Andrew Gold: Lonely Boy

[Jeff]

How bad is this song? I ask you. Reason: It is a fundamental influence on the way I write and listen to music. I guess I heard it at just the right (wrong) time, 1978 (8 years old).

Some other songs that affected me deeply at this age:

Chuck Mangione: Feels So Good
Billy Joel: Honesty

Other cool music from 1978 (I can’t defend all my 8 year old proclivities—except masturbation, noodle soup, star trek, and pop rocks):

Parallel Lines - Blondie
The Cars - The Cars
This Year's Model - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
The Stranger - Billy Joel
Grease - Original Soundtrack
Saturday Night Fever - Original Soundtrack
Hemispheres - Rush
Live And Dangerous - Thin Lizzy
Van Halen - Van Halen
But Seriously Folks - Joe Walsh
The Gambler - Kenny Rogers

Jeff

[Tyler]

Dude, you were wanking at 8?

[Betterout]

I really thought I was alone in my closet appreciation of this song. Oh, what a lonely boy was I. Thanks for standing up and voicing your approval, bro. This is one "Jukebox from Hell" tune that doesn't deserve such a bad rap. It's used to good effect in Boogie Nights, too.

[Jeff]

I might add that Gold's "Lonely Boy" was from his 1976 album "What's Wrong with this Picture," but I first heard it at my cousin Joey's house in 1978. Maybe I'd heard it before but forgot. At any rate it was spinning the song again and again on a little stereo in his house that drove it home for me. I associate lots of musical memories with Joey. He introduced me to a considerable amount of music that has stuck with me over the years, for example, during the summer of 1980 he played me the Xanadu soundtrack (ELO!) and Billy Joel's Glass Houses.

[Jeff]

Te He. If any one wants to listen to this song, it is now in the briefcase of our yahoo account.

[Guest Justin]

Hey, Jeff, don't forget "The Game" by Queen and an album involving a certain bodily fluid on a wall as recorded by J. Geils Band. Plus, I'll never forget listening to "1999" while playing Clue in Amy's room.

[Jeff]

Absolutely! I was just giving two examples. There are certainly others! I first heard Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" in Joey's house, too!