‘Shooting Star’ is a song written by Paul Rodgers that was first released by Bad Company on their 1975 album Straight Shooter. Although not released as a single, it became a radio staple and has appeared on many of Bad Company's live and compilation albums.
The lyrics of ‘Shooting Star’ tell the story of a boy named Johnny, who went on to become a rock star but died after overdosing on whiskey and sleeping pills. The theme was influenced by the deaths of young rock stars as a result of drug addiction, particularly the deaths from overdoses of Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and possibly Jimi Hendrix. Rodgers stated that "At that particular time you had Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin...just a catalog of people who didn't make it, who overdosed in their beds...that was the germ of this song. It's a story and it's almost a warning. The refrain summarizes the theme stating "Don't you know that you are a shooting star, and all the world will love you just as long as you are a shooting star." In a contemporary review, Messenger-Press critic Steve Wosahla suggested that this line is "typical of how we treat our stars today."
An eerie parallel to the character in this song is Paul Kossoff, who was Paul Rodgers' bandmate in the group Free. Kossoff died of a heroin overdose in 1976, a year after this was released. The guitarist was just 25 years old when he died. In a Songfacts interview with Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke, he said, "It was a sort of homage to the pitfalls of being in the rock world. You can let the success go to your head and you can get strung out and you can die. It's very, very simple. And, unfortunately, it's happening with alarming frequency to this day. Addiction will always be with us. But 'Shooting Star' was based on a composite of musicians."
Rolling Stone critic Ed Naha called ‘Shooting Star’ the "pièce de résistance" of Straight Shooter and "the highpoint of [Paul Rodgers'] writing career." Naha states that "Rodgers nearly assumes the role of the Harry Chapin of crotch rock as he casually recounts the chilling tale of a young rock star … from beginning to end" and that the "calculated effect of the song is made stronger by its low-keyed approach to melodrama." Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as one of the two "big hits" from Straight Shooter (along with "Feel Like Makin' Love") and a "classic rock staple". Greenville News critic Donna Isbell Walker agreed that it is a "radio staple".
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it as Bad Company's 3rd best song, saying that it "acts as a cautionary tale about what can happen when a big dreamer gets more success than he can handle." Classic Rock critic Malcolm Dome rated it as Bad Company's 4th best song, calling it "an epic tale of the rise and fall of a rock star." Classic Rock History critic Janey Roberts rated it as Bad Company's 5th best song.
Label – Swan Song
Songwriter – Paul Rodgers
Producers – Bad Company
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatles song
'Love Me Do,' I think it was, from there it didn't take him long
Got himself a guitar, used to play every night
Now he's in a rock 'n' roll outfit and everything's all right
[Bridge]
Don't you know?
[Verse 2]
Johnny told his mama, "Hey, Mama, I'm goin' away
I'm gonna hit the big time, gonna be a big star someday," yeah
Mama came to the door with a teardrop in her eye
Johnny said, "Don't cry, Mama," smiled and waved good-bye
[Pre-Chorus]
Don't you know, yeah yeah
[Chorus]
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?
Don't you know, don't you know
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?
[Post-Chorus]
And all the world will love you just as long
As long as you are
[Verse 3]
Johnny made a record, went straight up to number one
Suddenly everyone loved to hear him sing his song
Watching the world go by, surprising it goes so fast
Johnny looked around him and said, "Well, I made the big time at last,"
[Pre-Chorus]
Don't you know, don't you know
[Chorus]
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?
Don't you know, oh, yeah
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?, yeah
[Post-Chorus]
And all the world will love you just as long
As long as you are a shooting star
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?
Don't you know, ahh-ahh
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?, now
[Post-Chorus]
And all the world will love you just as long
As long as you are
[Verse 4]
Johnny died one night, died in his bed
Bottle of whiskey, sleeping tablets by his head
Johnny's life passed him by like a warm summer day
If you listen to the wind, you can still hear him play
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh-oh-oh
[Chorus]
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?
Don't you know, yeah, don't you know
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?
Don't you know, yeah
[Chorus]
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?
Don't you, don't you, don't you, don't you
Don't you know
Don't you know-ow-ow that you are a shooting star?, yeah
[Bridge]
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, woo
[Chorus]
Don't you, don't you know that you are a shooting star?
Don't you, don't you know
[Post-Chorus]
Know, know, know, know, know
[Outro]
Know, know, know, know, know, know, know, know, know, know
Know, know, know, know
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, woo
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, woo
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, woo
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, woh, woh