Roxy Music: Editions Of You

Roxy Music: Editions of You

I believe that Roxy Music are under-reported as an attraction, under-attributed as a musical influence, and under-credited as cultural icons. They were a great act, packed with talent and energy. They brought a freshness to the “rock band” presentation both aurally and visually, and they did it after a decade that was rich in such freshness. So yeah, I really like Roxy Music. No surprise there! Why wouldn't I?

They still get good notices for their sound, and their looks, and their snark, and their arty, almost fashion-world point of view. I still listen to them, though, and I am often struck by the lyrics. The lyrics are very entertaining, although they do not get a lot of attention.

Take “Editions of You,” for instance.

It starts out as a fairly conventional ode to lost love. Missing you, hoping to find someone like you, etc. And then at the end, in the manner of great lyrics, there is a completely unrelated, gratuitous lesson tacked on. As follows:

Love me; leave me; do what you will,

Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

Learn from your mistakes is my only advice,

And stay cool, it's still the main rule,

Don't play yourself for a fool!

Too much cheesecake too soon!

Old money better than new,

No mention in the latest Tribune,

And don't let this happen to you.

Of a quiet Tuesday evening, there are worse ways to spend an hour than listening to old Roxy Music songs on YouTube. I once owned a great deal of their output, including many solo projects, but that is all lost to me now. Not as though they were all lost in a fire, nothing so permanent, no, my loss is more ambiguous, more like having forgotten the secret word that rolls away the giant stone that blocks the entrance to the treasure cave. YouTube is fine for now, though. I'm not a sound-quality purist.

I hope that you find this information useful, and congratulations if you do.