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)
When We Were The New Boys
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And in this room our hats were hung
And words were written and songs were sung
And we held our glasses high
And we dared to reach for the sky
And we never would grow old
When we were the new boys
We'd roll and tumble, fight and sing
And in these smoky pubs the yarns were spun
And many a sweetheart was lost and won
And on these green fields we played for pride
No quarter given, no compromise
We were lovers and we were sons
When we were the new boys
Behind this cellar door on cheap guitars
We played our blues til the early hours
No one listening but a few old friends
We never dreamed it could ever end
This was our moment, this was our space
This was a jewel of a time to have graced
But they're all sweet memories now
When we were the new boys
All my life I've been running
down the side of this hill
But way down deep in my heart
don't want the water to ever be still
All these friends have long since gone
Blown and scattered like autumn leaves
Some are lawyers and some are thieves
Some are now behind the sun
But I'll never be afraid
From the cradle to the grave
I learned my lesson and I learned it well
When we were the new boys
Rod Stewart's "When We Were The New Boys" is a nostalgic song that speaks about the memories of his youth as a musician. The lyrics of the song are about the time he spent with his band members, on the streets, in pubs, and in rehearsal rooms, where they created music and played their hearts out. The first stanza of the song talks about the band's early days, the passion, and excitement they all had when they started making music. The lyrics suggest that they felt invincible, and they never thought they would grow old.
In the second stanza, the song describes the crazy and wild days of youth, where they were like kings on the streets, singing, fighting, and playing music. They would spend time in smoky pubs, and the lyrics suggest that they had many love interests during this time. The Green Fields they played on explain how they enjoyed playing music freely without judgement or criticism.
The third stanza mentions how they would play blues in "behind this cellar door on cheap guitars" and how no one listens but a few old friends. This imagery portrays an intimate setting where they could be themselves without interference, and their bond as friends allowed them to enjoy their passion for music. They never intended for the good times to end, but the memories will forever remain engraved in their minds.
Stewart's song speaks to the universal nostalgia that people have for their youth, and how the memories and experiences of that time can shape their future. The lyrics demonstrate the timelessness of music and the way it can bond people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Every face that crammed this hall
Each and every person who filled this hall
And in this room our hats were hung
We arrived in this room and hung our hats, ready to start the night
And words were written and songs were sung
We expressed ourselves through the power of music and lyrics
And we held our glasses high
We raised our glasses in a special toast
And we dared to reach for the sky
We were ambitious and willing to chase our dreams and goals
And we never would grow old
We were carefree and felt as though we would always be young
When we were the new boys
During the time when we were inexperienced, fresh and new
And on these streets we were like kings
We held a sense of power and importance as we walked the streets
We'd roll and tumble, fight and sing
We engaged in rowdy behavior, but also enjoyed singing and playing around
And in these smoky pubs the yarns were spun
We told stories and shared many memories in dimly lit pubs
And many a sweetheart was lost and won
We experienced both heartbreak and joy in our love lives
And on these green fields we played for pride
We participated in competitive sports with a sense of honor and accomplishment
No quarter given, no compromise
We played with fierce determination and were unwilling to back down
We were lovers and we were sons
We were young, romantic, and full of potential
When we were the new boys
During the time when we were inexperienced, fresh and new
Behind this cellar door on cheap guitars
We played music together in a small, underground space with inexpensive equipment
We played our blues til the early hours
We spent long hours playing the blues and expressing ourselves through music
No one listening but a few old friends
We played for ourselves and the few people who were close to us
We never dreamed it could ever end
We were so focused on the present moment that we never considered the possibility of it ending
This was our moment, this was our space
We felt an intense connection to this specific time and place, and it was ours alone
This was a jewel of a time to have graced
We recognized that this was a special and important time in our lives
But they're all sweet memories now
These experiences are now only memories, but they remain dear to us
When we were the new boys
During the time when we were inexperienced, fresh and new
All my life I've been running
I have always been moving forward and pursuing my dreams
down the side of this hill
Overcoming the obstacles and challenges life presents
But way down deep in my heart
Despite all of my accomplishments and experiences, my heart still holds onto an important sentiment
don't want the water to ever be still
I never want to lose the passion and energy that drives me forwards
All these friends have long since gone
Many of the friends I made during this time have moved on or drifted apart
Blown and scattered like autumn leaves
These friends have gone their separate ways, much like leaves blown away by the wind
Some are lawyers and some are thieves
My former friends have gone on to pursue various careers and lifestyles
Some are now behind the sun
Some of my friends have passed away, and I still miss them greatly
But I'll never be afraid
Despite my losses and heartbreaks, I will never back down from my passions and dreams
From the cradle to the grave
Throughout my entire life
I learned my lesson and I learned it well
I have grown and learned a great deal from my experiences during this time
When we were the new boys
During the time when we were inexperienced, fresh and new
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEVIN SAVIGAR, ROD STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind