Bad Company – Shooting Star

About The Song

“Shooting Star” was written by Paul Rodgers, performed by Bad Company, and released in May 1975 as the lead single from their second album Straight Shooter on Island Records in the UK and Swan Song Records in the US. It peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 12 weeks on the chart, and became one of their enduring classics.

The song was recorded at Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire, England, and mixed at AIR Studios in London, produced by Paul Rodgers and Bad Company. The track features Rodgers on lead vocals and guitar, Mick Ralphs on lead guitar, Boz Burrell on bass, and Simon Kirke on drums, with a bluesy hard rock sound. It runs 6:24 on the album version, though the single was edited to 4:09.

The lyrics tell a cautionary tale of a young musician’s rise and tragic fall due to fame, with lines like “Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatles song.” Rodgers drew inspiration from the rock lifestyle and the fates of artists like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, weaving a narrative of ambition and downfall.

The recording captured a moody, atmospheric vibe, enhanced by the castle’s natural acoustics and Ralphs’ emotive guitar work. The song’s extended outro, featuring a fade-out with piano and guitar, added to its dramatic effect, making it a standout track.

Upon release, “Shooting Star” achieved solid success, contributing to Straight Shooter’s double platinum certification. It has appeared on compilations like 10 from 6 (1985) and The Original Bad Co. Anthology (1999), and remains a live favorite, often extended in performance.

Bad Company, formed in 1973, promoted the single with tours across the US and UK. The music video, though not widely released in 1975, includes live footage from that era, later compiled in retrospectives like the 2006 DVD Live at Wembley.

The track has been covered by artists like Boy George and featured in films like Joe Dirt (2001). It was ranked No. 90 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs, cementing its status as a powerful commentary on the rock star lifestyle.

Video

Lyric

Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatles song
“Love Me Do,” I think it was, and from there it didn’t take long
Got himself a guitar, used to play every night
Now he’s in a rock ‘n’ roll outfit, and everything’s all right

Don’t you know
Johnny’s a shooting star
Don’t you know
He’s traveling very far
He’s never gonna look back
He’s got it all, he’s got it all

There’s a feeling in his body, and a power in his mind
He’ll be working it out, oh, yeah, he will
He’ll be working from nine to five
He’ll be working from nine to five

Johnny’s got a problem, and he blames it on the world
He blames it on the times that have changed
He blames it on his mind, oh yeah
He takes his hate outside, and he throws it in the air

Don’t you know
Johnny’s a shooting star
Don’t you know
He’s traveling very far
He’s never gonna look back
He’s got it all, he’s got it all

(Instrumental break)

Johnny got confused, started living out of tune
He couldn’t hear the harmony, no more
He couldn’t hear the melody, oh yeah
He couldn’t see the light, he lost his faith in sound

Don’t you know
Johnny’s a shooting star
Don’t you know
He’s traveling very far
He’s never gonna look back
He’s got it all, he’s got it all

Don’t you know
Johnny’s a shooting star
Don’t you know
He’s traveling very far
He’s never gonna look back
He’s got it all, he’s got it all