ZZ Top formed after Gibbons' previous band, Moving Sidewalks, disbanded in 1969. Within a year, they signed with London Records and released ZZ Top's First Album in 1971. Subsequent releases, such as Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango! (1975), and the singles "La Grange" and "Tush", gained extensive radio airplay. By the mid-1970s, ZZ Top had become renowned in North America for their live act, including the Worldwide Texas Tour (1976–1977), which was a critical and commercial success.
After a hiatus, ZZ Top returned in 1979 with a new musical direction and image, with Gibbons and Hill wearing sunglasses and matching chest-length beards. With the album El Loco (1981), they began to experiment with synthesizers and drum machines. They established a more mainstream sound and rose to international stardom with Eliminator (1983) and Afterburner (1985), which integrated influences from new wave, punk, and dance-rock. The popularity of these albums' music videos, including those for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs", gave them mass exposure on television channel MTV and made them prominent artists in 1980s pop culture. The Afterburner tour set records for the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour of 1986.
After gaining additional acclaim with the release of their tenth album Recycler (1990), and its accompanying tour, the group's experimentation continued with mixed success on the albums Antenna (1994), Rhythmeen (1996), XXX (1999), and Mescalero (2003). They most recently released La Futura (2012) and Goin' 50 (2019), a compilation album commemorating the band's 50th anniversary. By the time of Hill's death in 2021, ZZ Top had become the longest-running band with an unchanged lineup in the history of popular music. Per Hill's wishes, he was replaced by their longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis on bass.
ZZ Top has released 15 studio albums and sold an estimated 50 million records worldwide. They have won three MTV Video Music Awards, and in 2004, the members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Gibbons the 32nd greatest guitarist of all time. The band members have supported campaigns and charities including Childline, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and a fundraiser for the Delta Blues Museum.
Studio albums
ZZ Top's First Album (1971)
Rio Grande Mud (1972)
Tres Hombres (1973)
Fandango! (1975)
Tejas (1976)
Degüello (1979)
El Loco (1981)
Eliminator (1983)
Afterburner (1985)
Recycler (1990)
Antenna (1994)
Rhythmeen (1996)
XXX (1999)
Mescalero (2003)
La Futura (2012)
La Grange
ZZ Top Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In that Texas town
About that shack outside La Grange
And you know what I'm talkin' about
Just let me know if you wanna go
To that home out on the range
They got a lot of nice girls
A-haw, haw, haw, haw
A-haw, haw, haw, haw
Well, I hear it's fine
If you got the time
And the ten to get yourself in
A-hmm, hmm
And I hear it's tight
Most every night
But now I might be mistaken
Hmm, hmm, hmm
Have mercy
The lyrics to ZZ Top's song "La Grange" tell the story of a notorious brothel located on the outskirts of La Grange, Texas. The first verse sets the scene for the rumors that have spread throughout town about the establishment, implying that everyone knows what goes on inside. The singer then invites his companion to join him if they're interested in visiting the place, mentioning that they have a lot of nice girls to choose from. "Have mercy" is used as an exclamation throughout the song and adds to the sly, seductive tone of the lyrics.
The second verse further describes the establishment as being worth the time and money to get in, hinting at the exclusivity of the club. The line "I hear it's tight most every night" suggests that it's a popular spot with a high demand for their services, but the singer admits that he might be mistaken about some of the details. Overall, the lyrics to "La Grange" are a celebration of the illicit pleasures that could be found in such a place, told in a coy and suggestive manner.
Line by Line Meaning
Rumor spreadin' 'round
There's a rumor going around town
In that Texas town
In the town of La Grange, Texas
About that shack outside La Grange
The rumor is about a rundown building just outside the town
And you know what I'm talkin' about
You know exactly what I mean
Just let me know if you wanna go
If you're interested, tell me
To that home out on the range
It's a place out in the countryside
They got a lot of nice girls
There are many attractive women there
Have mercy
An expression of excitement, like 'wow'
A-haw, haw, haw, haw
An additional expression of excitement
Well, I hear it's fine
I've heard it's great
If you got the time
If you have enough free time
And the ten to get yourself in
And you've got ten dollars for admission
A-hmm, hmm
Another expression of excitement
And I hear it's tight
I've heard it's crowded
Most every night
Almost every night
But now I might be mistaken
Although, I could be wrong
Hmm, hmm, hmm
Yet another expression of excitement
Have mercy
Closing expression of excitement
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, Joe Hill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
O P Parassni Praveen
on future's so bright, i gotta
Which year was this single released