It was released in October 1985 as the first single from the album Looking Ahead. 'It was the greatest place to grow up in the world. ' Burned Like a Rocket ' is a song written by Gary Burr, and recorded by American country music artist Billy Joe Royal. 'Everybody knew everybody, and everybody liked everybody,' he said in the 2010 Journal-Constitution interview. The album also landed on the Country Albums chart, reaching 23. This was followed by I Miss You Already (14) and Old Bridges Burn Slow (11). The first was Burned Like a Rocket, which peaked at 10. Three singles from this album charted on the Country Singles chart. He remembered his time there, before national fame, with fondness. Looking Ahead is the fifth studio album by Billy Joe Royal released in 1987. In 2010, he announced he would end his last official tour with a concert in Marietta, not far from the school that once banned him. Royal went on to do well with country songs such as 'I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow,' 'Tell It Like It Is' and ''Till I Can't Take It Anymore.' The song had nothing to do with space travel, but given its title, radio stations stopped playing it. It looked like he might have a big hit in 1986 with 'Burned Like a Rocket.' But just as the song was gaining in popularity, the Challenger space shuttle tragedy occurred. Royal moved back to Georgia and eventually landed in Nashville, where he worked to revive his career. 'Kenny Rogers lived down the street from me,' Royal recalled, 'and Kenny was tearing the world up singing country music. But he noticed that other singers who had pop hits had successfully switched genres. I was getting a divorce,' he told the Journal-Constitution. Two more of the South-penned songs saw release as singles and charted well - 'I Knew You When' got to #14 and 'I''ve Got To Be Somebody' reached #38.Ī big thank you to Stuck In The Past for active link.Royal moved to Los Angeles, but his brand of pop music was falling out of favor. But you treated me like dirt (do-de-bop-I-wanna-do) I always repayed every debt I owed (Bop-bop-a-do-de-bop-bop) Well, if you think youre lucky well, youre not lucky anymore (I-wanna-do-de-bop-bop-a-do-de-bop) Well, we burned like a rocket You said you loved me just like I love you But find a dime in your pocket And youre on the phone to. With Royal's quivering vocals to the forefront, it featured a distinctive style of pop music with hints of country and R&B, genres which were represented by covers of Willie Nelson's 'Funny How Time Slips Away' and Jimmy Hughes' 'Steal Away'. His debut album followed, produced by Joe South and featuring many more of South's compositions. 'Down In The Boondocks' gave Billy Joe Royal his breakthrough hit in 1965, charting at #9. Large septic tank that had been dragged into the studio.įor “Billy Joe Royal ‎– Down In The Boondocks (1965)” go here:

He was working at the time) to Atlanta and cut 'Down in theīoondocks,' whose churchy echo resulted from the use during recording of a Billy Joe Royal Track 1 on Looking Ahead View All Credits 1 Burned Like A Rocket Lyrics Someone wave goodbye Come and wave goodbye I'll be leaving Won't you hold the door Well, if I said I love. In the hope that Gene Pitney would record it. Years later South contacted him with a song he wanted Royal to sing as a demo, Royal and South roomed together for a time, and two or three In 1962, he recorded an independent single that Other African-American stars, Royal observed their vocal moves and began to Performing at a nightclub that also booked Sam Cooke and Savannah, where he was influenced by African-American vocal styles and began to Regularly singing around Atlanta by the age of 16. Royal had his own rock & roll band in high school and was He learned to play steel guitar and joined the Georgia Jubilee in AtlantaĪt 14, performing with Joe South, Jerry Reed, and Ray Stevens, among several Valdosta, Georgia, and made his debut on his uncle's radio show at the age ofġ1. Royal was born into a family of musical entertainers in

Billy joe royal burned like a rocket