Released May 1978 Recorded 1978 | Format 7" vinyl | |
B-side "Theme from Boat Weirdos" Genre Hard rock, blues rock, reggae fusion Length 8:04 (album version)
4:35 (single version) | ||
"Life's Been Good" is a 1978 song by Joe Walsh, which first appeared on the soundtrack to the film FM. The original eight-minute version was released on Walsh's album But Seriously, Folks..., and an edited 4½ minute single version peaked at #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, remaining his biggest solo hit.
Contents
In the song, Walsh satirically reflects on the antics of the era's rock stars, such as the nod to Keith Moon and others: "I live in hotels/Tear out the walls."
The 1979 Rolling Stone Record Guide called it "riotous", and "(maybe) the most important statement on rock stardom anyone has made in the late Seventies."
Content
"Life's Been Good" has a mid-tempo, reggae-like groove marked by bedrock guitar riffs, synthesizers, and humorous lyrics. Walsh's ARP Odyssey synthesizer riff accompanies the lead guitar in the middle of the song. The lead guitar in the outro is accompanied by the main riff. Bill Szymczyk and Jody Boyer perform the backing vocals.
The pre-chorus section uses a call and response pattern.
Joe Walsh: "Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through" Call: Bill Szymczyk: "Everybody says, "I'm cool"" Response: Jody Boyer: "He's cool" Joe Walsh: "They say I'm lazy but it takes all my time" Call: Bill Szymczyk: "Everybody say, "Oh, yeah"" Response: Jody Boyer: "Oh, yeah!"At the end of the LP, there is a clip of an inside joke stating "uh-oh, here comes a flock of wah wahs", recorded from inside the studio. After the music has faded away into silence, there's a 10-second gap before the inside joke. That inside joke would also be included at the end of disc one of the Eagles' box set, Selected Works: 1972–1999.
Made after Walsh had joined the Eagles, "Life's Been Good" was incorporated into that group's concert repertoire, appearing in shows at the time as well as reunion tours. It remains a staple of classic rock radio playlists. A live version of the song with the Eagles appears on Eagles Live, where some of the lyrics are changed.
Samples
In 2013 this song is sampled on Eminem's "So Far..." off The Marshall Mathers LP 2, produced by Rick Rubin.
In Popular Culture
The song's lyric "my Maserati does 185" is referenced in the titular second episode of the second season of HBO's Entourage.