Veteran Cosmic Rocker

The Moody Blues

About Veteran Cosmic Rocker

"Veteran Cosmic Rocker" is a 1981 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by the band's flautist Ray Thomas. "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" first appeared as the final track of the Moody Blues' 1981 album Long Distance Voyager, and was later released in November 1981 on the B-Side of "Talking Out of Turn." "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" is the third and final song in a suite that concludes Long Distance Voyager. The first song in this suite is "Painted Smile," which is then followed by "Reflective Smile," a short poem connecting the themes of the two songs. Ray Thomas performs a harmonica solo about halfway through the song. At the beginning of the song, Ray Thomas can be faintly heard saying the line "I'll have a Scotch and Coke please, Mother!" At the end of the song is a backward message in which Thomas can be faintly heard saying "What happens anyway, you know?" 


Year:
1971
91 
#1

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The lights go down
The stage is set
The man in the wings breaks out in sweat
A backstage joker spiked his coke
While the dressing room was full of smoke
A crowd of fools got him high
He's afraid he's gonna die
He's the apple of their eye

He steps into the remaining light
The crowd go wild
He's outa sight
Arms held high in the sign of peace
His manager signed the one night lease
The house is full getting high
He's afraid he's gonna die
He's the apple of their eye
(He struts, he strolls)
(His love is rock 'n' roll)
He's the VETERAN COSMIC ROCKER

He steps into the remaining light
The crowd go wild
Arms held high in the sign of peace
His manager signed the one night lease
The house is full getting high
He's afraid he's gonna die
He's the apple of their eye
(He struts, he strolls)
(His life is rock 'n' roll)
He's the VETERAN COSMIC ROCKER
He's afraid that he will die

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The Moody Blues

The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed. more »

10 fans

Written by: RAY THOMAS

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Song Composition
"Veteran Cosmic Rocker" is a song by the English rock band, The Moody Blues.
Album Relation
The song is from their 1981 album "Long Distance Voyager" which became one of the Moody Blues' most successful albums, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 American album charts where it remained for three weeks.
Song Theme
The song could be seen as a self-referential reflection on the band's long career in the music industry, hence the title "Veteran Cosmic Rocker."
Song Logistics
Co-written by band members Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, and Patrick Moraz. Thomas provided the vocals for the song.
Unique Instrumentation
It features a prominent saxophone part, adding to the unique sound of the piece.
Live Performances
Despite being one of the most memorable tracks from "Long Distance Voyager," "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" was rarely played live.
Album Recognition
"Long Distance Voyager" was the band's second U.S number-one album, and was also the top-selling album of 1981 in the United States.
Song Duration
"Veteran Cosmic Rocker" is 3 minutes and 8 seconds long.
Closure Track
It is the final track on the album "Long Distance Voyager."
Lyric Inspiration
The lyrics contain references to "the show," which could symbolize the band's life on the road as musicians.
Song Recognition
It is still acclaimed by Moody Blues fans as one of their favorites, largely due to its energetic saxophone playing and lively lyrics.
Industry Icons
Overall, "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" represents The Moody Blues' resilience and longevity as they continued to produce and perform music even decades after their initial breakthrough in the 1960s.

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