Though both “Rock n’ Roll Band” and “Have a Cigar” discuss success as musicians, “Rock n’ Roll Band” incorporates reminiscent tone and fond imagery in order to project the exhilaration of finding unexpected opportunity to “sign a record company contract”, while “Have a Cigar” couples cynical tone and manipulative diction with the aim of illuminating the corruption of the “monster” that is the music industry.
Opening with an understatement as “just another band out of Boston”, the affectionate memory of first finding success is introduced. The memory is established as such through the use of the past tense, such as “we practiced” and “he smoked”. The recollection of a happy time when “[they] didn’t worry ‘bout the things [they] were missing” and “everybody knew [their] name” aids in the construction of a reminiscent tone. The tone is also mutually dependant on the imagery produced by the song; the scenes illustrated for the listener clarify the song’s tone, as well as the motivation behind that execution. “Everybody’s waitin’/getting’ crazy/anticipating love and music” creates a vivid scene of excited fans waiting for the band to get “up in stage”. Helping to concrete the setting, the use of details brings further life to the memory as well as the imagery provided: “playing for a week in Rhode Island/ a man came to the stage one night/he smoked a big cigar/drove a Cadillac car”. The reminiscent tone and the appreciatively remembered imagery generates a sense of nostalgia for the moment when “[he] said, boys I think this band’s outta-sight/sign a record company contract/…you’re goin’ to be a sensation”.
Employing the point of view of a record executive, “Have a Cigar” elucidates the dishonesty and exploitation that is expected in the music industry. Although the song is sung from a warped point of view, its aim is to mock the recording companies, and draw attention to their faults, appropriately ascertaining a cynical tone. The hyperbole and overstatement provided in the song, “you’re never gonna die”, helps to characterize the speaker as a liar, furthering the development of tone as disparaging. The mention of money made from sales, “we’re so happy we can hardly count”, also aims to mock the industry and corporations which are a part of it. The diction gives a sense of manipulation through being faux “sincere”: “the band is just fantastic/that is really what I think”. By claiming a “deep respect” for the band, yet being unaware of the band members names, “oh by the way, which one’s Pink?”, the words seem anything but genuine. “Dear boy”, though meant to be endearing, comes off more derogatorily because of the content following it. In utilizing cynical tone and manipulative language to mock the attempts of record labels to persuade and the extent to which they go in order to make money, “Have a Cigar” subtly outlines the distorted and nefarious world musicians have to experience.
Similar in content, but varying greatly in execution, the two songs touch upon similar experiences in juxtaposing fashion. Though some bands are weary of opportunity, and others welcome success, sometimes risk is worth the reward.
