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)
Scarred And Scared
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good intentions and a degree
But one hot night under the neon lights
Killed a boy just seventeen
Now I sit here rainin' on my Maker
Reprieve is all I'm praying for
Lord I fear the hangman's steps approachin'
And I know I've let my daddy down
And I broke my mother's heart
I'd give anything turn back time again
Just give me one more start
I don't need no trial humiliation
Just tell me that I'm heaven bound
I don't want no two faced consolation
What use is that to me six feet underground
I'm going down to the engine shed
Put a gun up to my head
Blow myself into the promised land
We call it scarred and scared
And if you ever see my son again
Don't let on just how I fared
Tell him, tell him I went down big and strong
I was never, never, never scarred or scared
All the girls that once did gather 'round me
Have moved along to someone else
Sitting here desperation is my close friend
What I'd give to kiss one of them now
Oo yeah I'll take you there
I'll take ya there
The lyrics of Rod Stewart's "Scarred And Scared" narrate the thoughts of a man who has committed a crime that impacted his life as well as his loved ones negatively. The song begins stating how this man began with good intentions and a degree, like any other person would. However, a single hot night under neon lights led him to take someone's life, a boy who was only seventeen. Now, he is regretful of his actions and pleading for clemency from the divine.
Furthermore, the singer of the song shows that he is concerned about his family's disappointment and their broken hearts. He wishes to have one more chance to change his past mistakes but fears facing the hangman's punishment. In an attempt to bypass the trial's humiliation, he seeks consolation about being heaven bound. In the end, the song takes a dark turn where he suggests that he plans to end his life by putting a gun to his head, calling it "scarred and scared." He instructs the listener to let his son know he went down big and strong and not scarred or scared.
The lyrics of "Scarred And Scared" are powerful and emotive, providing insight into the pain and regret felt when one's actions have had severe consequences. The song also highlights the desperation and hopelessness associated with facing the consequences of immoral actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Started out like any one of you
The singer was once like the rest of us, with a good heart and aspirations for the future.
Good intentions and a degree
He had good intentions and even achieved higher education.
But one hot night under the neon lights
Unfortunately, on one fateful night in a seedy setting, he made a terrible mistake.
Killed a boy just seventeen
His actions caused the death of a 17-year-old boy.
Now I sit here rainin' on my Maker
The singer is now filled with regret and is pleading with God for mercy.
Reprieve is all I'm praying for
He is begging for a second chance at life.
Lord I fear the hangman's steps approachin'
The singer is terrified of facing the consequence of his actions, which could be the death penalty.
Will the priest knock gently on my door
He is waiting for spiritual guidance in his final moments.
And I know I've let my daddy down
He acknowledges that he has disappointed his father.
And I broke my mother's heart
He feels guilty for breaking his mother's heart.
I'd give anything turn back time again
If he could, he would do all in his power to change his past actions.
Just give me one more start
The singer only wants a chance to make things right and start anew.
I don't need no trial humiliation
Facing a trial is not necessary, as he is aware of his guilt.
Just tell me that I'm heaven bound
All he wants is to hear that he will be welcomed into heaven.
I don't want no two faced consolation
He is not interested in insincere words of comfort that don't ring true.
What use is that to me six feet underground
Such false reassurances won't be useful to him in the afterlife, when he is buried underground.
I'm going down to the engine shed
The singer has given up hope and has decided to end his life.
Put a gun up to my head
He plans to commit suicide by shooting himself.
Blow myself into the promised land
He hopes that death will take him into the afterlife.
We call it scarred and scared
The singer describes the pain, fear, and regret that he feels as 'scarred and scared.'
And if you ever see my son again
In case anyone should ever see his son again,
Don't let on just how I fared
he asks that they don't reveal the details of his tragic fate to his child.
Tell him, tell him I went down big and strong
Instead, he wants his son to remember him as someone who went out bravely.
I was never, never, never scarred or scared
He hopes his son never knows the pain he endured.
All the girls that once did gather 'round me
The singer reminisces on his past popularity with women.
Have moved along to someone else
Unfortunately, they have all moved on from him.
Sitting here desperation is my close friend
He is feeling incredibly lonely and desperate in his current situation.
What I'd give to kiss one of them now
He laments that he will never be able to relive those moments with his past lovers.
Oo yeah I'll take you there
The singer is willing to do whatever it takes to relive those moments.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GARY GRAINGER, ROD STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lorraine
This song tears my heart out. I remember that year it came out, I thought the music then could not get any better... Maybe i am right. I love "you keep me hangin on" Rod.
clive reynish
Every time i hear this i cry with sadness yet joy God bless you all who listen to such quality lyrics
F61 Band
I discovered this by finding my moms 45 of do ya think I'm sexy B side.
I listened in slow motion with it set to 78 rpm lol.
Авраменко Олег
Великолепная песня финал великолепного альбома.
Это навсегда!
Susan Hampton
I got this album as a teen from my sister. Then she took me to see him twice, thanks sis rip
Jay Miller
I've listened to this song ever since I was a little boy when it first came out because it really resonates with me. As I get older, the song becomes more and more relevant to me; almost as if it was written for me. I have always known that Scarred and Scared will be the last song I ever listen to; I just don't know when that will be.
William Daly
Scarred and Scared was on Blondes Have More Fun album, saying album shows my age. I loved that song Da Ya Think I'm Sexy and Scarred and Scared was the song before it. After listening to it numerous times, it grew on me. The song is a sleeper and not many people would know it if you asked them. When people think Rod Stewart they think of Wake Up Maggie, Tonight's The Night or Hot Leg's!! Scarred and Scared is a sad song and it's better than the three I just mentioned. The thing is you have to listen to it five or more times, it will resonate with you also..
Angelina Sassano
Takes me back to my youth, superb song.
Bruce Gitow
This is a brilliant, poignant song from the great Rod Stewart.
Rebel Withoutaclue
Damned Shtraight