Goin' Through The Motions

Album: Spectres (1977)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song explores the romantic ritual between rock star and groupie. It's a passionate tryst, but when it's over, the singer moves on and leaves her with an autographed photo to remember him by.

    "It's about a typical backstage romance," Eric Bloom said in his Songfacts interview.
  • Eric Bloom wrote this song with Ian Hunter. Bloom told us: "Ian came over to my house - we're friends. We went down to my basement and I had an idea, a little guitar lick that was the opening lick of the song, and he fleshed it out and we wrote the lyrics together. I would say he did 70/30 on that song, but we got equal credit. That was just an afternoon in my basement, really. That's how that song worked out."

Comments: 2

  • Krepeshniak from Canada“ ‘cause there’s love in your eyes, you’re so thinly disguised”
    “ for there’s no one to blame, just a fate”
    “ you were a friend for a day so no crime to say”
  • Lige from The OzarksBeautiful song!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

John Waite

John WaiteSongwriter Interviews

"Missing You" was a spontaneous outpouring of emotion triggered by a phone call. John tells that story and explains what MTV meant to his career.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Thomas Dolby

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.