Rockin' Rod LP today and this very song always gets me grooving to the max - fantastic musical brilliance and cheers! We salute you Sir Rockin' Rod!!!
bobinscotland
Written by the talented Harry Vanda and George Young (older brother of Angus and Malcolm from AC/DC)
PAUL JACKSON
GREAT ROCKER.
David Pierson
miss the barking dog.. ha ha.. but this is a great rocker from Rod...
Martin Pasquel
Hard Road loooouu
anthony duvall
stevie