Rock 'n' Cynicism

I have always loved rock, but some of my favorite rock songs are pretty cynical about the business of it or the lifestyle or even the audience. Here are four of those I came up with. If you know others, please post them in the comments.









Here's Nickelback's take, and I love it. Don't hate me.


15 comments:

Grim said...

Yeah, I've got one for you.

https://youtu.be/aBkG9FH3py0

Grim said...

Also, I hate all of those songs. :)

Grim said...

But if you're open to an Outlaw Country piece on the same themes, here's David Allan Coe singing about how none of the country DJs will ever come to see him in this dive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3OcOPDJeZk

Grim said...

...and if you liked that one, here's Charlie Daniels singing about the perils of a longhaired musician traveling to a gig in LA through the South in the early 70s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=952h-AJ3Bcg

Tom said...

That Hillbilly Hellcats' song is hilarious. Singer sounds a lot like George Thorogood. And of course Outlaw Country is welcome. So's anything we listen to here, and maybe some we don't.

Tom said...

Also, I hate all of those songs. :)

Serves you right, then. :D

Russ said...

So... For something completely different. :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqMs9WsJg2k

Christopher B said...

I'd nominate Bob Seger's 'Turn The Page'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sTJnz6b6eY

Gringo said...

I don't pay much attention to rock song lyrics. Rather noisy. Are they reciting the phone directory?
One time I was asked to translate a rock song into Spanish. My reply was that as I couldn't tell what they were saying in English, I couldn't translate into Spanish.

Tom said...

Grim, that's probably my favorite Charlie Daniels song.

Russ, clearly Pinkie and the Brain is a metaphor for record company execs. Or, something.

Christopher, I hadn't thought of that song like that, but it fits. Been a long time since I listened to Segar.

Gringo, you should probably write a rock song about that. That would fit the theme.

Elise said...

Ray Wylie Hubbard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTUDAV9OJmk

Tom said...

Good one, Elise. Never listened to much of Hubbard. I'll have to check out some more of his stuff.

Elise said...

Growl is by far my favorite Hubbard album. Enjoy!

Tom said...

Thanks!

douglas said...

Glen Campbell "Rhinestone Cowboy", especially the version from "See You There"- it's a much more melancholy sound that fits the lyrics better, I think. Never liked the song when I was a kid, but do now.