Rod Stewart, 40 Years of Great Music

I didn't know what day it was
When you walked into the room
I said hello unnoticed
You said goodbye too soon

Breezing through the clientele
Spinning yarns that were so lyrical
I really must confess right here
The attraction was purely physical

I took all those habits of yours
That in the beginning were hard to accept
Your fashion sense, Beardsly prints
I put down to experience

The big bosomed lady with the Dutch accent
Who tried to change my point of view
Her ad lib lines were well rehearsed
But my heart cried out for you

You're in my heart, you're in my soul
You'll be my breath should I grow old
You are my lover, you're my best friend
You're in my soul

My love for you is immeasurable
My respect for you immense
You're ageless, timeless, lace and fineness
You're beauty and elegance

You're a rhapsody, a comedy
You're a symphony and a play
You're every love song ever written
But honey what do you see in me

You're an essay in glamour
Please pardon the grammar
But you're every schoolboy's dream
You're Celtic, United, but baby i've decided
You're the best team i've ever seen

And there have been many affairs
Many times i've thought to leave
But I bite my lip and turn around
'Cause you're the warmest thing i've ever found

Did you ever stand and shiver
while looking at a freezing river
Have you froze to the bone
with just a coat to keep you warm
to keep you from a howlin' wind
to keep you from a howlin' wind
Now listen

Have you perished in the drizzling rain
Tried to light ... a lift but all in vain
With your sock on your head
and that old coat on your back
to keep you from the drizzlin' rain
oh to keep you from the drizzlin' rain
Goodbye

One more time

Did you sleep in a graveyard when it snowed
Laid your head on a .....
With the Times on your face
and that old coat on your back
That kept you from a-withering away good God
It just kept you from a-withering away

I know

And did you ride a lift on a steam train
Now listen
Had the misfortune not to pay your fare
Thrown off the next stop
Thrown in the doorway of a shop
With that coat to keep you from the wind
Oh that old school coat to keep you from the wind
And that ain't all

Have you had some good friends on the road with ya
who'd stand by you through thick and thin
Here's to Kevin and Ben, Susie and Len
And that coat which never lets you down
It never, never, never lets you down
It never, never, never lets you down
That old coat which never lets you down
That old coat which never lets you down
Kept me from the drizzlin' rain
And oh, kept me from the drizzlin' rain

Wake up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you
It's late September and I really should be back at school
I know I keep you amused but I feel I'm being used
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and that's what really hurt

The morning sun when it's in your face really shows your age
But that don't worry me none in my eyes you're everything
I laughed at all of your jokes my love you didn't need to coax
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home, just to save you from being alone
You stole my soul and that's a pain I can do without

All I needed was a friend to lend a guiding hand
But you turned into a lover and
mother what a lover, you wore me out
All you did was wreck my bed
and in the morning kick me in the head
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried anymore
You led me away from home 'cause you didn't want to be alone
You stole my heart, I couldn't leave you if I tried

I suppose I could collect my books and get on back to school
Or steal my daddy's cue and make a living out of playing pool
Or find myself a rock and roll band that needs a helpin' hand
Oh Maggie, I wish I'd never seen your face
You made a first-class fool out of me
But I'm as blind as a fool can be
You stole my heart but I love you anyway

Maggie, I wish I'd never seen your face
I'll get on back home one of these days

May the good Lord be with you
down every road you roam
and may sunshine and happiness aurround you
when you're far from home.

And may you grow to be proud
dignified and true
and do onto others as you'd have done to you.

Be courageous and be brave
and in my heart you'll always stay forever young
forever young.

May good fortune be with you
may your guiding light be strong.
build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond.

And may you never love in vain
and in my heart you will remain
forever young

forever young
forever young
forever young
forever young
forever young.

And when you finally fly away
I'll be hoping that I've served you well
for all the wisdom of a lifetime no one can ever tell.

But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you
win or lose

forever young
forever young
forever young
forever young
forever young
forever young
for-forever young
forever young !

The 80's brought forth a "New Wave" of music and Rod Stewart jumped right in. His first release , Foolish Behavior produced a one hit single "Passion". The following year his song "Tonight I'm Yours" hit number 20 in the United States. Stewart's Young Turks album went platinum. MTV launched in the US in August of 1981 and played Rod Stewart's videos quite often. Rod Stewart's career took a downfall after 1981 when he only had 4 top 10 singles until after 1988.

In 1988, Stewart came back with 4 top 15 singles, which included "Out of Order", "Forever Young", "Crazy About Her" and "My Heart Can't Tell You No".

1990 was a big year for Rod Stewart, with his hit Downtown Train coming in at #3 on the US Singles charts. Rhythm of My Heart from Vagabond Heart album hit #5 and The Motown Song also hit the top 10. Stewart recorded "It Takes Two" with Tina Turner which became a hit in the UK.

For the soundtrack to The Three Musketeers, Rod Stewart recorded "All For Love" with Sting and Bryan Adams. This one reached #1 in the US. Getting back with Ronnie Wood in 1993 to record an MTV Unplugged special was also good for his career. With 4 songs from Every Picture Tells a Story, Handbags and Gladrags and Cut Across Shorty were all done on the show. These all were put on his Unplugged and Seated album which hit #2 on the Billboard 200 album charts. And, in 1994, Rod Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 2000, Rod Stewart left Warner Brothers and signed with Atlantic Records. He only released one album with Atlantic Records, Human. It reached the top 50 with "I Can't Deny It" making the top 40 in the UK. He then signed with the new J Records with Clive Davis. His album, The Story So Far The Very Best of Rod Stewart hit the top 10 in the UK and reached number one in France and Belgium.

After selling over 100 million records by 2002, Rod Stewart started singing pop standards from the 1930's and 1940's from the Great American Songbook. In 2004, he reunited with Ronnie Wood to do concerts of the old Faces songs. Stewart completed the final Great American Songbook album in 2005 in which he sang duets with Elton John and Diana Ross. He returned to rock music and tried some country in 2006. He just recently appeared in the 2009 American Idol finale where he sang Maggie May.

Spent some time feelin' inferior
standing in front of my mirror
Combed my hair in a thousand ways
but I came out looking just the same

Daddy said, "Son, you better see the world
I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave
But remember one thing don't lose your head
to a woman that'll spend your bread"

So I got out

Paris was a place you could hide away
if you felt you didn't fit in
French police wouldn't give me no peace
They claimed I was a nasty person

Down along the Left Bank minding my own
Was knocked down by a human stampede
Got arrested for inciting a peacful riot
when all I wanted was a cup of tea
I was accused

I moved on

Down in Rome I wasn't getting enough
of the things that keeps a young man alive
My body stunk but I kept my funk
at a time when I was right out of luck

Getting desperate indeed I was
Looking like a tourist attraction
Oh my dear I better get out of here
'for the Vatican don't give no sanction
I wasn't ready for that, no no

I moved right out east yeah!

On the Peking ferry I was feeling merry
sailing on my way back here
I fell in love with a slit eyed lady
by the light of an eastern moon

Shangai Lil never used the pill
She claimed that it just ain't natural
She took me up on deck and bit my neck
Oh people I was glad I found her
Oh yeah I was glad I found her

I firmly believe that I didn't need anyone but me
I sincerely thought I was so complete
Look how wrong you can be

The women I've known I wouldn't let tie my shoe
They wouldn't give you the time of day
But the slit eyed lady knocked me off my feet
God I was glad I found her

And if they had the words I could tell to you
to help you on the way down the road
I couldn't quote you no Dickens, Shelley or Keats
'cause it's all been said before

Make the best out of the bad just laugh it off
You didn't have to come here anyway
So remember, every picture tells a story don't it

I think I'm goin' mad and it's makin' me sad,
it's a yearnin' for my old back door.
I realize maybe I was born to lead,
better swallow all my silly country pride.

Goin' home, runnin' home,
down the gasoline Alley where I started from.
Goin' home, and I'm runnin' home,
down the Gasoline Alley where I was born.

When the weather's better and the rails unfreeze,
and the wind won't whistle `round my knees,
I'll put on my weather suit and catch you in the train.
I'll be home before the milk's upon the door.

Goin' home, runnin' home,
down the gasoline Alley where I started from.
Goin' home, and I'm runnin' home,
down the Gasoline Alley where I was born.

(instrumental)

But if anything should happen and my plans go wrong
should I stray to the house on the hill,
let it be known that my intentions were good,
I'd be singing in my alley if I could.

And if I'm goin' away and it's my turn to go,
should the blood run cold in my veins,
just one favor I'd be askin' of you,
don't bury me here, it's too cold.

Take me back, carry me back,
down to Gasoline Alley where I started from.
Take me back, won't cha carry me home,
down to Gasoline Alley where I started from?