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)
Pin Ball Wizard
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've played the silver ball.
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all.
But I ain't seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball!
He stands like a statue,
Becomes part of the machine.
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean.
He plays by intuition,
The digit counters fall.
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball!
He's a pin ball wizard
There has got to be a twist.
A pin ball wizard,
S'got such a supple wrist.
How do you think he does it? I don't know!
What makes him so good?'
He ain't got no distractions
Can't hear those buzzers and bells,
Don't see lights a flashin'
Plays by sense of smell.
Always has a replay,
'N' never tilts at all
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball.
I thought I was
The Bally table king.
But I just handed
My pin ball crown to him.
Even on my favorite table
He can beat my best.
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest.
He's got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall
That deaf dumb and blind kind
Sure plays a mean pin ball!!!
The lyrics to Rod Stewart's song Pinball Wizard speak of a young boy who has played many different types of pinball machines across various parts of London but has never come across anyone as talented as the deaf, dumb, and blind kid who is able to play the game exceptionally well. The boy is described as having an intuitive understanding of the game, which enables him to effortlessly hit the right buttons and avoid obstacles. The lyrics also suggest that the boy does not have any distractions, such as the flashing lights and buzzing noises of the game, to hinder his performance. Instead, he plays by sense of smell and touch, which allows him to play the game "clean," without any errors.
The song also shows the singer's admiration for the deaf, dumb, and blind kid's skills, as he acknowledges that he has been bested by him on his favorite table. The lyrics convey the idea that the boy's talent is something that cannot be explained, but rather has to be seen to be believed. The singer marvels at his abilities and questions what makes him so good. In the end, the song celebrates the deaf, dumb, and blind kid's talent and acknowledges him as a master of the game.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since I was a young boy,
I've played the silver ball.
Since childhood, I have been playing pinball.
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all.
From Soho to Brighton I have played pinball everywhere.
But I ain't seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball!
I have never seen anyone as good as that deaf, dumb, and blind kid who plays pinball like a pro.
He stands like a statue,
Becomes part of the machine.
He stands still and becomes a part of the pinball machine.
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean.
He knows the position of all bumpers and plays without fouling.
He plays by intuition,
The digit counters fall.
He plays pinball by intuition and scores high points.
He's a pin ball wizard
There has got to be a twist.
He is a pinball game master; There must be a secret.
A pin ball wizard,
S'got such a supple wrist.
He is a pinball game master and he's got flexible wrists.
How do you think he does it? I don't know!
What makes him so good?'
I don't know how he does it; he's just that good!
He ain't got no distractions
Can't hear those buzzers and bells,
Don't see lights a flashin'
Plays by sense of smell.
He is not distracted by the sound or the light of the machine; he even plays using his sense of smell.
Always has a replay,
'N' never tilts at all
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pin ball.
He always gets another chance to play and never tilts the machine; that deaf, dumb and blind kid sure can play pinball.
I thought I was
The Bally table king.
But I just handed
My pin ball crown to him.
I used to think I was the best, but now I concede that he's better.
Even on my favorite table,
He can beat my best.
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest.
He can even beat me on my favorite table; his followers guide him, and he does the rest.
He's got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall
That deaf dumb and blind kind
Sure plays a mean pin ball!!!
He has quick fingers to operate the flippers and never loses. That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure can play pinball.
Lyrics © Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Peter Townshend
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luke Dabford
I’m gonna be honest, this might be my favourite version. I love how it sounds dramatic and Rod’s vocals just complement it so well.
Juan Jacobo Guzman
Pinball winzard with phillarmonic orchestra and Rod Stewart as main voice is as odd and funny as Frank Zappa's Stairway to Heaven with reagge music. Both are fucking amazing.
Charles Professor.
É lindo demais com Rod Stewart!!
Lee B
Tommy the whole symphonic album is a masterpiece
Nooner27
I recall my dad playing this version for me sometime in the early 80's. He always used to make tapes of 60's and 70's music. I love this version of the song.
Bryan Palmer
I first heard this in the 70s,my father used to do the same thing,make mixtapes of the 60s and 70s on his Phillips reel to reel tape recorder,always good to listen to Auckland New Zealand 2022
Miguel Zambon
Fantastica version con una de voz de primera categoria,el gran Rod Stewart
Kurinto Gurai
First version of this song I'd heard back in the '70s. I like it.
E Farkas
It is a great music! I was a little child when I have listened to it at the first time. It was so magical, how it still is!
Trisha Ramsey
No one does this better than The Who!! Its my favorite rock opera!