Twenty-five years later, Walter's signature song is a staple on the radio, and can also be heard in feature films and on television. Meanwhile, he has continued to make original music as both a prolific individual artist, with a total of eight solo CDs to his credit, and as a member of performing and recording bands including the Malibooz and the Brooklyn Cowboys.
Today, Walter Egan continues to write, produce, and record new music (check out his two new songs in the MP3 downloads section below) and perform live around Nashville and nationally.
Magnet & Steel
Walter Egan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I told you so you ought to know (ooh)
It takes some time for a feelin' to grow (ooh)
But you're so close now I can't let you go (ooh)
And I can't let go
(With you I'm not shy) to show the way I feel
For you are a magnet and I am steel
I can hope that I'll hold you for long (ooh)
'Cause you're a woman who's lost to your song (ooh)
But the love that I feel is so strong (ooh)
And it can't be wrong
(With you I'm not shy) to show the way I feel
(With you I might try) my secrets to reveal
For you are a magnet and I am steel
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(Ooh)
(With you I'm not shy) to show the way I feel
(With you I might try) my secrets to reveal
For you are a magnet and I am steel
For you are a magnet and I am steel
For you are a magnet and I am steel
For you are a magnet and I am steel
For you are a magnet and I am steel
The lyrics of Walter Egan's "Magnet and Steel" tell the story of a man who has fallen deeply in love with a woman. He acknowledges that it takes time for feelings to grow, but now he can't let her go because she's so close. He compares his own personality to steel and hers to a magnet, emphasizing the strength of the connection between them. The man is not afraid to show his feelings and secrets to the woman, which indicates the level of intimacy and trust in their relationship. He hopes to hold onto her for a long time despite the fact that she is lost to her own song and has a strong presence in the world of music.
The song was written about Stevie Nicks, who had a short-lived relationship with Walter Egan in the late 1970s. "Magnet and Steel" was released in 1978, and it quickly became a hit, reaching the ninth position on the US Billboard Hot 100. It is considered to be one of the most iconic soft rock songs of the 1970s.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I told you so you ought to know (ooh)
I have previously explained this to you, so you should be aware
It takes some time for a feelin' to grow (ooh)
Feelings need time to develop
But you're so close now I can't let you go (ooh)
You are now close to me and I can't bear to let you go
And I can't let go
I am unable to let go of my feelings for you
With you I'm not shy to show the way I feel
I feel comfortable expressing my emotions when I am with you
With you I might try my secrets to reveal
I am willing to open up and share my secrets with you
For you are a magnet and I am steel
You are an attractive force that draws me in, while I am strong and steady like steel
I can hope that I'll hold you for long (ooh)
I wish to hold onto you for a long time
'Cause you're a woman who's lost to your song (ooh)
You are a woman who is captivated by your own music
But the love that I feel is so strong (ooh)
The love I have for you is powerful and intense
And it can't be wrong
My love for you feels right and true
For you are a magnet and I am steel
You have an alluring effect on me, while I remain steadfast and resolute
For you are a magnet and I am steel
You attract me strongly, while I remain unyielding
For you are a magnet and I am steel
You have a magnetic pull on me, while I am strong and unyielding
For you are a magnet and I am steel
You are a force that draws me in, while I remain unwavering
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Walter Lindsay Egan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike 68/442
Albums
Fundamental Roll (Columbia / Culture Factory, 1977)
Not Shy (Columbia, 1978) - U.S. #44
HiFi (Columbia, 1979) - U.S. #201
The Last Stroll (Columbia, 1980)
Wild Exhibitions (MCA / Backstreet, 1983)
The Mad Dog Sessions (recorded 1986 but not released until the new millennium on Red Steel)
Walternative (We, 1999)
Doin' Time On Planet Earth (as The Brooklyn Cowboys) ( Leap Records, 2000)
The Lost Album (Renaissance, 2000)
Mad Dog (Red Steel, RMCCD, 2001)
Apocalypso Now (Gaff, 2002)
Dodging Bullets (as The Brooklyn Cowboys) (Leap Records, 2002)
The Other Man In Black (as The Brooklyn Cowboys) (Leap Records, 2003)
The Meaning of Live (Red Steel, RMCCD, 2004)
Raw Elegant (Spectra, 2011)
Myth America (Classic Music Vault, 2014)
True Songs (WE Music, 2017)
Sound as Ever (as The Burritos, 2018)
Magnet and Steel EP (Red Steel, RMCDE9261, 2019)
Hot Summer Nights EP (Red Steel, RMCDE9260, 2019)
Mad Dog (Redux Remaster) (Red Steel, RMCDA9263, 2020)
The Meaning of Live (Redux Remaster) (Red Steel, RMCDA9259, 2020)
Apocalypso Now (Redux Remaster) (Red Steel, RMCDA9272, 2020)
Walternative (Redux Remaster) (Red Steel, RMCDA9274, 2021)
Fascination (Red Steel, RMCCD9269 & RMCDA9263, 2021)
Mark
I feel privileged to have grown up listening to 70’s music. It will last forever!
jamesdewer
Amen, Talent and proclivity towards writing songs were basic requirements. One hit wonders abound. Trends come and go. Talent however, the innate ability of some sort to find your life's strength and passion in music and to excel at it. Well it never fades away.
Thomas avery
This song will last forever
monmixer
I agree , from Hendrix to this.
Phoenix B.
Me, too.
Roy West
Best music ever
Douglas
This was back when people could still sing and play their instruments better than anything on the radio today
Proto Rhinocerator
Other than the occasional Tiny Tim, you had to have real talent back then.
The 70's had such a smooth vibe. I've been going back and looking for all those songs I remember from back then.
Thunder Island, Eres Tu, Fool If You Think It's Over, My Angel Baby, Pilot of the Airwaves, stuff like that. So good.
eyemNew
I didn't know we still had radios today.
It's all on the internet
Josette Dupres
Exactly