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)
You Wear It Well
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But to settle down and write you a line
I've been meaning to phone you but from Minnesota
Hell it's been a very long time
You wear it well
A little old fashioned but that's all right
Well I suppose you're thinking I bet he's sinking
Oh, I ain't begging or losing my head
I sure do want you to know that you wear it well
There ain't a lady in the land so fine
Remember them basement parties, your brother's karate
The all day rock and roll shows
Them homesick blues and radical views
Haven't left a mark on you, you wear it well
A little out of time but I don't mind
But I ain't forgetting that you were once mine
But I blew it without even tryin'
Now I'm eatin' my heart out
Tryin' to get a letter through
Since you've been gone it's hard to carry on
I'm gonna write about the birthday gown that I bought in town
When you sat down and cried on the stairs
You knew it did not cost the earth, but for what it's worth
You made me feel a millionaire and you wear it well
Madame Onassis got nothing on you
Anyway, my coffee's cold and I'm getting told
That I gotta get back to work
So when the sun goes low and you're home all alone
Think of me and try not to laugh and I wear it well
I don't object if you call collect
'Cause I ain't forgetting that you were once mine
But I blew it without even tryin'
Now I'm eatin' my heart out tryin' to get back to you
After all the years I hope it's the same address
Since you've been gone it's hard to carry on
The verses of the song merge into a whole stream of images, memories and feelings. Rod Stewart sings about his former lover, reminiscing about events from the past, and passing on the message that he still thinks about her. Even though he probably broke her heart, he doesn't beg for forgiveness or make dramatic declarations of love. Instead, he just says that she wears it well. The line is repeated several times throughout the song, and it indicates that she is fine and elegant despite the passage of time. He also mentions that she is a little out of time, which could mean that she is still stuck in the past, or that her style is old-fashioned, but he doesn't mind that at all.
Stewart describes various memories he shared with his former lover, such as basement parties and rock and roll concerts. He also alludes to certain problems or challenges that they faced together, such as homesickness and radical views, indicating that they were not always on the same page. Nevertheless, he believes that none of these things have left a mark on her, and she still looks and acts fabulous. He openly admits that he was once hers, but he blew it, without even trying. He mentions his remorse a few times in the song, but the overall tone is nostalgic rather than regretful.
The song is essentially a letter to a former lover. The lyrics reflect a sense of nostalgia over a love lost and the hope that they can reconnect after all these years. Stewart's gravelly voice and slow-paced melody add to the emotionality of the lyrics, which convey a sense of yearning and reflection. The overall effect is wistful but also carried with a sense of resignation.
Line by Line Meaning
I had nothing to do on this hot afternoon
I was idle on this warm day
But to settle down and write you a line
So I decided to compose a message for you
I've been meaning to phone you but from Minnesota
I've been planning to call you, but I am currently in Minnesota
Hell it's been a very long time
It has been quite a while
You wear it well
You carry yourself well
A little old fashioned but that's all right
You have some traditional taste, which is fine
Well I suppose you're thinking I bet he's sinking
I assume you must be guessing that I'm struggling
Or he wouldn't get in touch with me
Otherwise, I wouldn't attempt to reconnect with you
Oh, I ain't begging or losing my head
Oh no, I'm not pleading or going crazy
I sure do want you to know that you wear it well
However, I want to let you know that you appear great
There ain't a lady in the land so fine
No lady in the whole country is as exquisite as you are
Remember them basement parties, your brother's karate
Do you recollect those gatherings in the basement, your sibling's martial arts?
The all day rock and roll shows
The incessant rock and roll concerts
Them homesick blues and radical views
Those depressing moods and liberal opinions
Haven't left a mark on you, you wear it well
They haven't affected you, you still look great
A little out of time but I don't mind
You're a bit dated, but it doesn't bother me
But I ain't forgetting that you were once mine
But I haven't forgotten that you used to be with me
But I blew it without even tryin'
But I messed it up even without making an effort
Now I'm eatin' my heart out
Now I'm feeling regretful
Tryin' to get a letter through
Attempting to send a message to you
Since you've been gone it's hard to carry on
It's been tough to move on since you departed
I'm gonna write about the birthday gown that I bought in town
I'm going to write about the dress I purchased in the city on my birthday
When you sat down and cried on the stairs
The time when you wept while sitting on the stairs
You knew it did not cost the earth, but for what it's worth
You knew it wasn't too expensive, but it meant something
You made me feel a millionaire and you wear it well
You made me feel rich, and you still look amazing
Madame Onassis got nothing on you
Even Jacqueline Onassis is not as stunning as you are
Anyway, my coffee's cold and I'm getting told
In any case, my coffee has gone cold, and someone is urging me
That I gotta get back to work
To return to my work quickly
So when the sun goes low and you're home all alone
Therefore, when the sun sets, and you're the only one at home
Think of me and try not to laugh
Think about me, but try not to chuckle
And I wear it well
And I carry myself well
I don't object if you call collect
I don't object if you call me and reverse the charges
'Cause I ain't forgetting that you were once mine
Because I haven't forgotten that you used to be mine
Now I'm eatin' my heart out tryin' to get back to you
Now I'm regretting and trying to get back with you
After all the years I hope it's the same address
After all these years, I hope you still live at the same place
Since you've been gone it's hard to carry on
It's been tough to move on since you departed
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rod Stewart, Martin Quittenton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind