Music Review: Good Charlotte "Lifestyles Of The Rich..."
Good Charlotte
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous
Album: The Young and Hopeless
Year: 2002
Joel Madden hates when celebrities grouse about their fame in the peevish "Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous."
Hyper drums open the single, setting an unruly tone. In the first verse, Madden says interviews on television focus on the dramas of their lives. It's usually over something minor, like not getting into a store after it's closed. They tell their darkest secrets to Rolling Stone then retract it, blaming the writer.
In the pre-chorus, he says that he would like them to find out what it's really like to have scrape by. He will have them be homeless for an entire week. Without any maids, butlers, cooks, or stylists, he doubts they could fend for themselves. If they had to live like their fans, they would be puzzled as to what to do.
In the chorus, he says celebrities grumble about not earning enough and that their possessions aren't the right, top brand. Madden suggests robbing them. They wouldn't care about any of it anyway. It would go to people who would appreciate it.
In the second verse, he notes that celebrities can get away with murder. He cites O.J. as an example, who hired Johnny Cochran as his lawyer. He also says they are invincible and keep their jobs for doing something awful. He uses Marion Berry as an example.
The pre-chorus is sung again.
The chorus is sung once.
Police sirens wail and a menacing guitar has a brief solo. Madden says the "fall" over the guitars.
In the second chorus, he says he some ideas on how to get celebrities to shut up about their pathetic issues.
In the third and final chorus, Madden says his band will take everything they don't want: excess money, the million-dollar summer home in Europe, and designer clothes.
Madden feels that celebrities need to be quiet about their state of lives. He manages to highlight some excellent points. They have access to educational, artistic, and occupational opportunities no one else has. And what do they do? They pretend to be like ordinary people and gripe about it. Although it's a strategy to make them be relatable, it's actually condescending. He also talks about how celebrities are treated like supreme beings. They can say or do anything they want (even illegal) and get away with it. It aggravates him. Nonetheless, they are only bullet points. It's up to the listeners to fill in the blanks of Madden's opinion.
His sour, perturbed vocals are full of disgust. He's fed up with all these celebrities who think they are entitled to everything. However, he's as bitchy as the celebrities he's talking about.
The boisterous arrangement depends on its busy drums to bring the energy and snark. It delivers spastic rattling and buffoonery instead.
"Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous" is slight on humor and insight.
Album: The Young and Hopeless
Year: 2002
Joel Madden hates when celebrities grouse about their fame in the peevish "Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous."
Hyper drums open the single, setting an unruly tone. In the first verse, Madden says interviews on television focus on the dramas of their lives. It's usually over something minor, like not getting into a store after it's closed. They tell their darkest secrets to Rolling Stone then retract it, blaming the writer.
"Only see it on tv/Read it in the magazines/Celebrities that want sympathy/All they do is piss and moan /Inside the Rolling Stone/Talking about how hard life can be."
In the pre-chorus, he says that he would like them to find out what it's really like to have scrape by. He will have them be homeless for an entire week. Without any maids, butlers, cooks, or stylists, he doubts they could fend for themselves. If they had to live like their fans, they would be puzzled as to what to do.
"I'd like to see them spend the week /Livin' life out on the street/I don't think they would survive/But they could spend a day or two/Walking in someone else's shoes/I think they'd stumble and they'd fall/They would fall/Fall."
In the chorus, he says celebrities grumble about not earning enough and that their possessions aren't the right, top brand. Madden suggests robbing them. They wouldn't care about any of it anyway. It would go to people who would appreciate it.
"Lifestyles of the rich and the famous/They're always complainin'/Always complainin'/If money is such a problem/Well they got mansions/Think we should rob them."
In the second verse, he notes that celebrities can get away with murder. He cites O.J. as an example, who hired Johnny Cochran as his lawyer. He also says they are invincible and keep their jobs for doing something awful. He uses Marion Berry as an example.
"Well did you know when your famous you could kill your wife/And there's no such thing as 25 to life/As long as you got the cash to pay for Cochran/And did you know if you were caught and you were smokin' crack/And McDonald's wouldn't even wanna take you back/You could always just run for mayor of D.C."
The pre-chorus is sung again.
The chorus is sung once.
Police sirens wail and a menacing guitar has a brief solo. Madden says the "fall" over the guitars.
In the second chorus, he says he some ideas on how to get celebrities to shut up about their pathetic issues.
"Lifestyles of the rich and famous/You got so many problems/Think I could solve them."
In the third and final chorus, Madden says his band will take everything they don't want: excess money, the million-dollar summer home in Europe, and designer clothes.
"Lifestyles of the rich and famous/We'll take your clothes, cash cards, and homes/Just stop complaining/Lifestyles of the rich and famous/ Lifestyles of the rich and famous/ Lifestyles of the rich and famous."
Madden feels that celebrities need to be quiet about their state of lives. He manages to highlight some excellent points. They have access to educational, artistic, and occupational opportunities no one else has. And what do they do? They pretend to be like ordinary people and gripe about it. Although it's a strategy to make them be relatable, it's actually condescending. He also talks about how celebrities are treated like supreme beings. They can say or do anything they want (even illegal) and get away with it. It aggravates him. Nonetheless, they are only bullet points. It's up to the listeners to fill in the blanks of Madden's opinion.
His sour, perturbed vocals are full of disgust. He's fed up with all these celebrities who think they are entitled to everything. However, he's as bitchy as the celebrities he's talking about.
The boisterous arrangement depends on its busy drums to bring the energy and snark. It delivers spastic rattling and buffoonery instead.
"Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous" is slight on humor and insight.