ZZ Top formed after Gibbons' previous band, Moving Sidewalks, disbanded in 1969. Within a year, they signed with London Records and released ZZ Top's First Album in 1971. Subsequent releases, such as Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango! (1975), and the singles "La Grange" and "Tush", gained extensive radio airplay. By the mid-1970s, ZZ Top had become renowned in North America for their live act, including the Worldwide Texas Tour (1976–1977), which was a critical and commercial success.
After a hiatus, ZZ Top returned in 1979 with a new musical direction and image, with Gibbons and Hill wearing sunglasses and matching chest-length beards. With the album El Loco (1981), they began to experiment with synthesizers and drum machines. They established a more mainstream sound and rose to international stardom with Eliminator (1983) and Afterburner (1985), which integrated influences from new wave, punk, and dance-rock. The popularity of these albums' music videos, including those for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs", gave them mass exposure on television channel MTV and made them prominent artists in 1980s pop culture. The Afterburner tour set records for the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour of 1986.
After gaining additional acclaim with the release of their tenth album Recycler (1990), and its accompanying tour, the group's experimentation continued with mixed success on the albums Antenna (1994), Rhythmeen (1996), XXX (1999), and Mescalero (2003). They most recently released La Futura (2012) and Goin' 50 (2019), a compilation album commemorating the band's 50th anniversary. By the time of Hill's death in 2021, ZZ Top had become the longest-running band with an unchanged lineup in the history of popular music. Per Hill's wishes, he was replaced by their longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis on bass.
ZZ Top has released 15 studio albums and sold an estimated 50 million records worldwide. They have won three MTV Video Music Awards, and in 2004, the members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Gibbons the 32nd greatest guitarist of all time. The band members have supported campaigns and charities including Childline, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and a fundraiser for the Delta Blues Museum.
Studio albums
ZZ Top's First Album (1971)
Rio Grande Mud (1972)
Tres Hombres (1973)
Fandango! (1975)
Tejas (1976)
Degüello (1979)
El Loco (1981)
Eliminator (1983)
Afterburner (1985)
Recycler (1990)
Antenna (1994)
Rhythmeen (1996)
XXX (1999)
Mescalero (2003)
La Futura (2012)
Flyin' High
ZZ Top Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I guess I'm in luck
She wears high heel cowboy boots
She'll slam a shot
Whatever you got
She walks the line makes no excuse
Fly high
Fly high
I'm takin' one last ride
Fly high
I'm bone dry and I'm waiting to die
Fly high
Don't you know its hard to signify
She likes to smoke
And she likes to toke
Axe her no questions and she won't have to lie
She likes to charge
Long as it's large
Make no mistake she got the evil eye
Fly high
I'm never satisfied
Fly high
I'm takin' one last ride
Fly high
I'm bone dry and I'm waiting to die
Fly high
Don't know you its hard to signify
Fly high
I'm never satisfied
Fly high
I'm takin' one last ride
Fly high
Jimi said I'm gonna kiss the sky
Fly high
You bad bad bad remission why
The lyrics of ZZ Top's song "Flyin' High" seem to describe a woman who is wild and free, unapologetically living her life on the edge. She likes a truck, wears high-heeled cowboy boots, and isn't afraid to slam back a shot. She walks the line and makes no excuses, even if she likes to smoke and toke. The singer seems to be enamored with this woman and is lucky that she likes his truck. However, the repeated phrase "fly high" seems to indicate that there is a sense of restlessness and dissatisfaction in this woman's life. She's bone dry and waiting to die, and it's hard to signify what exactly is missing.
The song's meaning could be interpreted in several ways, but one possible interpretation is that the woman in the song is searching for something more in her life. She's living fast and free, but there's a sense that she's not content with what she has. The repeated phrase "fly high" could be interpreted as a desire for something more significant, a need to transcend the mundane and reach for something greater. The singer seems to recognize this restlessness, but he's not sure how to help her find what she's looking for.
Overall, "Flyin' High" is a classic ZZ Top song, with its focus on fast living, high-energy riffs, and catchy hooks. The lyrics paint a picture of a larger-than-life woman who is searching for something more, and it's up to the listener to decide exactly what that might be.
Line by Line Meaning
Well she likes the truck
I am lucky that she likes my truck.
I guess I'm in luck
I am lucky to have her who likes my truck.
She wears high heel cowboy boots
She wears cowboy boots with high heels.
She'll slam a shot
She drinks shots quickly.
Whatever you got
She will drink any shot that is offered.
She walks the line makes no excuse
She follows rules without making any excuses.
Fly high
I am going for an extreme experience.
I'm never satisfied
No matter what I achieve, I am never fully content.
I'm takin' one last ride
I am going for one final adventure.
I'm bone dry and I'm waiting to die
I am completely empty, and I am waiting for my death.
Don't you know its hard to signify
It is hard to convey the true meaning of my actions.
She likes to smoke
She enjoys smoking.
And she likes to toke
She likes to smoke weed.
Axe her no questions and she won't have to lie
If you don't ask her anything, she won't have to lie.
She likes to charge
She enjoys spending money.
Long as it's large
As long as the purchase is significant, she is happy to spend.
Make no mistake she got the evil eye
She is capable of giving you a menacing look if you mess with her.
Jimi said I'm gonna kiss the sky
Jimi Hendrix said he would rise high and embrace death.
You bad bad bad remission why
I don't know what this means - it could be a reference to something personal to the band or to the listener.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GLENN GIBBONS, STUART DRUMMOND MCMILLAN, NICK PEACOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@piggypie9652
All these years later this band still at the top of the rock and roll list!!! Best band ever!
@joanjett8814
Hell yeah!!!! Jamming those incredible old school days..sounds great
@frankconklin7611
Z Z Top fly high mother fuckers!!! the little band from Texas after all these year's still kickin ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@teachwethepeople3943
Hell yeah!
@JeanCarlosabc123
Greatest!!!
@jetpack5
the top brothers still stand
@mstrain5667
Really good album and this song is different than other versions I've heard I like this one the best
@franklenjohns3556
No doubt about it the South's greatest rock and roll band
@aaronsantamaria9954
Es Rick Rubin produciendo a estos maestros, es una maestría total. es una locura como suena, cómo le saca un chorro de colmillo a una de las bandas mas importantes de rock blues
@shootoman
Great song (and great album). Still sounding ZZ Top, but it gives me vibes of AC/DC and also Rolling Stones.
Btw. I really like both versions of the song and I´m happy they gave us both!