Life's Been Good
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Life's Been Good” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| Single by Joe Walsh from the album But Seriously Folks |
|||||
| B-side | "Theme from Boat Weirdos" | ||||
| Released | 12 August 1978 | ||||
| Format | 7' | ||||
| Recorded | Early 1978 | ||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 8:56 (Album version) 4:41 (Single version) |
||||
| Label | Asylum | ||||
| Writer(s) | Joe Walsh | ||||
| Producer | Joe Walsh & Bill Szymczyk | ||||
| Joe Walsh singles chronology | |||||
|
|||||
"Life's Been Good" is a 1978 track by Joe Walsh, which first appeared on the soundtrack to the film FM. It was released as a single and appeared on Walsh's album But Seriously Folks. It peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining his biggest solo hit. In it, he satirically reflects on the rockstar lifestyle ("My Maserati does 185 / I lost my license, now I don't drive"). Antics of all rockers of the era are reflected, such as the nod to Keith Moon and others: "I live in hotels/Tear out the walls." The 1979 Rolling Stone Record Guide called it "riotous", and "[maybe] the most important statement on rock stardom anyone has made in the late Seventies."
"Life's Been Good" has a notable style: a mid-tempo reggae like groove marked by bedrock guitar riffs, synthesizers, a Jew's Harp, and a confused delivery. Walsh's ARP Odyssey synthesizer (and Jew's harp) riff accompanies the guitar solo in the middle of the song. The outro-solo is longer than most radio stations allow. Bill Szymczyk and Jody Boyer perform the backing vocals. This song uses a call-and-response pattern.
- Call: Joe Walsh: "Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through"
- Response: Bill Szymczyk: "Everybody say, 'I'm cool'"
- Response: Jody Boyer: "He's cool"
At the end of the song, (cannot be heard on the radio version) there is a clip of an inside joke stating "uh-oh, here comes a flock of waa waas", recorded from inside the studio. After the music has faded away into silence, there's a 12-second gap before the inside joke. That inside joke would also be included at the end of Disc One of The Eagles' box set, Selected Works: 1972-2000.
Made after Walsh had joined The Eagles, "Life's Been Good" was incorporated into that group's concert repertoire, appearing in shows at the time as well as reunion tours. It remains a staple of classic rock radio playlists.
During live shows, Joe Walsh is known to change lyrics, such as 'Lock the doors in case I'm attacked' to 'Lock the doors and watch the War in Iraq!'
[edit] Trivia
- The song was featured on the soundtrack of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
- In the NBC television series News Radio, the character Jimmy James decides to run for President and says he'll use this song as his campaign theme.
- A modified version of this song was sung at the end of the funeral service of Uncle Moe in the Duckman episode "Love! Anger! Kvetching!"
- This song was used at the end of Kenneth Bowser's documentary easy Riders, Raging Bulls.
