Rundgren is well known among his fans as being an electronic music revolutionary. His skilled production techniques, matched by his belief that he has ability to play just about any instrument at a mastery level, has allowed him to release some of the most honest and personal music of his time. Many of his solo albums, including Something/Anything?]' were made completely by himself. That is, he played all the instruments, sang all the vocals, did all of the recording, editing, mixing, and mastering.
Website: http://www.tr-i.com/
Core discography:
With Nazz:
1968 - Nazz
1969 - Nazz Nazz
1970 - Nazz III
Solo:
1970 - Runt
1971 - Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren
1972 - Something/Anything?
1973 - A Wizard, a True Star
1974 - Todd
1975 - Initiation
1976 - Faithful
1978 - Hermit of Mink Hollow
1978 - Back to the Bars (live)
1981 - Healing
1983 - The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect
1985 - A Cappella
1989 - Nearly Human
1991 - 2nd Wind
1993 - No World Order
1995 - The Individualist
1997 - With a Twist
1998 - Up Against It
2000 - One Long Year
2003 - Can't Stop Running (live box set)
2004 - Liars
2008 - Arena
2011 - Todd Rundgren's Johnson
2011 - (re)Production
2013 - State
2015 - Global
2015 - Runddans (collaboration with Emil Nikolaisen and Hans-Peter Lindstrøm)
2017 - White Knight
With Utopia:
1974 - Todd Rundgren's Utopia
1975 - Another Live
1976 (released 2001) - Disco Jets
1977 - Ra
1977 - Oops! Wrong Planet
1980 - Adventures in Utopia
1980 - Deface the Music
1982 - Swing to the Right
1982 - Utopia
1984 - Oblivion
1985 - P.O.V.
2003 - Last of the New Wave Riders (live box set)
Ballad
Todd Rundgren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Denny worked hard
And so together made him a star
And he loved her
Money changed hands
Denny must start
Tallying up things close to his heart
And he loved her so
But we don't always know what to say
When they ask you, what do you say?
No one can tell what's in a heart
People just drift apart
Jean lost her head
Denny got mad
"How, Jean," he said, "can things be so bad
Right before my eyes"
Jean told a lie, Denny deceived
Jean packed her bags to leave
"Jean, if you must go
Before you do
Tell me you know I did it for you
And I loved you so."
The Ballad by Todd Rundgren tells the story of two people, Jean and Denny, who put everything on the line for the sake of success. Jean did whatever she could to help Denny become a star, and they fell in love along the way. However, when money and fame got involved, things started to fall apart. Denny became consumed with keeping track of his possessions, and Jean lost her sense of self. They drifted apart until eventually, Jean decided to leave. Denny begged her to stay, but it was too late. As they said their goodbyes, he pleaded with her to understand that everything he did was for her and that he loved her more than anything.
This song is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of fame and the dangers of losing sight of what really matters in life. It's a reminder that success and material possessions will never be as important as the people we love and the relationships we build with them. The lyrics are emotional and raw, highlighting the pain and regret that come with losing someone you love.
Line by Line Meaning
Jean did her best
Jean did everything she could to help Denny become a star.
Denny worked hard
Denny put a lot of work into becoming famous.
And so together made him a star
Jean and Denny's combined efforts led to Denny's success.
And he loved her
Denny was thankful for Jean's help and cared about her.
Money changed hands
With fame came money and business dealings.
Denny must start
Denny had to start taking care of his business dealings.
Tallying up things close to his heart
Denny had to prioritize his values when it came to his business dealings.
And he loved her so
Despite his business dealings getting in the way, Denny still loved Jean.
But we don't always know what to say
It's not always easy to find the right words to say in difficult situations.
When they ask you, what do you say?
It can be tough to come up with a response when someone asks you a difficult question.
No one can tell what's in a heart
It's impossible to fully understand someone's feelings.
People just drift apart
Sometimes, for reasons unknown, people grow apart.
Jean lost her head
Jean made a mistake due to her emotions clouding her judgment.
Denny got mad
Denny was angry about the situation.
"How, Jean," he said, "can things be so bad
Denny was confused about how things had gone so wrong.
Right before my eyes"
Denny couldn't believe how quickly things had fallen apart.
Jean told a lie, Denny deceived
Both Jean and Denny made mistakes that contributed to their relationship falling apart.
Jean packed her bags to leave
Jean decided to end the relationship.
"Jean, if you must go
Denny is accepting of Jean's decision to leave.
Before you do
But he wanted to know if she understood why he made the choices he did.
Tell me you know I did it for you
Denny hopes that Jean realizes that everything he did, including his business dealings, was to help her.
And I loved you so.
Despite the way things turned out, Denny still loves Jean.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TODD RUNDGREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind