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)
The Killing of Georgie
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In these days of changing ways
So called liberated days
A story comes to mind of a friend of mine
Georgie boy was gay I guess
Nothin' more or nothin' less
The kindest guy I ever knew
His mother's tears fell in vain
The afternoon George tried to explain
That he needed love like all the rest
Pa said there must be a mistake
How can my son not be straight
After all I've said and done for him
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Leavin' home on a Greyhound bus
Cast out by the ones he loves
A victim of these gay days it seems
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Georgie went to New York town
Where he quickly settled down
And soon became the toast of the great white way
Accepted by Manhattan's elite
In all the places that were chic
No party was complete without George
Along the boulevards he'd cruise
And all the old queens blew a fuse
Everybody loved Georgie boy
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
The last time I saw George alive
Was in the summer of seventy-five
He said he was in love I said I'm pleased
George attended the opening night
Of another Broadway hype
But split before the final curtain fell
Deciding to take a short cut home
Arm in arm they meant no wrong
A gentle breeze blew down fifth avenue
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Out of a darkened side street came
A New Jersey gang with just one aim
To roll some innocent passer-by
There ensued a fearful fight
Screams rang out in the night
Georgie's head hit a sidewalk cornerstone
A leather kid, a switchblade knife
He did not intend to take his life
He just pushed his luck a little too far that night
The sight of blood dispersed the gang
A crowd gathered, the police came
An ambulance screamed to a halt on fifty-third and third
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Georgie's life ended there
But I ask who really cares
George once said to me and I quote
He said "never wait or hesitate
Get in kid, before it's too late
You may never get another chance
'Cause youth a mask but it don't last
Live it long and live it fast"
Georgie was a friend of mine
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Oh Georgie stay,
Don't go away
Georgie please stay
You take our breath away
Oh Georgie stay,
Don't go away
Georgie please stay
You take our breath away
Oh Georgie stay,
Don't go away
Georgie, Georgie stay (please stay)
You take our breath away
The Killing of Georgie is a song by Rod Stewart that was released in 1976. The song is about the life and tragic death of a friend of Rod's named Georgie, who was a gay man during a time when homosexuality was not widely accepted in society. The song is an emotional and powerful tribute to Georgie's life and the struggles he faced.
The lyrics tell the story of Georgie and his journey from his hometown to New York City, where he finds acceptance and love. However, one night he is attacked by a group of strangers and tragically dies. The song expresses the sadness and anger over the injustice of Georgie's death, as well as the joy of his life and his impact on those around him.
Rod sings his heart out with a deep empathy that is felt in every word. The song is not just about tolerating differences and breaking down social barriers, but also about the importance of living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity.
Overall, The Killing of Georgie delivers a message of acceptance, love, and understanding, making it a timeless classic that is still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah
Introduction to the story being told
In these days of changing ways
The singer comments on the changing times the story takes place in
So called liberated days
The singer notes that this is a time of supposed liberation, though the events in the story do not always reflect that
A story comes to mind of a friend of mine
The artist begins to share a narrative about their friend Georgie
Georgie boy was gay I guess
The artist notes Georgie's sexual orientation
Nothin' more or nothin' less
The singer emphasizes that this is an important detail about Georgie, but not the most important thing about him
The kindest guy I ever knew
The singer has fond memories of Georgie and remembers him as being especially kind
His mother's tears fell in vain
Georgie's mother cried when he revealed his sexuality, but it did not change anything
The afternoon George tried to explain
One afternoon, Georgie tried to talk to his parents about his sexuality
That he needed love like all the rest
Georgie wanted to be loved and accepted for who he was, just like everyone else
Pa said there must be a mistake
Georgie's father did not understand how his son could be gay and was in denial about it
How can my son not be straight
Georgie's father was unable to accept his son's sexuality
After all I've said and done for him
Georgie's father feels like he has done a lot for his son and doesn't understand why he would be gay
Leavin' home on a Greyhound bus
Georgie leaves home on a bus after his parents reject him
Cast out by the ones he loves
Georgie's family rejects him for being gay, which is devastating for him
A victim of these gay days it seems
The artist comments that this seems to be a time when being gay makes someone a victim
Georgie went to New York town
Georgie moves to New York after leaving home
Where he quickly settled down
Georgie finds a home for himself in New York
And soon became the toast of the great white way
Georgie becomes popular and successful in the theater district
Accepted by Manhattan's elite
Georgie is welcomed by some of the most influential people in New York
In all the places that were chic
Georgie is invited to all the most fashionable places in New York
No party was complete without George
Georgie is a beloved member of the New York social scene
Along the boulevards he'd cruise
Georgie likes to take walks and enjoy the city
And all the old queens blew a fuse
Georgie's presence is exciting and attracts attention from others in the gay community
Everybody loved Georgie boy
Georgie is extremely popular and well-liked
The last time I saw George alive
The singer recalls the final time they saw Georgie before he died
Was in the summer of seventy-five
The singer notes the year in which this occurs
He said he was in love I said I'm pleased
Georgie tells the artist that he is in love with someone, and the artist is happy for him
George attended the opening night
Georgie goes to the opening night of a Broadway show
Of another Broadway hype
The singer dismissively refers to the show Georgie is attending
But split before the final curtain fell
Georgie doesn't stay for the entire show
Deciding to take a short cut home
Georgie chooses to take a different route home than he usually does
Arm in arm they meant no wrong
Georgie is walking with someone else and they don't mean any harm
A gentle breeze blew down fifth avenue
The weather is pleasant as Georgie is walking home
Out of a darkened side street came
A gang emerges from a dark alley
A New Jersey gang with just one aim
The artist clarifies that these are specifically a gang from New Jersey
To roll some innocent passer-by
The gang's goal is to attack a random person
There ensued a fearful fight
Georgie fights back against the gang
Screams rang out in the night
The commotion attracts attention from others in the area
Georgie's head hit a sidewalk cornerstone
Georgie sustains a head injury during the altercation
A leather kid, a switchblade knife
The artist describes the weapon used to injure Georgie
He did not intend to take his life
The singer implies that the attacker did not intend to kill Georgie
He just pushed his luck a little too far that night
The attacker went too far in harming Georgie
The sight of blood dispersed the gang
The other attackers are frightened when they see Georgie's injury
A crowd gathered, the police came
The commotion attracts additional attention and the police arrive
An ambulance screamed to a halt on fifty-third and third
An ambulance arrives at the scene to take Georgie to the hospital, located near 53rd St and 3rd Ave
Georgie's life ended there
Georgie dies from his injuries
But I ask who really cares
The artist laments that not enough people care about the death of someone as kind as Georgie
George once said to me and I quote
The singer recalls something Georgie said to them
He said "never wait or hesitate
Georgie's advice is to live life to the fullest
Get in kid, before it's too late
Georgie urges the singer to take chances and not wait to experience life
You may never get another chance
Georgie warns that there may not be another opportunity to experience life
'Cause youth a mask but it don't last
Youth is temporary and it is important to make the most of it
Live it long and live it fast"
Georgie encourages the singer to live life to the fullest
Georgie was a friend of mine
The singer reiterates that Georgie was a good friend
Oh Georgie stay,
The artist expresses a desire for Georgie to stay alive
Don't go away
The artist wants Georgie to continue living
Georgie please stay
The artist asks Georgie to stay alive
You take our breath away
The singer is emotionally impacted by Georgie's life and death
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROD STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind