http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=80472
as being 'gone but not forgotten'
yeah, i know that is supposed to refer to Elvis.. but..
why is Johnny Rotten in there?
he isnt even dead..
is it just metaphorically..
dead as in grown away from what he was..
or am i missing something...?
XD
2007-10-08 10:25:18 · 3 answers · asked by Bee 2 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Lyrics
The song refers to Johnny Rotten (AKA Johnny Lydon) because he faded with the death of Sid Viscious and disbandment of the Sex Pistols. Yes, I know he was P. I. L. (Public Image Ltd.) but was hardly even a footnote.
Everyone knows who Elvis was. Hardly anyone even knew who Johnny Rotten was. His 10 seconds of fame was up a long, long time ago and was more like 3 seconds.
2007-10-08 10:35:39 · answer #1 · answered by txpyxie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep. The first answer is right.
Johnny was dead, career-wise, anyway.The song was written shortly after the Pistols split up in 1978. Young is drawing a pointed comparison between Elvis' sad, prolonged career demise (the "rust") and the "burn-out" of the Pistols, which he says is preferable.
But it's not an anti-Elvis statement entirely, as "The king is gone, but he's not forgotten".
2007-10-08 17:39:24 · answer #2 · answered by Bowzer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"It's better to burn out than to fade away"
"It's better to burn out than it is to rust"
The Sex Pistols only put out one album and Johnny left the band in 78 while on tour.......he left at the height of their popularity, so the Pistols weren't given a chance to keep going and possibly fade into obscurity like many bands do
2007-10-08 17:32:34 · answer #3 · answered by Dani G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋