Monday, April 12, 1976

Bob Seger “Turn the Page” live version released

Turn the Page

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

Writer(s): Bob Seger (see lyrics here)

Released (studio version): January 1973 (album cut)

Released (live version): April 12, 1976 (album cut)

Released (live version): November 1977 (single)

First Charted: --

Peak: 1 CL, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.)

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 148.0 video, -- streaming

Turn the Page

Metallica

Released: November 16, 1998

First Charted: November 21, 1998

Peak: 1¹¹ AR, 39 MR, 15 CN, 11 AU, 11 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.)

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 99.5 video, -- streaming

Awards (Bob Seger):

Click on award for more details.

Awards (Metallica):

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Bob Seger released his first single with the Decibals in 1961, but didn’t put out an album until 1969’s Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man. That album’s title cut reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it looked like his career might finally be underway. Over the next six years, he charted seven more hits, but none reached the top 40.

As he struggled to find success during the early ‘70s “he was all too familiar with the trials and tribulations of being a musician on tour.” ^UCR He poured those experiences into “Turn the Page,” a track from his 1973 album Back in ‘72. “Few other ‘life on the road’ songs can rival…[its] intensity and passion.” ^UCR The song “does a remarkable job summing up the grueling and lonely realities of the day-to-day life of a musician on the road in the early ‘70s.” ^UCR He references personal experiences such as suffering from tinnitus and having truck drivers mock him and his bandmates for their long hair. ^BC

“The song starts with a saxophone which set a somewhat ominous tone for the remainder of the proceedings. Seger’s vocals come across as rather hushed: You can almost picture the rock and roll legend quietly singing to himself as to not disturb the other members of his band as they try to get some sleep on the bus.” ^UCR

The song didn’t really find an audience until a live version from 1976’s Live Bullet hit the radio and became an album rock classic. That album became his highest charting to date (#34) and went five times platinum. Even bigger things were to come for Seger: his next seven albums were top-10, multi-platinum hits.

“It should be little surprise that Seger’s words would resonate…well with his peers.” ^UCR Waylon Jennings, Staind, and Kid Rock have all performed the song live and Bon Jovi has acknowledged the song as an inspiration behind their hit “Wanted Dead or Alive.” ^UCR Garth Brooks wrote “The Thunder Rolls” as a tribute to the song. ^BC Metallica recorded the song in 1998 for their Garage Inc. cover album. It spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard album rock chart.