A Life Of Illusion by Joe Walsh

Album: There Goes The Neighborhood (1981)

Charted: 34

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Life's been good to Joe Walsh, but what's it all about? Sometimes it seems like life is just an illusion, and just when you start to comprehend it, it hits you right between the eyes.

Many musicians of his era looked to gurus or other zen masters to figure it all out, but Walsh seems to have sorted it out in this song, where he concludes that letting it all get to you is a waste of your day.
This song began as an instrumental track written by Kenny Passarelli when he was the bass player in Walsh's band Barnstorm, which was active from 1972-1974. Barnstorm never released it, but Walsh and Passarelli worked it up for Walsh's first solo album, The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get, in 1973, with Walsh adding the lyrics. It didn't make it to vinyl, so Passarelli shopped it around, pitching it to Elton John and Hall & Oates. When Walsh was working on his 1981 solo album, There Goes The Neighborhood, he and Passarelli finished the song, which finally got its release.
The Mariachi trumpets, played by the song's co-writer Kenny Passarelli in what Walsh described as "a drunken stupor," are nonsensical in a way that suits the song perfectly. Why are they there? Well, why are any of us here?
The phrase "a life of illusion" was used three years earlier in the title track to the film Grease, where Frankie Valli sings:

This is the life of illusion
Wrapped up in trouble
Laced with confusion

That song was written by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.
This was featured in the opening credits of the 2005 movie The 40 Year Old Virgin. It also appears in the 2010 movie Grown Ups and in the 2010 CSI: Miami episode "L.A."

Comments: 11

Manny from EarthThis song is the the magnum opus admission of our illusionary reality that has been forced on us.

It has three verses, just like the three eyes we have, our two physical eyes, represented by the first and last verse, and the third eye, our pineal gland which is represented by the central verse. Just like the third eye/pineal gland is located between our two physical eyes, the second verse is located in the middle of the first and third verse.

In the second verse, the third eye verse, he clearly states POW! right between the eyes, oh how nature loves her little surprises. These lines are literally about opening your third eye, or having kundalini awakening. For most people it comes on suddenly and is the supreme surprise of nature because it changes your core understanding of everything.

WOW! It all seems so logical now. It's just one of her better disguises. Again these lines are literally about how once you have a true awakening, everything becomes extremely logically, and the understanding that all the truth of the nature of our existence has been hidden, or disguised.

He repeats it comes with no warning, nature loves her little surprises.

Lastly he follows up with continual crisis. This is the method that nature has been disguised. Ordo Ab Chao. Order out of chaos. The powers that control our world fabricate crisis and provide us with the solution as a means to keep us completely disconnected with the true nature of our spiritual nature. Everyone is continually bombarded crisis.

Joe Walsh and the larger music industry as a whole are all aware of exactly what the true nature of this place is and have sold out the majority of the human race for fame and fortune. They put it right in our faces and yet we are too blind to see what they are actually saying. It is time to wake up.
Diana from St.p.This song was my 'ear worm' of the day, kinda suits my thoughts lol.. Been looking for it's story and meaning, so thanks a lot!
A77white from Smyrna, Tn 37167 UsaI have a question about the opening instrumental guitar or bass riff that is repeated twice at the beginning of the song and repeated one or two more times in the song. Here's my question: I think I vaguely remember hearing that little ditty somewhere in my past. I think it was played by high school bands at football games. Do you know anything about the opening riff?
Annie from Washington, DcLove this song!! It appeared in the movie Bloody Nose Empty Pockets and it couldn't have been placed better <3
William Ken from NashvilleExcellent song!! Always liked Joe Walsh.
Jim from PittsburghRemember when this song was released... was very Surprised to hear it in the 40 year old virgin. I had the album in '81... it's called there goes the neighborhood. A bunch of other great songs on that LP as well.
Bazzaman from Johnson, VtOne of Joe's best, but then again, he has a lot of those to my tastes!
Jim from Philadelphia, PaI heard this song the other day, and I immediately became captivated by it tune and lyrics. I especially enjoy the Mariachi Trumpets - great stuff!
Tony from Chicago, IlI first heard this song in the 40-year old virgin, I 've loved ever since!!!
Jess from Melbourne, AustraliaFoo Fighters covered this. it's a bside to one of their singles. Taylor the drummer sings it.
Justin from Georgetown, Inthe intro this song is amazing

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