

Sadly, this song would be the final recording featuring the input of Eric Carr. While Gene was immediately taken by the chorus, as being what summed everything up so well, one, in particular, of the original verses would not have worked well within a KISS context: "Love your friend and love your neighbor / Love your life and love your labor / No, it's never too late to change your mind / Don't step on snails, don't climb in trees / Love Cliff Richard but please don't tease / It's never too late to change your mind." While that chorus may have "said it all" it would also be changed from "God gave rock 'n roll to you, gave rock 'n roll to you / Put it in the soul of everyone / God gave rock 'n roll to you, gave rock 'n roll to you / Save rock 'n roll for everyone" to "God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you / Gave rock and roll to everyone (oh yeah) / God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you / Put it in the soul of everyone." The second part of the second verse would be changed from "And if you're young and you'll never be old / Music can make your dreams unfold / How good it feels to be alive" to "You can take a stand, or you can compromise / You can work real hard or just fantasize / But you don't start livin' till you realize (I gotta tell ya)." I like that, that's the philosophy I subscribe to - that everyone is equally important" (Kerrang #377). They don't get any more special treatment than the lowliest bum that walks the face of the earth. Nobody has a private ear to God, not popes, not kings, not queens. Gene also liked the subject matter of the completed song commenting, "You know, finally a song with guitars that says something good. It was the chorus that really said it all to us" (Kerrang #377). I guess the hash was very strong in the days when this was written. Gene recalled, "The original lyrics went something like, 'don't climb any trees / And don't tease the creatures,' lines like that. Lyrically the song required work to get it away from the original "bambi" nature. There seems to be little difference musically apart from the added harmonizing and very slight rearrangement. Paul, Gene, and Bob Ezrin rewrote the original Argent version which had appeared on their 1973 album "In Deep." That original version had been written solely by Russ Ballard and had been a top-20 hit for the band, even though the song's subject matter was a result of Russ' battle with depression. More importantly, once it was clear a new relationship with Bob would work, with memories of "The Elder" still being an issue, Gene lobbied to have Bob continue producing the band as they started to record a new studio album. Once the time frame for Bob's involvement was resolved the recording took five days. The song was selected for KISS by one of the owners of Interscope Records who wanted to have KISS on the movie's soundtrack, along with Bob Ezrin producing the track. Eric Singer drummed on the recording, at the behest of Paul with whom he'd toured in 1989, though some other drummers were tried out and Eric Carr was given the opportunity to perform though he simply was in no condition to do so. Eric didn't drum, but performed, "That really sweet sensitive Beatle-type vocal answering Paul in the acoustic part" (KISS Crazy #11). Recorded by KISS for the "Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey" soundtrack, this recording was the last to feature Eric Carr. Russ Ballard, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin God Gave Rock And Roll To You II (1991, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey) Even with this unusual restriction, 40 still includes “Nothin’ to Lose,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Beth,” “Strutter ’78” (from Double Platinum), “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “I Love It Loud,” “Heaven’s On Fire,” “Tears Are Falling,” “Forever,” “God Gave Rock ’n’ Roll to You II,” “Detroit Rock City,” “Firehouse,” “Cold Gin,” and “Hell or Hallelujah.” It’s the ultimate quick summary of the fire-breathing, blood-spitting, drum-levitating band’s entire career.© 1991, Interscope Records © 1991, Atlantic Records Corporation. Each album is represented by one song-including the four solo albums-to give fans insight into the band’s vision of their catalog. In between are some of the greatest rock ’n’ roll anthems the world has known. To celebrate this 40-year milestone, Kiss presents Kiss 40, a retrospective that starts with their 1974 self-titled debut and ends with their most recent comeback, Monster. Forty years of playing at their loudest and always at their hardest endeared them to audiences worldwide.

The critics hated Kiss, but their fans got them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
