Most people view the stardom of the music industry as something to be jealous of. Musicians, especially, crave being acknowledged in similar ways that their favorite artists and bands do. However, we often don’t recognize the flaws and compromises that come along with becoming famous. It’s quite common for artists to get way too famous way too quickly and they find themselves in situations they never imagined being in. Joe Walsh, most famously known for being a member of the Eagles, lived a prime example of a “rock star.” He truly exemplified living “in the fast lane”, indulging in great amounts of both alcohol and drugs, and racking up as much as $28,000 in damages by trashing hotel rooms. In a recent interview regarding his latest album and struggling with addiction Walsh says, “I like to say I only got drunk once but it was for 30 years.”
One of his most popular songs is a comedic, yet brutally honest song of the ridiculousness of being in the spotlight called “Life’s Been Good”. Instrumentally, the song features a heavily distorted guitar riff and transitions into a more pop/reggae feel. But, the lyrics are really what succeed in telling the story.
The first line in the song is “I have a mansion, forget the price, ain’t never been there, they tell me it’s nice.” While this statement might be exaggerated, Walsh tries to paint this image of someone who is so wealthy to the point where they have a mansion that they don’t even get to enjoy because they’re either out working or give their attention to other things like drugs or alcohol. The chorus of the song, “They say I’m crazy but I have a good time. I’m just looking for clues at the scene of the crime. Life’s been good to me so far,” really shows listeners the underlying problem with Joe and his lifestyle. He “looks for clues at the scene of the crime”, meaning he’ll never realize he has a problem until something drastically negative occurs. To him, life was still good even though others saw his addictions affecting him. “I have a limo, ride in the back. I lock the doors in case I’m attacked.” This line is a bit abstract, but I believe it still has a strong point. This lyric shows the alleged side effect of paranoia that comes from copious drug and alcohol use. Then, towards the end of the song the lyrics show a more pathetic side of Joe’s life while intoxicated: “I go to parties, sometimes until four. It’s hard to leave when you can’t find the door. It’s tough to handle this fortune and fame. Everybody’s so different, I haven’t changed.” Walsh conveys how sometimes he was so intoxicated that he couldn’t even find the door to leave a party. He also claims that everyone else changed and he stayed the same and it’s common for addicts blame everything else before themselves.
While this song has a rocking, upbeat feel the lyrics tell the awfully true and sad reality of fortune and fame. Being a “rock star” sounds great in theory but can also be too much for some people to handle and “Life’s Been Good” definitely conveys those views. In positive news, Joe Walsh has been sober for over 20 years and claims to “never go back.
