Rock 'N Roll
The Cats Lyrics

I can still remember when I bought my first guitar
Recalling the joy and excitement of acquiring his first guitar.

Remember just how good the feeling was, put it proudly in my car
Feeling proud and accomplished as a guitarist, he displayed it prominently in his car.

And my family listened fifty times to my two songs repertoire
Though he had a limited collection of songs, his family listened to them intently, despite the repetition.

And I told my mom her only son was gonna be a star
Filled with ambition, he assured his mother that he would be a successful musician.

Bought all the Beatles records, sounded just like Paul
Purchasing every Beatles album, he studied Paul McCartney's style and sound intently.

Bought all the old Chuck Berry's, 78's and all
Collecting vintage Chuck Berry records, he appreciated and studied the early roots of rock and roll.

And I sat by my record player, playing every note they played
Spending countless hours studying and replicating the music on his favorite records.

And I watched them all on TV, making every move they made
Watching every television appearance of his musical idols, studying their stage presence and choreography.

Rock and Roll I gave you all the best years of my live
Acknowledging the time and effort he devoted to his music career.

All the dreamin' sunny Sundays, all the moonlit summer night
The fond memories and emotions associated with his love for rock and roll.

I was busy in the backroom writing love songs to you
Committed to his passion for music, he tirelessly wrote and created new songs.

While you were changing your direction and never even knew that I was always one step behind you
Despite his dedication to music, he felt he never truly caught up with the constantly evolving genre and its stars.

'66 Seems like the year I was really going somewhere
Reflecting on a successful period in his career that felt full of promise and hope.

We were living in San Francisco with flowers in our hair
Recollecting a trendsetting and carefree counterculture era in San Francisco.

Singing songs of kindness so the world would understand that the guys and me were something more than just another band
Using his music to promote love and understanding and to make a meaningful impact beyond just being a musician.

And then '69 in L.A. came around so soon
Realizing how quickly years had passed and how much he had accomplished in that time.

We were really making headway and writing a lots of tunes
Feeling confident and successful, he and his band were creating a lot of new music.

And we must have played the wildest stuff we had ever played
Recalling a performance that exemplified the vaunted spirit of rock and roll.

And the way the crowds cried out for us, well, we thought we had it made
Feeling a sense of triumph and accomplishment as the audience showed its appreciation for their work.

'71 in Soho when I saw Suzanne
Recalling an important moment in his personal life, meeting a woman named Suzanne.

I was trying to go it solo with someone else's band
Experimenting with new collaborations and musical endeavors beyond his bandmates.

She came up to me lately, took her by the hand
Expressing affection and a deepening connection with this new love interest.

I told her all my troubles and she seemed to understand
Finding comfort in confiding in and being understood by his romantic partner.

And she followed me through London, through the hundred hotel rooms
Traversing through differing locations together, sharing new experiences and making memories.

Through a hundred record companies, who didn't like my tune
Frustrated by the reactions of numerous record companies, who were uninterested or unimpressed with his music.

And she followed me when finally I sold my old guitar
Through ups and downs with his music career, his partner remained faithfully by his side.

And she tried to help me understand, I never been a star
Receiving comfort and support from his partner as he grappled with a difficult or underwhelming music career.

And though I never knew the magic of makin' it with you
Regretful for a lack of material success in his music career, despite the emotional fulfillment he found in his work.

I thank the road for giving me the little bit I knew
Grateful for the opportunities and life experiences that came with his music career, regardless of financial or mainstream success.