written by David Foster, Jack Blades, Tom Keane & Michael Landau

To celebrate in style their first thirty years in the music business, veteran AOR kings, Night Ranger just released a new live album entitled “24 Strings And A Drummer.”  This extremely pleasant CD/DVD package, recorded in California last spring, gives fans a great chance to rediscover the group’s melodic-rock songbook in an “unplugged” setting.

The acoustic approach of the songs gives new, interesting life to classics like “When You Close Your Eyes,” “Four In The Morning” and “Sentimental Street” and don’t take absolutely the energy away from the performances with powerful vocals by Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy and noteworthy guitar and piano solos.
“24 Strings And A Drummer” also offers a great re-reading of “The Secret Of My Success,” Night Ranger’s 1987 collaboration with David Foster who produced the song and co-wrote it with Blades and sessions masters Tom Keane and Michael Landau. “The Secret Of My Success” was also a successful movie starring Michael J. Fox and this radio friendly theme was the main single off the soundtrack. The new version is based on acoustic guitars with spectacular playing by Brad Gillis and Joel Hoekstra and showcases the special vocal interplay between Blades and drummer Kelly Keagy. The feel-good, relaxed atmosphere is evident in this number and throughout the whole record. “24 Strings And A Drummer” makes for a very good listen if you’re looking for solid songwriting and performances delivered with passion and fun.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/the_secret_of_my_success.mp3|titles=The Secret Of My Succes|artists=Jack Blades]

Vocals & Bass : Jack Blades
Vocals & Drums: Kelly Keagy
Guitars & Background Vocals: Brad Gillis & Joel Hoekstra
Keyboards & Background Vocals: Eric Levy

Produced by Armando Contreras, Devin Dehaven, Night Ranger & Ron Nevison

Lyrics

Think of it, I, hold the world in the palm of my hand
Run a comb through my hair, head on out for some new foreign land
And all this could seem like a dream out the door
With everyday people, face down on the floor

I always said I could make it and be who I am
There’s a new look in sight, what a change for the new modern man
With all this it seems, like I’m dying for more
The streets are on fire, never seen it before
It’s like the sound of electric guitars

CHORUS
Worlds collide and hearts will be broken
Over and over it’s the same every day
How can I say what has never concerned me
The secret of my success is I’m living 25 hours a day

It’s amazing to me, what a fool will believe to bet by
With a change of your mind, I can live, I can fly
The harder the come, the harder they fall
I never say maybe and I go for it all
Just like the sound of electric guitars

CHORUS
With nothing to show, just sweat form my soul
My heart’s on the line and I’m dying to go (dying to go)
Look at us now, gonna make it somehow
Hold on to me baby, can’t hold me down

CHORUS
The secret of my success is I’m living 25 hours a day
25 hours a day

Roger Daltrey is an international music icon best known as the lead singer of the revolutionary UK rock group, The Who. He has fronted The Who for more than 40 years, singing immortal rock anthems like “My Generation,” “I Can See For Miles,” “I’m Free” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” He also had a prominent movie career starting in 1975 with his debut in “Tommy,” the famous rock opera written by band mate Pete Townsend and directed by Ken Russell. He went on to appear in several movies, TV shows and stage productions.
Daltrey had a good solo singing career, releasing eight albums between 1973 and 1996. In 1987, the singer was signed to Atlantic Records. He collaborated with David Foster on “The Price Of Love” that was included on Daltrey’s solo album, “Can’t Wait To See The Movie” and also on the successful soundtrack of “The Secret Of My Success.” “The Price Of Love” is a strong, up-tempo rocker co-written by Foster with Night Ranger’s singer/bassist Jack Blades. The song follows the footsteps of the best AOR sounds of the time, embellished by Daltrey’s unmistakable voice and Foster’s peerless studio expertise. Daltrey’s “Can’t Wait To See The Movie” is a good collection of solid pop/rock songs written by other famous AOR names like Russ Ballard, Chas Sanford, Tom Kelly and Richie Zito.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/the_price_of_love.mp3|titles=The price of love|artists=Roger Daltrey]

Vocals: Roger Daltrey
Keyboards: David Foster
Saxophone & Synthesizer: David Boruff
Synthesizer Programming: Mike Boddiker
Drum Overdub: Tris Imboden
Guitars: Mike Landau
Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

Feel it alright
It’s the same with me too
There’s something that’s taken a hold of us
All that we say and we do
Just look at our lives

We run thru the day
And stare at the night
Is your head full of noises?
For me, Well, it’s just like
The fourth of July

Maybe it’s change
Or the time of the year
Or is it the way
That you hold me so near

I swear it’s the price of love
Now I gaze at the lights
Of burning read sky
And keep hearing the sound of your voice
(Can’t shake the sound of your voice)
As you asked me to stay for awhile
Just look at us now

The world let go
Our hearts showed the way
For a moment I swear
It was heaven right there
On that warm August day

Then you said to me
‘It was time that I go’
But time goes so slowly when I’m all done
I swear it’s the price
I swear it’s the price of love

Different emotions
For you and for me
So love is it all
That it’s made out to be
When I look in your eyes
We touch and we smile
It all gets so easy
So clear
And so wild

Walk on the beach with the wind in your hair
Tides rushing over these moments we share
I swear it’s the price
I swear it’s the price
I swear it’s the price of love