Wednesday December 30, 2020 “Juke Box Hero” Foreigner

It was that one guitar and now we’re jukebox heroes and we have to stay on top.

So the story goes that in 1976 Mick Jones, formerly of Spooky Tooth and Ian McDonald, formerly of King Crimson were in New York City to audition musicians to fill out their new band tentatively called Trigger and their final missing piece was a vocalist.

 After auditioning forty or fifty singers, their first choice was Ian Lloyd who had fronted the band Stories and had a number one hit with “Brother Louie”, but Jones didn't think the chemistry was right.  He then remembered hearing this kid with a great voice in a Rochester NY band called Black Sheep a couple of years back and Jones called the kid for an audition.

 Lou Gramm was that great voice and the band was formed changing their name to Foreigner.

 So in our quest for rock stardom, this is exactly how we imagine it should go:  the debut Foreigner album goes platinum five times (five million albums sold), has two top ten hits and peaks at number four on the album charts.  Their second album sells even better, hits number three on the charts and also generates two huge top ten hits.  Their third album, well you remember all those Foreigner hits and get the picture.

 Turns out we missed Mick Jones’ birthday by a couple of days (December 27)...not too late though to send him belated wishes though.

 Stay safe and well...and now we’re cruising to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Standing in the rain

With his head hung low

He couldn't get a ticket

It was a sold out show

 Heard the roar of the crowd

He could picture the scene

Put his head to the wall

And like a distant scream

 He heard one guitar

It just blew him away

He saw stars in his eyes

And the very next day

 He bought a beat up six string

In the second hand store

Didn't know how to play it

But he knew for sure

 That one guitar

Felt good in his hands

It didn't take long

To understand

 Just one guitar

Slung way down low

Was a one way ticket

Only one way to go

 So he started rockin'

And he's never gonna stop

Gonna keep on rockin'

Someday gonna make it to the top

 And be a jukebox hero

(Got stars in his eyes)

He's a jukebox hero

He took one guitar

 (Jukebox hero)

(Stars in his eyes)

Jukebox hero

(Stars in his eyes)

 He'll come alive tonight

In a town without a name

In a heavy downpour

Thought he cast his own shadow

 By the backstage door

Like a trip through the past

To that day in the rain

And that one guitar

 Made his whole life change

Now he needs to keepa rockin'

He just can't stop

Gonna keep on rockin'

 That boy has got to stay on top

And be a jukebox hero

(Got stars in his eyes)

He's a jukebox hero

 (Got stars in his eyes)

Yeah, jukebox hero

(Stars in his eyes)

With that one guitar

 (Stars in his eyes)

He'll come alive

Come alive tonight

Yeah, he's gotta keepa rockin'

 Just can't stop

Gonna keep on rockin'

That boy has got to stay on top