Goin' Through The Motions

Album: Spectres (1977)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song explores the romantic ritual between rock star and groupie. It's a passionate tryst, but when it's over, the singer moves on and leaves her with an autographed photo to remember him by.

    "It's about a typical backstage romance," Eric Bloom said in his Songfacts interview.
  • Eric Bloom wrote this song with Ian Hunter. Bloom told us: "Ian came over to my house - we're friends. We went down to my basement and I had an idea, a little guitar lick that was the opening lick of the song, and he fleshed it out and we wrote the lyrics together. I would say he did 70/30 on that song, but we got equal credit. That was just an afternoon in my basement, really. That's how that song worked out."

Comments: 2

  • Krepeshniak from Canada“ ‘cause there’s love in your eyes, you’re so thinly disguised”
    “ for there’s no one to blame, just a fate”
    “ you were a friend for a day so no crime to say”
  • Lige from The OzarksBeautiful song!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Rick Springfield

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

They Might Be Giants

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.