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)
Secret Heart
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What are you so afraid of?
Could it be three simple words
Or the fear of being overheard
What's wrong?
Let her in on your secret heart
Secret heart, why so mysterious?
Maybe you're just acting tough
Maybe you're just not bad enough
What's wrong?
Let her in on your secret heart
This very secret you're trying to conceal
Is the very same one you're dying to reveal
Go tell her how you feel
This very secret you're trying to conceal
Is the very same one you're dying to reveal
Go tell her how you feel
Secret heart come out and share it
This loneliness, few can bear it
Could it have something to do with
Admitting that you just can't
Go through it alone?
Let her in on your secret heart
Let her in on your secret heart
In this song, the singer, Rod Stewart, is addressing someone who has a secret in their heart that they are afraid to reveal. He asks what the secret is made of and wonders if it is just three simple words or if the person is afraid of being overheard. He then tries to encourage the person to share their secret with someone else, as he believes that the fear of being alone with the secret is what is keeping the person from being able to share it. He suggests that the person may just be acting tough or not thinking that they are strong enough to reveal the secret.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea that the secret is something that the singer believes should be shared. He suggests that the person is only making themselves more lonely and miserable by keeping the secret to themselves. The repeated phrase, "let her in on your secret heart," implies that there is someone specific that the person should reveal the secret to. The final verse urges the person to share the secret, reminding them that the thing they are trying to hide is the same thing that they truly want to reveal.
Line by Line Meaning
Secret heart what are you made of?
What is the internal composition of your emotions?
What are you so afraid of?
What is the cause of your fear?
Could it be three simple words
Is the reason for your reluctance to confess your love for her simply because of three simple words?
Or the fear of being overheard
Or is it the fear of others overhearing and judging your confession?
What's wrong?
What is troubling you?
Let her in on your secret heart
Share your emotions with her, let her understand and be a part of your inner self.
Secret heart, why so mysterious?
Why do you conceal your true emotions and thoughts?
Why so secret, why so serious?
What makes you so grave and reluctant to express your feelings?
Maybe you're just acting tough
Perhaps the tough exterior you project hides your softer side or vulnerability.
Maybe you're just not bad enough
Perhaps you think you are not worthy or good enough for her.
This very secret you're trying to conceal
The emotion you are keeping hidden is the one you most want to reveal.
Is the very same one you're dying to reveal
The emotion you want to reveal is the same one causing your distress and discomfort.
Go tell her how you feel
Confess your emotions and feelings to her, overcome your fears and let her know how you truly feel.
Secret heart come out and share it
It's time to come out from the shadows and share your true feelings.
This loneliness, few can bear it
It is lonely keeping your emotions bottled up, few can bear the weight of it alone.
Could it have something to do with
Is there a connection or reason behind why you are hiding your feelings?
Admitting that you just can't
Acknowledge that you need help and support in expressing your emotions.
Go through it alone?
Do you really want to face the challenges of love and relationships alone?
Let her in on your secret heart
Allow her to understand and connect with your hidden emotions, let her be a part of your true self.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ronald Eldon Sexsmith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patricia Donoghue
I love the simplicity of this track, and the emotion Rod portrayed. If anyone ever doubted his talent, its on show, in all its controlled glory.
Tanvir Hossain
Fully agreed with you, Patricia Donoghue. Good wishes for you !!
T Beau
Best song Rod has covered in decades.
Mags Duke
I love this.❤ Different people have different options and I love this. Simply beautiful.
Charles Doherty
Fabulous song penned by Ron Sexmith
Robin Ndjavera
Wonderful🖤
Ron Grover
Rod Stewart, " The gorge at George" WA. Best concert ever‼️😊☮️
Gail Verville
💋
RJacklin
Hmm. Not gonna lie..........Stewart kinda destroys the magic of this song.