Best Song Ever! Vol. Two, "A Life of Illusion", By Joe Walsh

"I just can't help but feeling
I'm living a life of illusion."

Really, we all know that I could (and I probably will) name MANY Joe Walsh songs as the "Best Song Ever!" I have chosen to go with "A Life of Illusion" for a variety of reasons.

Maybe it is because we had the film, "The 40 year Old Virgin", on in the background while I strung the lights on the tree Tuesday. It is the opening tune in that film and I got it in my head. Luckily, I can listen to this song all damn day and never get sick of it.

Joe Walsh is one of my heroes. He's an extremely intelligent man who has done some spectacularly stupid things. He's wildly talented and equally as underrated. He is also responsible for some of the most amazing rock music ever recorded. With the exception of the rock music thing, I can relate to him in a lot of ways.

He's known more for being a guitar god, yet this song is not one anyone would ever reference as a great example of six string prowess. It is actually quite different from many of Joe Walsh's better-known hit songs. Aside from the lyrical content and the distinctive voice, most people would never even think this is a Walsh song at all.

Rather than offering up some scorching licks on the guitar, it is very subdued and melodic, making you do the Muppet head bopping thing, if I may quote Golfwidow. It even features some synthesized horn parts, which were actually more common in the early 1980's.

I often think about drinking a cold beer & watching a sunset over the ocean whenever I hear this song. Of course, I picture the song as the soundtrack to my own life and therefore I'm watching that sunset and drinking that beer while contemplating just how I managed to live through another horrible blunder of stupidity. In the video there would be flashbacks of IRS audits, girlfriends slapping me for some infringement, and maybe a montage of times my car broke down in remote locations as I was trying to make it to a gig. Somehow, by the song's end I'm content and unharmed because I understand that things in my life are just a bit different.

There will be many great songs by Joe Walsh on this list of addictive songs. This one will always be special to me because it was one of my favorite songs long before I was a true Joe Walsh fan.

When I was a kid, just starting to get into rock music, I would listen to "89, WLS Chicago", back when they were a rock station, and record cassettes of my favorite songs. I know that this was on one tape, as was "Heartache Tonight" by Eagles, & future "Best Song Ever!", Joe Walsh's "All Night Long." Only when I caught "All Night Long" on tape did I even know the name of the singer. "Here's Joe Walsh by request..." Later I was so happy to learn that some other songs I played over and over had some connection to a guy who would become one of my all-time favorite artists.

Sadly, in the MANY times I've been fortunate enough to see Joe Walsh in concert, he has never played this song. There are a few of his hits I've never heard live, but I'm hopeful. Maybe it is because it is a lesser-known hit for him and that I've never heard it in concert that makes me enjoy this one so much.

Listen to a sample of this and other Joe Walsh songs at Amazon.com. You'll be glad you did. Why? Because "A Life of Illusion" is the BEST SONG EVER!

Best Song Ever! Vol. One, "Music Time", By Styx