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.