Cheap Sunglasses (live)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the vinyl tonight, Zoo Freaks, and we’ve got a killer track for you: Cheap Sunglasses (live) by ZZ Top from their 2004 compilation Rancho Texicano: The Very Best of ZZ Top. This blues-rock anthem, originally from their 1979 album Degüello, is a fan favorite with its gritty riffs and sly humor. In a 1985 Spin interview, bassist Dusty Hill shared that the song was inspired by their early touring days, when every gas station sold “the cheapest and ugliest sunglasses you could imagine.” Hill admitted to buying countless pairs, and the band would toss them into the crowd during shows as a playful gesture. Guitarist Billy Gibbons added that the song’s iconic guitar tone came from a 200-watt Marshall Major amp with a blown tube, giving it that “bulbous, rotund sound,” as he told Guitar World. He also used a Maestro ring modulator for the quirky tag at the end of each verse, making the track a technical standout.

Another cool story comes from a fan, Lyndon Massa from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who posted on Songfacts. In 1975, while working at a sporting goods store, he met Billy Gibbons before a ZZ Top concert. Gibbons was looking for sunglasses because the stage faced the setting sun. Lyndon offered ski goggles since they didn’t have “cheap sunglasses,” and Gibbons bought a pair. The song’s lyrics, penned by Gibbons during a drive to Austin, Texas, capture that carefree vibe: “When you wake up in the morning / And the light is hurt your head / You hit that streets a-runnin’ / And try to beat the masses.” The live version on Rancho Texicano cranks up the energy, showcasing ZZ Top’s electrifying stage presence, which Cash Box once called “smoldering, blues-rock” with “humorous lyrics.”

ZZ Top formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969, a trio that became a blues-rock legend: Billy Gibbons on vocals and guitar, Dusty Hill on bass and vocals, and Frank Beard on drums. Gibbons, inspired by a B.B. King recording session, got an electric guitar for his 13th birthday and started playing in bands while living in California. Back in Texas, he formed the psychedelic outfit Moving Sidewalks, which scored a local hit with “99th Floor.” When that band dissolved after two members were drafted, Gibbons recruited drummer Dan Mitchell and bassist Lanier Greig to create a blues-driven power trio named ZZ Top, a nod to bluesman Z.Z. Hill. By 1970, Hill and Beard joined, solidifying the lineup that lasted until Dusty Hill’s passing in 2021. Their debut, ZZ Top’s First Album, dropped in 1971 via London Records, but it was 1973’s Tres Hombres and 1975’s Fandango! that launched them to fame with hits like “La Grange” and “Tush.” Known for their raw sound and Gibbons’ blistering guitar, they became a live act powerhouse, especially during their 1976–77 Worldwide Texas Tour.

By 1979, when Cheap Sunglasses emerged, ZZ Top was evolving. After a three-year hiatus following their 1976 album Tejas, Gibbons explored new sounds in Europe and Jamaica, Hill worked at a Dallas airport, and Beard entered rehab. They returned with chest-length beards (except Beard, ironically, who sported a mustache) and a leaner sound on Degüello. The 1980s saw them embrace synthesizers and MTV stardom with albums like Eliminator and Afterburner, but their core stayed rooted in Texas blues and witty lyrics. Today, they’re still rocking, with Elwood Francis stepping in after Hill’s death, and their 2022 album RAW revisiting their roots, tied to their Netflix documentary That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.

Want to keep up with ZZ Top? Check out their official website for tour dates, merch, and their Tres Hombres bourbon whiskey release. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest updates, from Vegas residencies to new music. Fans can dive deeper at sites like PopRockBands or join the ZZ Top Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks can connect with fellow devotees sharing stories, rare photos, and love for that little ol’ band from Texas. So, crank up those Cheap Sunglasses, grab some rhinestone shades, and keep it funky, Zoo Crew style!