My Gen X Playlist: Can’t Stop the World – The Go Go’s

I’m pretty resilient. I attribute this to having a good amount of grit. I wasn’t always this way. Grit grows over time.

I remember in high school my mom once said to me, “Things come too easy for you. One day, things won’t go your way and you’ll have to work really hard earn it.” Her words rang true.

I’ve managed to overcome most obstacles in my life, not without a little pain, might I add. Whether it was a career milestone, a health scare or a mountain to climb, I’ve managed to endure. That’s not to say I haven’t had my share of setbacks, because I have. Tough and painful ones at that. For the most part, I haven’t allowed them to totally derail me. Yet. And I say that not with the knowledge of anything looming on the horizon. I leave open space because I know I’m only human and fallible to life. The thing is, I won’t go down without a fight.

I’ve accumulated a number of battle scars, thick skin and bumps and bruises along the way. I remember the Timex watch slogan when I was a kid. If I had to pick a tag line, I might choose this one.

Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

The Go Go’s released Can’t Stop the World in 1981. Because it fit seamlessly with the other tracks, I assumed it was written by the band.

Go-Go’s bass player Kathy Valentine wrote this song in 1978 when she moved from Texas to Los Angeles to pursue music. She was living in a ramshackle apartment with dim prospects when she took out the guitar and came up with the song, which is about not giving up. It was the first song she ever wrote.

Valentine ended up in a band called The Textones, but the chemistry wasn’t right, so she quit the band. In December 1980, the Go-Go’s enlisted her to play bass at a run of shows at the Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood as a fill-in for their original bassist, Margot Olavarria, who was dealing with health problems. After the run, she joined the band full time.

The group got a record deal with Miles Copeland’s IRS Records and worked on their first album with producer Richard Gottehrer. The band had plenty of songs written from before Valentine got there, but Gottehrer wanted them to include one that wasn’t in their set, perhaps a cover song. Valentine presented “Can’t Stop The World,” and it made the album, giving her a songwriting credit on the set. That album, Beauty And The Beat, ended up going to #1 in America, making the Go-Go’s the first all-girl band to top the albums chart.

– Songfacts

If you are looking to get some grit, living in a ramshackled apartment with dim prospects is one sure fire way of getting it. It sounds rough. But I guess it comes down to a choice. You can either wallow in that shitty apartment and sing the blues, or pick up your guitar and write a cool rock song. I’ve tried both and believe me, going for the rock song is much better. The choice is yours.

* After I posted this morning, AI sent me to this video. I had seen it years ago, but it’s still just as inspiring.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

I gave up looking for a reason
To live with things just the way they are
I came around
Used to be easy to get to
And they got to me just about every way

Caught with no cards up your sleeve
Not much to choose from
Grew up all along thinking you couldn't lose
Don't want to live without that security
You think with just a little more
Things will be alright

Can't stop the world
Can't stop the world
Can't stop the world
Why let it stop you
Why let it stop you
Why let it stop you
Your heart, your will, your car-
They've all been broken
You let everybody
You got beat
And it's not entertaining
Watching you try to stand on your feet again

Can't stop the world
Can't stop the world
Can't stop the world
Don't let it stop you
Don't let it stop you
Don't let it stop you