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We’ve discussed bald rockers, including slick studs like Rob Halford and Kerry Kinnear. The song “Bald” by the Darkness gets posted once in a while. It’s a fitting tribute to our condition:
“From what I have been reading
his scalp needs kneading
to stimulate each follicle
and reverse this diabolical
condition that's afflicted he
for years and has cruelly
repulsed each potential mate
and left him with a balding pate”
But are there artists out there who really capture the bald experience and made it, by choice or circumstance, a central piece of their musical identity? A while ago I finally came across the answer, in the oddly fitting genre of 70s/80s soft rock. The artist’s name is Bill LaBounty. The crop on the cover art of his 1982 album lets you know you are in for something special.
If you don’t know soft rock, it was a 70s/ early 80s genre replete with jazzy chords and serious men singing serious songs about relationship troubles. The craftsmanship was usually good and many of the artists in this genre, even if their solo projects floundered, went on to become successful songwriters for other artists later. So too with Bill LaBounty, who penned several number one hits throughout the 80s. It’s his solo output that is interest to the Impact section though. Check out the cover of his debut album and you’ll know what I mean.
It’s not subtle. Just about every single song of his is about getting dumped, being alone or seeing his ex-girlfriends with other men. Even in soft rock, which has a bit of fetish for these lyrical themes, it borders on a monomaniacal obsession. Take “It Used to Be Me” from his 1982 album. The song needs to be listened to in its entirety to fully appreciate it. The song is written from the perspective of a man who is alone while his ex is with another guy. Impact regulars will recognize instantly the role the narrator (and presumably the artist) played in the relationship.
It used to be me
who always held you
and me who understood
It was me who said you shouldn't
when you were sure you should
It was me who laughed
and cried along
when no one else would
I hope he loves you
better than I could
His catalog features many standout tracks in this vein, like the wistful “Sometimes Love Songs Make Me Cry”. Or how about 1975’s “I Hope You’ll be Very Unhappy Without Me”? Others have ironic titles like “Livin’ It Up”, which is actually about a man lying to his ex about how well he is doing to maintain a facade of pride. It’s all so bang on that I have no doubt it’s based on his own experiences. It has to be.
His story has a happy ending! In 1983, he found and married a woman of size – Becky – who he went on to pursue a successful songwriting career together with. They’re still together from what I can tell, and Bill is still out there, rocking his Norwood 6. We are all more blessed for it.
“From what I have been reading
his scalp needs kneading
to stimulate each follicle
and reverse this diabolical
condition that's afflicted he
for years and has cruelly
repulsed each potential mate
and left him with a balding pate”
But are there artists out there who really capture the bald experience and made it, by choice or circumstance, a central piece of their musical identity? A while ago I finally came across the answer, in the oddly fitting genre of 70s/80s soft rock. The artist’s name is Bill LaBounty. The crop on the cover art of his 1982 album lets you know you are in for something special.
If you don’t know soft rock, it was a 70s/ early 80s genre replete with jazzy chords and serious men singing serious songs about relationship troubles. The craftsmanship was usually good and many of the artists in this genre, even if their solo projects floundered, went on to become successful songwriters for other artists later. So too with Bill LaBounty, who penned several number one hits throughout the 80s. It’s his solo output that is interest to the Impact section though. Check out the cover of his debut album and you’ll know what I mean.
It’s not subtle. Just about every single song of his is about getting dumped, being alone or seeing his ex-girlfriends with other men. Even in soft rock, which has a bit of fetish for these lyrical themes, it borders on a monomaniacal obsession. Take “It Used to Be Me” from his 1982 album. The song needs to be listened to in its entirety to fully appreciate it. The song is written from the perspective of a man who is alone while his ex is with another guy. Impact regulars will recognize instantly the role the narrator (and presumably the artist) played in the relationship.
It used to be me
who always held you
and me who understood
It was me who said you shouldn't
when you were sure you should
It was me who laughed
and cried along
when no one else would
I hope he loves you
better than I could
His catalog features many standout tracks in this vein, like the wistful “Sometimes Love Songs Make Me Cry”. Or how about 1975’s “I Hope You’ll be Very Unhappy Without Me”? Others have ironic titles like “Livin’ It Up”, which is actually about a man lying to his ex about how well he is doing to maintain a facade of pride. It’s all so bang on that I have no doubt it’s based on his own experiences. It has to be.
His story has a happy ending! In 1983, he found and married a woman of size – Becky – who he went on to pursue a successful songwriting career together with. They’re still together from what I can tell, and Bill is still out there, rocking his Norwood 6. We are all more blessed for it.
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