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)
Last Summer
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hot Jamaican sand beneath our feet
She purred like a cat in a Panama hat
She said my passport picture was unique
I said I did impersonations would you like to see
Turned around to buy her one more round
Then suddenly she disappeared
Love always seems to let me down
Can be found anywhere around
The carnival had passed
And my heart was beating fast
All these married women, it ain't fair
Nervously I said would you like to come to bed
A cold silence pierced the evening air
Instantly she recognized my insecurities
Changing subjects quickly I agreed
Then suddenly she disappeared
Like I feared with another guy, oo baby
Love always seems to let me down
Can be found anywhere around
Nowhere around
The tourist had all gone, winter's coming on
The hotel chambermaid didn't seem to care
Sharing a pina colada we broke into laughter
I'll never know how we made it up the stairs
We spent the night together
And she woke up in my arms
Kissed me tenderly and said goodbye
Then suddenly she disappeared
Like I feared with another guy, oo baby
Love always seems to let me down
Can be found anywhere around
Nowhere around
Love always seems to let me down
Maybe I'll wait until next year, next year, next year
The song "Last Summer" by Rod Stewart is a story of a man's bittersweet experience of love during a summer vacation. As the song opens, the singer is lounging on the Jamaican beach with a beautiful girl named Julia, sipping a sangria, and feeling carefree. Julia is wearing a Panama hat and purring like a cat. They have a conversation about their passports, and the singer mentions his skill at impersonations. Suddenly, Julia disappears, leaving the singer feeling let down by love.
The chorus of the song is a sad reflection on the fickle nature of love-- "Love always seems to let me down, can be found anywhere around, nowhere around." The singer seems to have a hard time finding commitment, and it seems that any romantic encounter he has ends in disappointment. The song continues with the singer finding another woman, but his insecurities ruin the moment, and she too disappears.
As the song draws to a close, the singer finds himself alone in the cold after the carnival has ended. He reflects on his past experiences with love and wonders if maybe he should wait until next year to try again.
Overall, the song is a melancholy reflection on the fleeting nature of romantic relationships. It speaks to the longing for love and companionship that is so essential to the human experience, but also acknowledges the pain and disappointment that often come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Sipping a sangria with a girl named Julia
Enjoying a drink with a girl named Julia while on vacation.
Hot Jamaican sand beneath our feet
Walking on the warm sand of Jamaica.
She purred like a cat in a Panama hat
Julia was purring with pleasure and wearing a Panama hat.
She said my passport picture was unique
Julia complimented Rod Stewart on his passport photo.
I said I did impersonations would you like to see
Rod Stewart offered to do impersonations for Julia's entertainment.
Turned around to buy her one more round
Rod Stewart turned around to buy Julia another drink.
Then suddenly she disappeared
Julia disappeared suddenly.
Like I feared with another guy
Rod Stewart suspected Julia left with another guy.
Love always seems to let me down
Rod Stewart feels disappointed by love.
Can be found anywhere around
Love can be found anywhere.
The carnival had passed
The carnival that they were at is now over.
And my heart was beating fast
Rod Stewart's heart was beating fast with excitement.
All these married women, it ain't fair
There are other women around but they are married.
Nervously I said would you like to come to bed
Anxious, Rod Stewart asked if she wanted to go to bed together.
A cold silence pierced the evening air
There was an awkward silence.
Instantly she recognized my insecurities
She noticed how nervous he was.
Changing subjects quickly I agreed
To divert from the awkward situation, they changed the topic.
The tourist had all gone, winter's coming on
The tourist season is over and winter is approaching.
The hotel chambermaid didn't seem to care
The hotel chambermaid was indifferent to their relationship.
Sharing a pina colada we broke into laughter
They laughed together while sharing a pina colada.
I'll never know how we made it up the stairs
Rod Stewart cannot recall how they made it up the stairs.
We spent the night together
They spent the night together.
And she woke up in my arms
She woke up in Rod Stewart's arms.
Kissed me tenderly and said goodbye
She kissed Rod Stewart goodbye and left.
Love always seems to let me down
Rod Stewart feels disappointed by love.
Maybe I'll wait until next year, next year, next year
Rod Stewart may wait until next year to find new love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PHIL CHEN, ROD STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind