Cheap Sunglasses (Live 1980 / Wildcard Remaster)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the groovy vibes of "Cheap Sunglasses (Live 1980 / Wildcard Remaster)" by ZZ Top from their album Live In Germany 1980, and the Zoo Freaks are surely digging it! This track, originally from their 1979 album Degüello, is a fan favorite with its gritty blues-rock swagger. In a 1985 interview with Spin magazine, bassist Dusty Hill shared a hilarious story about the song’s inspiration: “We wrote that song when we used to tour in cars. And every gas station in the world had a cardboard display of the cheapest and ugliest sunglasses you could imagine. I have bought a thousand pair of them.” Guitarist Billy Gibbons added that the band would toss these shades into the crowd during shows, but they eventually ran out and had to upgrade to fancier ones from Sanford Hutton in New York. Gibbons also revealed in a Guitar World article that he used a Marshall Major amp with a blown tube and a Maestro ring modulator for the song’s iconic sound, giving it that raw, distinctive edge. The live 1980 version, captured during their Rockpalast performance in Essen, Germany, showcases the band’s high-energy stage presence, with Gibbons’ guitar riffs and Hill’s tight basslines driving the crowd wild.

Another cool tidbit comes from a fan’s recollection on Songfacts, where Lyndon Massa from Tulsa, Oklahoma, shared a memory from 1975. Before a ZZ Top concert at the Tulsa Raceway, Gibbons visited the sporting goods store where Massa worked, looking for sunglasses to shield against the setting sun on stage. With no “cheap sunglasses” in stock, Gibbons settled for a pair of ski sunglasses—talk about a rockstar moment! The song’s cultural impact extends beyond rock, as it’s been sampled by artists like EPMD in their 1988 track “You’re a Customer” and Kid Rock in “Cramp Ya Style” from 1990. Cash Box described the track as “smoldering, blues-rock” with humorous lyrics, perfectly capturing ZZ Top’s sly wit and earthy riffs. This live rendition from 1980, part of their Deguello tour, highlights the band at their peak, before their MTV-fueled synth era, delivering pure Texas boogie to a European audience for the first time.

ZZ Top got their start in Houston, Texas, in 1969, when guitarist Billy Gibbons, fresh from the breakup of his band Moving Sidewalks, teamed up with drummer Frank Beard and bassist Dusty Hill. Gibbons, inspired by blues legends like B.B. King and Z.Z. Hill, came up with the band’s name after noticing many artists used their initials. He initially considered “ZZ King” but tweaked it to “ZZ Top” to avoid sounding too derivative. The trio quickly gelled, blending Gibbons’ bluesy guitar with Hill and Beard’s rock-solid rhythm section. They signed with London Records and dropped their debut, ZZ Top’s First Album, in 1971. By 1973, their album Tres Hombres and the single “La Grange” earned them widespread radio play, cementing their reputation for gritty, humorous blues rock. Their epic Worldwide Texas Tour (1976–77) and iconic stage props, like a Texas-shaped stage, made them a live act to reckon with. By 1980, when they recorded Live In Germany, Gibbons and Hill had grown their signature chest-length beards, a look they debuted after a three-year hiatus, claiming they hadn’t coordinated it—a classic ZZ Top tale of effortless cool.

Fans can keep up with ZZ Top through their official website and connect on social media via their Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where they share tour updates, merch, and more. For Zoo Freaks looking to dive deeper, fan communities thrive online. The ZZ Top Fans Facebook group is a lively spot for enthusiasts to swap stories, photos, and memorabilia. Another great resource is zztop.com, which doubles as a hub for official news and tour dates. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a new Zoo Freak, ZZ Top’s legacy of bluesy riffs and tongue-in-cheek charm keeps the party going strong.