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)
Black And White
Todd Rundgren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
Nobody knows the trouble this poor boy's seen
People will believe anything
Man on the run
Always gets it in the end
Nobody cares 'cause nobody shares his dream
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
It's just a part of the game
Blood on the moon
Patterns running across the floor
A musical inside a movie inside a dream
Guess you can believe anything
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
It's all a part of the game
Mama, Papa, boys, and girls
Holding hands around the world
Wrong is wrong and right is right
Nothing changes overnight
I'll believe it when I see it in black and white
Tell me the truth
Nobody leaves here alive
In the black core of doubt
Trying to get out in the light
Sometimes you can't see anything
Everyone is changed
Everyone is still the same
They can't get out of the game
The song Black and White by Todd Rundgren seems to be a commentary on the nature of truth and reality, and how people often perceive things differently. The opening line, "Stick to your guns," suggests the importance of holding onto one's beliefs and convictions, even if they go against popular opinion. The line "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" is a reference to the old saying that material possessions, like diamonds, are what bring happiness, an idea that the song seems to challenge later on.
The verses talk about a man on the run who finds that no one believes in his dream, and how everything in life can change while still remaining the same. The line "Blood on the moon" might suggest that something dark and ominous is lurking in the shadows. The pre-chorus speaks to the idea that reality is subjective, and that people often believe what they want to believe, regardless of the facts.
The chorus brings in the idea of unity among people, as they hold hands around the world. The lyrics seem to suggest that right and wrong exist, but the line "Nothing changes overnight" suggests that true change takes time and effort. The lines "Tell me the truth, nobody leaves here alive" speak to the idea that in the end, the truth will be revealed, and that we will all eventually face the consequences of our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Stick to your guns
Stay true to yourself and your beliefs
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
Material possessions are valued over relationships
Nobody knows the trouble this poor boy's seen
The struggles and problems faced by an individual are often kept hidden from others
People will believe anything
The tendency of people to blindly follow beliefs and ideas without questioning them
Man on the run
Somebody who is trying to escape from something
Always gets it in the end
Eventually, one has to face the consequences of their actions
Nobody cares 'cause nobody shares his dream
When a person's vision is not understood or supported by others, it becomes hard for them to pursue it
People don't believe anything
People have a tendency of not believing anything
Everything is changed
The world constantly changes
Everything is still the same
Despite the changes, the core elements remain the same
It's just a part of the game
The world is a game of cause and effect
Blood on the moon
A metaphorical representation of violent and disturbing acts happening in the world
Patterns running across the floor
A visual representation of the patterns of life and its events
A musical inside a movie inside a dream
A metaphor for the illusions that we create to escape the reality
Guess you can believe anything
A sarcastic statement about the tendency of people to believe in anything
Mama, Papa, boys, and girls
Representation of a family unit
Holding hands around the world
Symbolizing universal unity and peace
Wrong is wrong and right is right
The concept of moral absolutism
Nothing changes overnight
Change takes time and patience
I'll believe it when I see it in black and white
When proof is presented, then only will one believe it
Tell me the truth
Desire for honesty and sincerity
Nobody leaves here alive
A reminder of the inevitability of death
In the black core of doubt
Representing a person's state of confusion and uncertainty
Trying to get out in the light
Working towards finding clarity
Sometimes you can't see anything
During difficult times, it is hard to find a way out
Everyone is changed
Life experiences change a person
They can't get out of the game
Nobody can escape the consequences of their actions
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TODD RUNDGREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hughbarton5743
Todd. That's about said it. Those cascading, falling guitar triplets,,,those heart stopping vocals...
Yep.
That, my colleagues, is rock music.
@Pablov.castao
Don't ever call me your colleague, weirdo
/j
@hughbarton5743
Ok .you are a guy on the internet who seems to have issues with me. Why?
Not sure. We've never met, or even spoken.....
So, heres the deal: I'll ignore you, you ignore me. K?
If not satisfactory, next time you are in the Philly area, look me up.
@Pablov.castao
@@hughbarton5743 who am I gonna find a duke from the 1800s? Downton Abby ass name (btw I was just joking dude, but you got sooo hurt it's even funnier)
@kellyneese5216
I LOVE THIS BAND. SAW UTOPIA TWICE. ONCE IN OMAHA, IN THE WINTER OF 76 ?, AND THEN IN MINNEAPOLIS, WITH THE WHOLE PYRAMID SECOND HALF. QUIT SCHOOL, GOT MY G.E.D., AND WOUND UP WITH A FULL RIDE ACADEMIC GRANT TO STUDY ELECTRONIC MUSIC, IN IOWA CITY. AN EISENHOWER GRANT.
@KenMac-ui2vb
Always one of my favs. Underrated song.
@barbmassabrook1535
I love this song so much though I haven’t seen Todd play this in concert in several years. I just saw him in October and he was amazing!
@WorldBFree-lw6wo
"Nobody knows, the trouble this poor boy has seen...people will believe anything." Brilliant lyrics and excellent track!
@chrisradano
A deceptively catchy song. I catch myself singing to myself more than I realize.
@wizardtruestar
Absolutely....hook after hook. One of Todd's best rockers.