Song Meaning: Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC

ARTIST: AC/DC | ALBUM: back in black | RELEASED: 1980

"Shoot to Thrill" is yet another classic from AC/DC's seventh studio album, Back In Black.

As it's often the case with songs that have loosely written lyrics, the meaning of such is somewhat inconclusive. Sometimes the artist(s) purposely leave these "wholes" in the songs for the listener to fill them as they wish.

Song Meaning: Everlong by Foo Fighters

ARTIST: Foo Fighters | ALBUM: The Colour and the Shape | RELEASED: 1997

Foo Fighters is the rock n' roll band that rose from the ashes of Nirvana. Dave Grohl, the former drummer of Nirvana, determined to continue with his own music after the extinction of Nirvanamania.

Bruce Springsteen OR Guns N' Roses? Who's Better

Bruce Springsteen or Guns N' Roses?
That's the question.

Song Meaning + Background: Going to California by Led Zeppelin

ARTIST: led zeppelin | ALBUM: led zeppelin iv | RELEASED: 1971

"Going to California" from Led Zeppelin IV

"Going to California" is about Robert Plant's post-teenage years when he was going through some identity crisis. The song is also based on the lives of his fellow bandmates as well.

Robert  Plant was just twenty years old when was auditioned by Jimmy Page, who was just four years senior, for New Yard Birds which eventually became Led Zeppelin.

Touring with Led Zeppelin on the road for young Plant was a new experience. For the first time he was dealing with drugs and groupies, and slowly adopting a rock n' roll lifestyle.

"Going to California" was released after a few years of forming Led Zeppelin, and it was written from the songwriter's point of view - reflecting on his old days on the road. Jimmy Page also contributed to the lyrics.

Let me know what you think of the song in the comments section.

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Spent my days with a woman unkind, Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine.
Made up my mind to make a new start, Going To California with an aching in my heart.
Someone told me there's a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.
Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let them tell you that they're all the same.
The sea was red and the sky was grey, wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today.
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
as the children of the sun began to awake.

Seems that the wrath of the Gods
Got a punch on the nose and it started to flow;
I think I might be sinking.
Throw me a line if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there where the path
Runs straight and high.

To find a queen without a king,
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings... la la la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born.
Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams,
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems.

Lyrics from: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ledzeppelin/goingtocalifornia.html

Early Album Failures of Aerosmith Due to Springsteen & Columbia

Aerosmith is a household name and one of the best selling hard rock bands of time, but their success didn't come easy. Tracing backing to their humble beginnings, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were both brought up New Hampshire. Upon forming the band, five bandmates frequented neighboring Boston to their shows. Much like other prominent rock bands that we know today, Aerosmith too were only known locally. After three years of touring they became a well known rock act in New England, and managed to get the attention of Columbia Records.

The bands debut album, Aerosmith (1973), had their signature song, "Dream On" also with seven other good songs, but it failed to make an impression. The album wasn't reviewed on Rolling Stone, or by other music critics. But what did happen was that bandmates were mocked for their facial appearances; Steven Tyler was compared to Mick Jagger and Joe Perry was compared Keith Richards of Rolling Stones.

I think record companies are criminals
- Jon Bon Jovi

In the eyes of a major recording company, the album was a disaster. Columbia was hesitant of perpetuating a long term partnership with Aerosmith, but they failed to realize one thing: it was same that Bruce Springsteen, who was also affiliated with Columbia, released his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Springsteen's debut album, on the other, was reviewed by critics, and was well received. Rolling Stone magazine label it as the 37th greatest debut album ever.

Main attribution for Springsteen early success was due to the fact that Columbia made a big effort to popularize it, despite having songs which weren't as good as Aerosmith's. The record company spent hundred times as much money on Bruce Springsteen as they did on Aerosmith.

Aerosmith, however, never gave up. They pushed on with adversity and went on to release some of the greatest songs and albums in the history of rock n' roll. Toys in the Attick and Rocks are considered to be some of their best works in the 1970s.

Song Meaning: Dude (Looks Like A Lady) by Aerosmith

ARTIST: Aerosmith | ALBUM: Permanent Vacation | RELEASED: 1987

Aerosmith was down on their luck in the early 1980s. Joe Perry left the band over a dispute with lead singer Steven Tyler. There two were the main creative force behind much of Aerosmith's song writings. When they eventually got back together and released the band's eight studio album, Done with Mirrors, it was a mere shadow of what they were capable of doing in the 1970s.

The album was poorly done, in fact I personally think it was terrible; it didn't sound like the band that wrote "Back in the Saddle." It took the band two more years to find their old magic, as showcased in Permanent vacation (1987). Though this wasn't Aerosmith at their best, the album was a sign of their ascend to the top. The second single, "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)," shows a glimpse of old-school hard rock sound of Aerosmith.

Song Meaning and Facts: Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith

ARTIST: Aerosmith | ALBUM: Toys in the attic | RELEASED: 1975

"Sweet Emotion" is the debut single of Toys in the Attic

Rivalry between Joe Perry and Steven Tyler is well known for Aerosmith fans. In fact their feuds are well explained in also of the band's documentaries. As the frontman and lead guitarist, they were always competing to be on the spotlight on the stage. Off stage, their differences became more personal. Steven Tyler was jealous of the lady Joe Perry was dating at the time, maybe because he wanted date her, and also due to the fact that Perry spending more and more time with her, away from the band. I think her name was Elyssa Jerret. Knowing this, to add insult to injury, Perry married her in 1975.

Song Meaning: Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen

ARTIST: Bruce Springsteen | ALBUM: Born in the U.S.A. | RELEASED: 1984

Title track of Bruce Springsteen's seventh studio album paints a predominantly pessimistic image of the United States. The song deals with the chaotic consequences of the Vietnam War, both at home and aboard. Bruce in fact had several friends who went to Vietnam, some never came back. Much of the basis of the song comes from his in-depth secondhand experiences.

Rock and Roll: A bipartisan push for 'Yes' - CNN

CNN has an article on their Political Ticker showing an effort by both the Democrats and Republicans to get "Yes" into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame.

"Their music is revered by many politicians. In fact, we were excited at how quickly the two political parties could put policy disputes aside for this common goal," Brabender said in a statement.

"Republicans and Democrats actually agree on something: that Yes is one of the most influential progressive rock bands ever – and ultimately ensure Yes gets rightful place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Numerous groups like Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam have cited Yes as influential on their music. Yes are known for hits like Roundabout, Fragile and I've Seen All Good People. 

Read the full article at http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/06/rock-roll-a-bipartisan-push-for-yes/

Song Meaning: Rocks Off by The Rolling Stones

ARTIST: the rolling stones | ALBUM: exile on main st. | RELEASED: 1972

"Rocks Off" was released as a single
only in Japan, thus the Japanese letters on the cover

Another great rock song by arguably the greatest rock n' roll band ever, "Rock Off" describes a day in the life of the bandmates. The song touches on all aspects of rock n' roll lifestyle: sex, drugs and rock n' roll music.

FIVE Reasons Why Axl Rose Should Retire

It's undeniable that Axl Rose is one of the best rockers of all time... but that's all on yesterday. He single-handedly screwed Guns N' Roses, and since then he's been doing his one-man show with a bunch of his high school buddies. Now the dude is well beyond is prime and time has come for him to hang up his boots.

5. Not in shape - guy is fat and doesn't put put enough effort into music anymore. Look at other rockers around his age: James Hetfield, Slash, Flea, etc... Even old Angus Young is still in shape.

Welcome to the bakery, we got cakes and cookies

4. Losing creative juice - since Slash left Guns N' Roses, it took Axl 14 years to release the band's next album, and that wasn't even close to the material of old G'N'R. When Slash left the band, that was the end of GNR; now it's just a solo project of Axl Rose. In fact the current lineup should really be called, "Axl Rose Project," like Joe Perry used to call his band when he temporarily departed Aerosmith

3. Stuck in old anger management issues - well, this one had to be included on this list, and shouldn't be a surprise to old GN'R fans.

2. Disastrous live shows - part of the reason why GN'R doesn't put good live shows anymore is Axl doesn't care anymore, and not to mention the fact that he never shows up to them in time. If you think otherwise watch their 2011 Rock in Rio performance -- it was a complete disaster.

1. Losing hard rock voice - only a few hard rockers have been fortunate enough to either protect their voice as they age or adapt and change it accordingly overtime while still being able to sing old songs just as good. Bruce Dickinson and Brian Johnson are two that still sound good, but Axl Rose has miserably failed at this; he sounds like a mickeymouse on their lastest album.

Song Meaning, Analysis and Facts: The Unforgiven by Metallica

ARTIST: Metallica | ALBUM: black album | RELEASED: 1991

"The Unforgiven" is James Hetfield's most personal track of all Metallica songs. The song explores James' tumultuous childhood. His dad left the family when he was thirteen for no apparent reason -- only a mare note was left behind explaining his departure. James got really mad at his father for leaving them behind, given that he was the breadwinner of the family and that his mom wasn't as effective at being a single parent. She made a living painting stuff, but besides that, she wasn't able to properly take care of James and her daughter. Nevertheless they managed to push on... but not for long. His mom passed away when James was sixteen after a losing battle with cancer.