Cover art for Joe by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Oct. 8, 20021 viewer

Joe Lyrics

My name's Joe, I'm the CEO
Yeah I'm the man makes the big wheels roll
I'm the hand on the green-light switch
You get to be famous, I get to be rich


Go get me a kid with a good-looking face
Bring me a kid can remember his place
Some hungry poet son-of-a-bitch
He gets to be famous, I get to be rich


Or bring me a girl, they're always the best
You put 'em on stage and you have 'em undress
Some angel whore who can learn a guitar lick
Hey! Now that's what I call music!

Well, they'll come looking for money when the public gets bored
But we'll fight 'em with lawyers they could never afford
Yeah, I'll make her look like a spoiled little bitch
She gets to be famous, I get to be rich

Or bring me a girl, they're always the best
You put 'em on stage and you have 'em undress
Some angel whore who can learn a guitar lick
Hey! Now that's what I call music!

So burned-out Johnny thinks the books are shifty
What good is that alky to me when he's fifty?
Well we could move catalog, if he'd only die quicker
Send my regards to the gig and a case of good liquor
He gets to be famous, I get to be rich
He gets to be famous, I get to be rich
My name's Joe, I'm the CEO
I'm the man that makes the big wheels roll

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About

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Genius Annotation

A criticism of the music industry. The song depicts Joe, a CEO of a record company. It journeys through his story of absolute greed.

Credits
Writer
Lead Vocals, Guitar
Lead guitar
Guitar, backing vocals
Piano, Organ
Percussion
Recorded At
Cello Studios, Hollywood
Release Date
October 8, 2002
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