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Thread: Celebration of "So What"!

  1. #1
    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    Default Celebration of "So What"!

    Joe's "So What" album was released on this day in 1975, and I think it's Joe's best solo album with masterpieces like "Turn to Stone" and "Help Me Thru the Night." LOVE it.

    Welcome to the Club - Great start to the album, great song! It's so fun! The lyrics are a hoot! The song structure really takes you along with it, too.

    Falling Down / Pavanne - Joe wrote this with Don Henley and I think the lyrics reflect Don's writing style. The melody itself isn't that memorable, but it isn't bad. Sticking the instrumental "Pavanne" at the end was a nice touch.

    Time Out - Interesting lyrically and pretty good melodically, it fits the pattern of a lot of music he was doing back then in structure and sound. Cool guitar.

    All Night Laundry Mat Blues - OK, can I tell you how hilarious I find the concept of this cute little song? Joe says he wrote it when he was waiting for his clothes to be washed at the laundromat - like me, he waits until he pretty much has nothing left that's clean to go to the laundromat. As a result, once you get there, you're there a long time! How can anyone not love a song with a line like "If you wear clothes, you gotta pay the dues." LOL!

    Turn to Stone - One of my favorite Joe songs. Incredible guitar, interesting lyrics - the song is intense, dramatic, rockin'... terrific.

    Help Me Thru the Night - My very favorite Joe song. So beautiful, so emotional, so moving. The vocal conveys such vulnerability over a soft, simple melody... magnificent. I hear it was about him and his then-wife trying to deal with his little daughter Emma's death.

    County Fair - a song with some unexpected twists and turns that make it interesting. At first it seems simple but as it goes along it reveals a sophistication in lyrics and structure that sets it apart. A very underrated song.

    Song for Emma - I mentioned before the death of his daughter; most of you know what happened, but a quick summary for those who don't: Emma was Joe Walsh's first child, a daughter he had with his wife Stefanie. When Emma was 3, she died in a car accident on the way to nursery school, killed by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign. Even worse, she wasn't killed outright, but put into an irreversible coma and rendered brain dead - forcing Joe to make the decision to "pull the plug." Meanwhile, the mother was dealing with survivor's guilt since she was the driver. Awful. They got divorced not long after. The album's title actually is inspired by the fact that after Emma's death, nothing seemed important to Joe, so it was like "I'm making an album. So what? Nothing matters anymore." This song's lyrics are poignant in their simple, straightforward expression of grief and the melody is lovely. After the last verse, so softly you can hardly hear it, he whispers "Goodbye, Emma." Chokes me up every time.

    Always in our hearts, Never forgotten

  2. #2
    Moderator Ive always been a dreamer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Happy Birthday "So What"

    Happy Anniversary 'So What'!!!

    Sorry I missed posting this yesterday. I agree with you Soda about Turn to Stone and Help Me Thru the Night - love 'em both. And thanks for your review. I am going to make a point to listen to this album all the way through soon. I knew the anniversary was coming up and had wanted to do it before, but, once again, "the world got in my way".

    "People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
    Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016

  3. #3
    Stuck on the Border Prettymaid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Happy Birthday "So What"

    Thanks for the links Soda. As many of us learned after playing Joe's Greatest Hits Survivor, Help Me Though The Night is a song that sneaks up on you and causes you to love it. But now that I know what it's about I'm going to think about it differently.
    ~ Cathy ~

    And I dream I'm on vacation 'Cause I like the way that sounds,
    It's a perfect occupation for me.

  4. #4
    Administrator sodascouts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Celebration of "So What"!

    I'm reviving this thread because So What was released 35 YEARS AGO on December 1, 1975.

    It's Joe's best album, IMHO. C'mon folks, let's give it some love!

    Always in our hearts, Never forgotten

  5. #5
    Stuck on the Border WalshFan88's Avatar
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    Default Re: Celebration of "So What"!

    Happy Anniversary "So What"! Great album, although I have to say my favorite is.... his greatest hits collection. You got Rocky Mountain Way on one album, Life's Been Good on another, etc etc.
    -Austin-
    Resident Guitar Slinger
    Fan of the Eagles from 1972-2016 #NOGLENNNOEAGLES

    RIP Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner

    "So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key..."


  6. #6
    Stuck on the Border MikeA's Avatar
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    Default Re: Celebration of "So What"!

    So What has like four of my favorites

    Turn To Stone
    Welcome To The Club
    County Fair
    Time Out

    Those four stand apart but I really like

    Help Me Make It The Night

    MikeA

  7. #7
    Stuck on the Border WalshFan88's Avatar
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    Default Re: Celebration of "So What"!

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeA View Post
    So What has like four of my favorites

    Turn To Stone
    Welcome To The Club
    County Fair
    Time Out

    Those four stand apart but I really like

    Help Me Make It The Night
    Turn to Stone is my favorite from the album. Second favorite is Help Me Through The Night,
    -Austin-
    Resident Guitar Slinger
    Fan of the Eagles from 1972-2016 #NOGLENNNOEAGLES

    RIP Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner

    "So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key..."


  8. #8
    Stuck on the Border TimothyBFan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Celebration of "So What"!

    LOVE this album and Turn To Stone & County Fair and of course my all time favorite Help Me Thru The Night. Seriously tho---I have a whole new appreciation for this song thanks to WastedMaid and the survivor game that opened my eyes to it.
    He sings it high, he plays it low

  9. #9

    Default Re: Celebration of "So What"!

    Happy anniversary "So What"! Great album! My three favorites on the album would also have to be County Fair, Welcome To The Club, and Turn To Stone.

  10. #10
    Moderator Brooke's Avatar
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    Default Re: Celebration of "So What"!

    Well, I'm embarrassed to say I don't have this album, but after reading your comments, old and new, I'm going to have to remedy that!

    I do love Turn to Stone and Help Me Through the Night though.
    https://i.imgur.com/CuSdAQM.jpg
    "They will never forget you 'till somebody new comes along"
    1948-2016 Gone but not forgotten

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