What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done For You?

Written by S. Nicks

She was a self-made woman, he's a self-made man
And these two could really understand each other
Baby, baby
Answer the question
If you could do it over again
Would you do it about your profession?

Well, what has rock and roll ever done for you?
You, too!
What has rock and roll ever done for me?
Everything!

Every day he says, "Answer the question...
Would you tell me just a little more about your profession?"
Would you do it again?
Yes, I would!
I had a really good time
Well, it was really good

So what has rock and roll ever done for you?
You, too!
He says, "What has rock and roll ever done for me?"
I said, "Everything!"
What has rock and roll ever done for us?
Well, well, well, another glass
Of something French - champagne!

Every day he says, "Answer the question...
Would you tell me just a little bit more about your profession?"
A really good time, baby
I had a really good time
Well, I'll meet you on the way back
Well, then, I'll get you on the plane back
I had a really good time, woah
I had a really good time
Well, I'll get you on the way back
Baby, I'll get you on the plane back

Well, what has rock and roll ever done for you?
You, too!
She says, "What has rock and roll ever done for me?"
Everything!

I'll have another glass
Of something French - champagne!
Well, I'll have another glass
Of something French - champagne!
I had a really good time
I had a really good time
Well, I had a really good time, baby
It was really good

She was a self-made woman, he was a self-made man
(She had a really good time)
Well, oh, yes, these two could understand each other
(She had a really good time)
She says "I'll get you on the way back"
She says "I'll get you on the plane back"

We had a really good time
Whoa....
What has rock and roll ever done for us?
Ooh, well, what has rock and roll ever done for us, baby?
Oh, oh
We had a really good time
Champagne...champagne
Ooh, good
We had a really good time

---

WEBMISTRESS speculates:

Stevie has always said if she could go back and do it all over again, she wouldn't change a thing, and this song is an expression of that sentiment. Rock and roll has given her "everything" - and, although their fame destroyed her and Lindsey's relationship, she asserts that it's done everything for him, too, - for "us." After all, "we had a really good time!" It's also positive in that she doesn't seem to think their relationship has been completely destroyed. She confidently states, "I'll get you on the way back." She's sure that after the whirlwind is all over they can find each other again - it reminds me of the line in Blue Denim that states, "If I find the answer, I promise you, I'll come back and get you."

 

AMY speculates:

I think the "self-made man" Stevie is referring to in this song is Don Henley. Their relationship was one of excesses, of French champagne and of Don having her picked up in his jet to meet him on the road for a rendezvous whenever their hearts desired. ("I'll meet you on the way back...I'll get you on the plane") Stevie has said that Don taught her to spend money~ how to live the rock and roll life, how to have a "really good time"~how to be a rock star. She would go to him to complain about the burden of being who she was in FM and he could understand and empathize with her because he'd had to deal with that life too. He could understand her in a different way than Lindsey could ("and these two could really understand each other").

I'm not a big fan of Don, but there was a time when he was a big part of Stevie's life, and I think this song could be about that time.