TTBBM L.A. Guns – The Ballad of Jayne #MondayMemories 12

For this “Things That Bring Back Memories” post, I am going to pick something in the topic of “Music”.  My family is one that really loves music, and can think back to where we were when we heard a certain song, etc.  I can’t play music for anything, but my husband is a bass guitar player, and our son plays the piano.  Lucky I don’t have to do anything but listen, otherwise, we’d be in trouble. :/

So starting on this beautiful Monday of the week, I’ll give you a little look into my life and past with “Things That Brings Back Memories” for me.  This L.A. Guns song The Ballad of Jayne is one that was popular with certain groups back in the day.  There were some of us that loved it, and others that thought it was too slow, or too pop sounding.  It’s one that I still love hearing on the old school radio channels.  Just had a great sound, and was back in the day when songs had a story to them.  Have you ever heard of this song?  Check it out here:

Things That Bring Back Memories - Who remembers The Ballad of Jayne by @LA_GUNS? #MondayMemories Click To Tweet

About The Ballad of Jayne Song:

Ballad of Jayne is a 1989 power ballad by the band L.A. Guns. L.A. Guns featured guitarist Traci Guns, who was the “Guns” part of the original Guns `n’ Roses, with Axl Rose. The song reached number 33 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and also charted at number 53 in the U.K.

Jayne Mansfield, an American actress, pin-up model, and blonde sex symbol, famous in the 1950’s and 1960’s for her cleavage revealing outfits and curvy hourglass figure, was supposedly the inspiration behind the song. Mansfield was killed in an automobile accident in 1967. One verse of the song is “Now she’s breaking hearts in heaven, shining bright in the sky” which is an acknowledgement of Mansfield’s celebrity while alive, and the affection that young men had towards her. Guitarist Traci Guns supposedly had a fondness for Mansfield while growing up.

However, beyond being and ode to Jayne Mansfield, the song resonates with anyone that has lost a love or someone special to them. The lyrics recall a “diamond shining bright in the rain,” and seem to be coming from someone that is mournful and nostalgic for days gone by. This is especially apparent with the lyric “time don’t heal a broken gun.” – a play on the band’s name, but nonetheless, a statement of sorrow, heartbreak, and missing something that once was.

More About L.A. Guns:

L.A. Guns are an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1983. As of 2017, the lineup consists of Phil Lewis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Tracii Guns (guitar), Michael Grant (guitar), Johnny Martin (bass, backing vocals) and Shane Fitzgibbon (drums). The first incarnation of the group was formed by Tracii Guns in 1983 and merged with fellow Los Angeles group Hollywood Rose to form Guns N’ Roses in 1984. In 1985, the group was reformed by Guns and singer Paul Black adding Mick Cripps and Nickey Alexander. Black would soon be replaced by former Girl singer Phil Lewis while former Faster Pussycat bassist Kelly Nickels was added to the group. Later, Alexander would be replaced by former W.A.S.P. drummer Steve Riley with this being known as the “classic lineup” of L.A. Guns. They achieved moderate chart success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, the group went through numerous lineup changes (with Riley being the most consistent member) and failed to regain mainstream attention.

The “classic lineup” of the group would reunite in 1999 and began recording new material. However, the group continued to change lineups and Guns eventually left to form the hard rock super-group Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe in 2002. L.A. Guns continued without Guns, bringing in guitarist Stacey Blades, however, following his decision to put Brides of Destruction on hiatus in 2006, Guns formed The Tracii Guns Band. The group’s lineup consisted of former L.A. Guns members Black, Alexander as well as Jeremy Guns (though the lineup would eventually change), with the group eventually changing their name to L.A. Guns. Both groups continued to record and tour under the L.A. Guns moniker until 2012, when the Tracii Guns-led version of the group disbanded.

To date, L.A. Guns has released ten studio albums – L.A. Guns (1988); Cocked & Loaded (1989); Hollywood Vampires (1991); Vicious Circle (1995); American Hardcore (1996); Shrinking Violet (1999); Man in the Moon (2001); Waking the Dead (2002); Tales from the Strip (2005); and Hollywood Forever (2012), two extended plays – Cuts (1992); Wasted (1998) as well as a number of live and compilation albums.

Some Other Interesting Facts:

• This is about Jayne Mansfield, a blonde bombshell who was a popular actress and pin-up girl in the ’50s and ’60s. She was often compared to Marilyn Monroe, and also died young. Mansfield was killed in a car accident when she was 34: “Now she’s breakin’ hearts in heaven.”
  
• Tracii Guns of L.A. Guns was in a band called Hollywood Rose which later became Guns N’ Roses (Thus the “Guns” part of the name). After he left they kept the name.
• In September 2016, LA Weekly reported that Lewis and Guns plan to record a new album together under the “L.A. Guns” name for Frontiers Records, intended for a June 2017 release. The album will be supported by a world tour, which will kick off with two shows at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood in March 2017.
• It was announced that L.A. Guns would be entering the studio to record a brand new album called “The Missing Peace” due to be released on October 13, 2017.

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