Rock 'N' Roll Band
The Popes Lyrics
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Left Shane in the morning when he was running out of coke
Took a cab to my place, to try and get some sleep
When I got home all I got was thrown out on the street
No more, I can't take it, I can't take no more
A monkey on my shoulder always showing me the door
No more, I can't take it, gotta find a plan
Got a call from a music hall over in the U.S.A.
Gonna fly us out there to play on Paddy's Day
We all meet up in Billy's pub to talk about the show
Shane falls off the barstool, breaks his fucking hip
No more, I can't take it, I can't take no more
New York's out the window, singer's on the floor
No more, I can't take it, gonna make a stand
Jesus Christ it's a hard old life, playing in a rock 'n' roll band
Tired of all the hotels, the glowing of TV's
Tired of all the nightclubs, the parties and the sleaze
Tired of all the cocaine, the groupies, and the girls
But most of all, we're sick and tired of playing with ourselves
No more, I can't take it, I can't take no more
New York's out the window, singer's on the floor
No more, I can't take it, gonna make a stand
Jesus Christ it's a hard old life, playing in a rock 'n' roll band
No more, I can't take it, I can't take no more
Got a monkey on my shoulder always showing me the door
No more, I can't take it, gonna make a stand
Jesus Christ it's a hard old life, playing in a rock 'n' roll band
The Popes' "Rock 'n' Roll Band" is a song that sheds light on the harsh realities of being part of a rock band. The song describes the exhausting and often destructive lifestyle that comes with touring and playing music for a living. The lyrics suggest that despite the excitement and allure of being part of a rock 'n' roll band, the lifestyle can wear a person down physically and emotionally.
The first verse describes the first-hand experience of the lead singer, who has been up all night taking drugs and talking nonsense. He then leaves a bandmate, Shane, who has run out of cocaine, and heads home to get some rest. However, when he arrives home, he finds himself homeless, an indication of the instability and uncertainty that comes with the lifestyle.
The second verse tells of a call from a music hall in the USA, inviting the band to play on St. Patrick's Day. The entire band meets up in a pub to discuss the show, but things quickly go downhill when Shane falls off a barstool and breaks his hip. The lyrics highlight the dangers of the lifestyle and how accidents and injuries can occur unexpectedly.
Line by Line Meaning
Been up all night, talking shit, taking pills and dope
We stayed awake all night, talking nonsense and using drugs.
Left Shane in the morning when he was running out of coke
We abandoned our friend Shane when he ran out of cocaine.
Took a cab to my place, to try and get some sleep
We took a taxi to my home to try and rest.
When I got home all I got was thrown out on the street
But when we arrived, we were kicked out onto the street.
No more, I can't take it, I can't take no more
I can't handle this lifestyle anymore.
A monkey on my shoulder always showing me the door
I feel like I constantly have someone telling me to leave.
Got a call from a music hall over in the U.S.A.
We received a phone call from a venue in the United States.
Gonna fly us out there to play on Paddy's Day
They want us to perform on St. Patrick's Day.
We all meet up in Billy's pub to talk about the show
We gathered in Billy's pub to discuss the upcoming performance.
Shane falls off the barstool, breaks his fucking hip
During the meeting, Shane fell off his stool and broke his hip.
Tired of all the hotels, the glowing of TV's
We are weary of staying in hotels and staring at television screens.
Tired of all the nightclubs, the parties and the sleaze
We are tired of going to nightclubs, attending parties, and being around immoral behavior.
Tired of all the cocaine, the groupies, and the girls
We are exhausted from using cocaine, being around groupies, and being with different women.
But most of all, we're sick and tired of playing with ourselves
But the thing that bothers us the most is playing music without an audience.
Got a monkey on my shoulder always showing me the door
I feel like I constantly have someone telling me to leave.
No more, I can't take it, gonna make a stand
I can't handle this lifestyle anymore and I need to take action.
Jesus Christ it's a hard old life, playing in a rock 'n' roll band
Playing in a rock 'n' roll band is a difficult and challenging life.
Contributed by Savannah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.