![]() In the book "Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and the Music of Laurel Canyon," both McGuinn and Hillman refuted the notion "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" meant to insult the Monkees. (For what it's worth, that the song was potentially meant as a Monkees slight was news to the late Peter Tork, who told Rolling Stone in 2007, "Nobody ever said anything like that to me. The song was supposedly partly inspired by beloved TV band-turned-real-life superstars the Monkees - a comparison some perceived as an unflattering one. "So we wrote 'So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star' to the audience of potential rock stars, those who were going to be, or who wanted to be, and those who actually did go on to realize their goals." ![]() However, in the same ZigZag interview, McGuinn downplayed the song's reputation for being bitter. There's an undercurrent of dehumanization to all of this: Becoming famous involves "sell your soul to the company," which hawks "plasticware"- the idea of rock-star-as-commodity the Byrds emphasize further with these lines: "Don't forget what you are/You're a rock & roll star." The lyrics put forth a simple equation (get a guitar, learn to play it, look the part) but then warn about the consequences of fame: fickle audiences, the business side of things, personal sacrifice. RELATED: Runnin' down the dream with Tom Petty: Author Warren Zanes on the rocker's legacy all of a sudden here is everyone and his brother and his sister-in-law and his mother and even his pet bullfrog singing rock 'n' roll,'" leader Roger McGuinn said in a 1973 interview with ZigZag. "We were thumbing through a teen magazine and looking at all the unfamiliar faces and we couldn't help thinking: 'Wow, what's happening. The Byrds' original take, released on January 9, 1967, itself is part cautionary tale, part amusement at ever-shifting musical trends. Over the years, however, the song has been covered dozens of times, shapeshifting into a sentimental elegy, a mission statement, cutting social commentary, and even an aspirational anthem. In the buoyant hands of Petty and the Heartbreakers, "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" is a blueprint for stardom. When he warns, "And in a week or two, if you make the charts, the girls will tear you apart," the look on his face is halfway between terrified and delighted. ![]() Even a potential snag is glossed over with aplomb. "So you wanna be a rock 'n' roll star/Well, listen now, hear what I say/Just get an electric guitar, and take some time and learn how to play," he sings, assuming a soothing tone resembling a road-worn sage giving advice to a younger musician. In fact, Petty makes achieving stardom sound easy. In late December, Tom Petty's Twitter account resurfaced a 1985 live clip of Petty and his band the Heartbreakers running through their take on The Byrds' "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star." The troupe are in peak live form, all tightly coiled jangle and easygoing confidence, as they breeze through the single.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |