Big Star

Album: Sound Of Lies (1997)
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Songfacts®:

  • Jayhawks guitarist and vocalist Gary Louris told us that he has "a lot of famous friends." However, though his band have yet to become 'big stars' they've achieved longevity in their career. This song is, "about achieving a place that you thought you wanted to be and maybe it would make you happy. It's a typical human response. If I get there, then I'm finally going to be happy. And in reality, you probably won't be. You should just be happy with what you have."
  • We asked Gary Louris whether the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful band Big Star was an inspiration for the song? He replied: "Not exactly. Maybe in the back of my mind." "You could say it about the Velvet Underground or Big Star or The Jayhawks," he added: "world's unluckiest bands. They should have been bigger. But everybody in the audience started a band. Everybody that saw them started a band. The old cliché. But it's true."

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