ZZ Top - Cheap Sunglasses - Lyrics Meaning

As one of rock and roll's longest running band, ZZ Top has lived for years on their hit "Cheap Sunglasses" originally released in 1980. The band usually sings the song wearing their own signature black shades. However, quiz a fan and you will find that most have not paid much attention to the actually words of the song, preferring to soak in the rhythm of the piece.

The song is loosely about the pursuit of a girl. She catches the eye of the singer, who followers her around, admiring every aspect of her. Though she might seem unattainable to some, he knows that he might stand a chance as a result of her cheap sunglasses, which imply that she is a regular, down home person, too. After all, girls come in 2 classes, the kind that are uptight and out of reach and those with the cheap sunglasses.

However, the song opens with a much different tale of sunglasses. Hung over and worn out from a night of hard partying, the singer is forced to get some cheap sunglasses just to function. It's joyful in some ways, but also cautionary in that if you spend too much time out partying you won't be good for anything but wearing cheap sunglasses and following girls around!