The ZZ Top Love Song That Broke From The Band's Blues Rock Roots

ZZ Top isn't known for their sensitivity; they're one of those unusual bands that became rock legends without having a No. 1 hit, making a name for themselves as Texas blues rockers who never met a sexy play on words they didn't like. Case in point: Their first chart hit was a rollicking Top 20 barroom boogie from 1975 called "Tush" that summed up their salacious (and often humorous) lyrical philosophy. But once they found themselves in the midst of an '80s resurgence, the cartoonish Southern blues rockers with the extra-long beards and the extra-dark shades flipped their formula on its head, releasing a power ballad in 1986 called "Rough Boy" that showed a whole different side of their songwriting skills.

The track was a surprise for anyone familiar with ZZ Top up to that moment. The same three members — Dusty Hill, Frank Beard, and Billy Gibbons — who gave the world saucy struts like "Sleeping Bag" and "Legs" tossed a sensitive slow jam into the blender on their "Afterburner" album and came up with a winner of a musical plot twist. It was a far cry from the ripping riffs of their rocking '70s classic "La Grange"; it modernized the blueprint and allowed the band to follow other rock acts into the world of the crunchy love song. Did it appear among more standard ZZ Top tunes with titles like "Velcro Fly" and "Planet of Women"? It sure did. But it was a telling glimpse of the band's softer side, and it became one of the highest-charting tunes these devilish downhome dudes ever released.

"Rough Boys" came in the midst of a ZZ Top '80s renaissance, following a successful '70s run with earthy blues-rock becoming their signature sound. The trio expanded the formula with slick electronic flourishes and sleek production while tapping into playful visuals via their iconic MTV music videos. It worked like gangbusters and broadened their audience for a blast of super success, one where a slowed-down weeper could compete with the hair metal rockers who were serving up power ballads left and right.

And compete it did. "Rough Boy" fit in perfectly with similar fare like Bon Jovi's "Never Say Goodbye" and Boston's comeback song, "Amanda," both released the same year. The lyrics are sincere and self-aware in ways the band hadn't been in previous hits. Lines like "Ain't got no rap, ain't got no line / But if you'll give me just a minute I'll be feeling fine" and "I'll shoot it to you straight and look you in the eye / So gimme just a minute and I'll tell you why / I'm a rough boy" soften the grittier themes and double entendres of the best-known ZZ Top songs. Who knew the randy lads could be so tender?

Rather than creating a permanent shift for the band, "Rough Boy" turned out to be a one-off. But it dispelled the notion that these top-notch musicians were only capable of creating juvenile, sexually charged content.