"Tragedy" is a single by the Finnish

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

band

Hanoi Rocks Hanoi Rocks were a Finnish Rock music, rock band formed in 1979. They were the first Finnish band to chart in the UK and they were also popular in Japan. By 1984, the band was considered to be on the verge of an international breakthrough when ...

, from the album '' Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks'', but "Tragedy" was released a little before the release of the album. "Tragedy" and its B-side, "Café Avenue", are the most well-known songs from Hanoi Rocks's early career. "Tragedy" was written by the band's guitarist

Andy McCoy Antti Hulkko (born 11 October 1962), better known as Andy McCoy, is a Finnish musician. He is best known for his role as the lead guitarist and main songwriter of the rock music, rock band Hanoi Rocks, but has also played with Iggy Pop and a vari ...

when he was 15 or 16. The lyrics basically deal with a typical teen story of a first love and how one imagines it will last forever. At some point it all collapses and it feels that the world is breaking. The result is a "tragedy" and tears. The song is very energetic and has a fast tempo. It is also melodic, even though the guitar parts are a punk style. "Tragedy" was recorded at Park Studios outside

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

at the ''Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks'' recordings. "Café Avenue" talks about Hanoi Rocks's individualist-attitude and how it doesn't matter how you look and who you are. The song also features a story told from the point of view of a character who lives a rough, young and wild life, but eventually has to turn to prostitution to earn money. The story is largely inspired by Hanoi Rocks's own life on the streets of Stockholm, where people thought the band were

homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exc ...

prostitutes because of their glam rock-look. This song was also recorded at Park Studios outside Stockholm at the ''Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks'' recordings. "Café Avenue" wasn't released on an album until 1982's '' Self Destruction Blues''. On the Japanese single, the song "Don't Never Leave Me" was used as the B-side. The song was later reworked in to a hit-version titled " Don't You Ever Leave Me", which is featured on the album '' Two Steps from the Move''.

Track listing

Personnel

* Michael Monroe -

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

, backing vocals * Nasty Suicide -

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a guitar technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse (music), pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., d ...

, backing vocals * Sam Yaffa -

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

* Gyp Casino -

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

References

{{Hanoi Rocks Hanoi Rocks songs 1981 songs Songs written by Andy McCoy