1970s songs, story songs

Lucky Man- Emerson, Lake & Palmer

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Oooh, what a lucky man he was…

Luck is one of the most under-appreciated forces that guides every aspect of our life—both good and bad. Nothing is a bigger turn off than hearing someone say, “I don’t believe in luck”. Luck is so pervasive that not even morality can escape it. Would you steal if you were starving? Of course you would. Most of us were born into a situation where food is abundant enough to not have to steal.

Have you ever been distracted while driving? Probably. The only difference between most of us and those who have committed vehicular manslaughter is dumb luck. We are considered “better people” for something we have no control over. That is, no other car or person was in our way during the time we were distracted.

lucky man meaning
Emerson, Lake, Palmer

The ”Lucky Man” in Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s hit is also susceptible to the whims of luck. One day he is a good-looking, able-bodied man who is bedding tons of women. The next, he is in a war (that he had no say in) getting shot at. Alas, his good luck runs out, and is struck with a lethal bullet. Had it been a windy day, perhaps the bullet would have drifted an inch to the left to a non-lethal area of his body. But it didn’t, and now he is dead.

moog synthesizer
moog synthesizer

What really makes the song is the moog synthesizer outro—it really is one of the great solos in rock. Interestingly it was not planned. That was just Emerson messing around on his Moog and his producer put that improvisation straight onto the record. The sound is so unique that they were unable to recreate it on tours, so they just stopped trying. Lucky.

Lucky Man Lyrics
Emerson, Lake & Palmer

The harmonies are strong and warm, but a lot of the depth of sound is created by overdubbing. But it still sounds great. You may also like Lake’s work in King Crimson.

Lucky Man Lyrics

He had white horses
And ladies by the score
All dressed in satin
And waiting by the door

Oooh, what a lucky man he was
Oooh, what a lucky man he was

White lace and feathers
They made up his bed
A gold covered mattress
On which he was laid

Oooh, what a lucky man he was
Oooh, what a lucky man he was

He went to fight wars
For his country and his king
Of his honour and his glory
The people would sing

Oooh, what a lucky man he was
Oooh, what a lucky man he was

A bullet had found him
His blood ran as he cried
No money could save him
So he laid down and he died

Oooh, what a lucky man he was
Oooh, what a lucky man he was

written by Greg Lake

1980s songs, outcasts

Here Comes Your Man- The Pixies

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You’ll never wait so long/
Here comes your man.

There is a classic antidote that the only people who bought a Velvet Underground record ended up becoming a musician. Meaning–their albums never sold well, but years later, every band listed them as an influence.

A similar thing happened with The Pixies. They exploded because Kurt Cobain said it was his favorite band. Others in the 90s Seattle grunge scene said they, too, were influenced by The Pixies. Their legend has grown from there.

Here Comes Your Man
The Pixies

“Here Comes Your Man” is The Pixies most popular song. It is probably not indicative of the sound of the rest of their catalog, but it is their most catchy. The lead electric guitar part leaves the most immediate impression. The riff repeats throughout the song with only a slight variation. And that’s okay. It really is that good that we want to hear it over and over again.

The guitar has a sound that is similar to the sound of the early Beach Boys. It’s ‘surfy’– it is hard to articulate what makes that sound. It has the heavy reverb on the guitar, an upbeat tempo and relatively light mood.

Here comes your man meaning
The Pixies

The most unique characteristic of The Pixies sound is the experimentation with different volume levels throughout the song. That was used quite a bit in classical music, but not as much in rock before The Pixies.

Black Francis’ vocals are outstanding. We can hear his versatility. The vocals start relatively clean but at times during the chorus they can sound raw and filled with angst and emotion.

To say the lyrics are cryptic is an understatement. There are a bunch of hobos around a train (or boxcar). It is cold, they are lined up for food and waiting for their drug dealer. Then there is an earthquake. Francis wrote the song when he was only 14 so perhaps a little grace is required in the lyrics department.

Here Comes Your Man Lyrics

Outside there’s a box car waiting
Outside the family stew
Out by the fire breathing
Outside we wait till face turns blue

I know the nervous walking
I know the dirty beard hangs
Out by the box car waiting
Take me away to nowhere plains

There is a wait so long
(So long, so long)
You’ll never wait so long

Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man

Big shake on the box car moving
Big shake to the land that’s falling down
Is a wind makes a palm stop blowing
A big, big stone fall and break my crown

There is a wait so long
(So long, so long)
You’ll never wait so long

Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man
Here comes your man

There is a wait so long
(So long, so long)
You’ll never wait so long
Here comes your man

written by Charles Thompson / Black Francis

1970s songs, songs about exes

You’re So Vain-Carly Simon

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You’re so vain. I bet you think this song is about you.

Before Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez & Gwen Stephani, Carly Simon wrote the original “my-ex-sucks song” that piqued everyone’s interest–“You’re so Vain”.

Carly had many friends so there was a lot of speculation about who this could be written about. Is this song about Mick Jagger, David Geffen, Warren Beatty?  Wisely, she never answered. As years went by it almost became a myth of sorts. “American Pie” has a similar mystical quality because the author never revealed the intended meaning.

You're so Vain
Carly Simon

The difference between this song and American Pie is that Carly paints an extremely vivid (and clear) picture of the subject of the song. He is a lucky, rich, good-looking, pompous, womanizing
ass…who is vain. (Not that she’s bitter).

And the thing is, she doesn’t come across bitter at all. Part of the reason is because of her great, concise description of him. She simply describes his actions. We can easily visualize a guy
who dresses loudly, who enters the room brashly as if to say “the party has now started”. She says it so well, in one of the best rhymes in pop music:

You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht,
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye, your scarf it was apricot,
You had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte.

Yacht, apricot, gavotte…that is great writing! These are the more playful descriptions about him and confirm that he is vain. The fact that he has sex with his friends’ wives are less playful,
and show us he’s not just vain, he is a bad guy.

Youre so vain meaning
Carly

The vocal is crisp and we hear a slight edge in her voice. That’s what we want from songs about exes. The unique bass rhythm in the intro that continues throughout elevates the song to another level. The song is heavily produced, but it works.

You’re So Vain Lyrics

You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht.
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye,
Your scarf it was apricot.
You had one eye in the mirror, as you watched yourself gavotte.
And all the girls dreamed that they’d be your partner
They’d be your partner and

You’re so vain.
You probably think this song is about you.
You’re so vain (you’re so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you don’t you?

You had me several years ago when I was still quite naïve
Well you said that we made such a pretty pair and that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved
And one of them was me
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee clouds in my coffee and
You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain (you’re so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you don’t you don’t you?

I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee clouds in my coffee and
You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain (you’re so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you don’t you?
Well I hear you went up to Saratoga
And your horse naturally won
Then you flew your lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well you’re where you should be all the time
And when you’re not, you’re with some underworld spy
Or the wife of a close friend wife of a close friend and

You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain (so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don’t you don’t you don’t you?
You’re so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You’re so vain
Probably think this song about you
You’re so vain

written by Carly Simon