These 3 Massive Foreigner Hits Still Rock Our World Today

In 1977, Foreigner released their self-titled debut record. For more than a decade after that, the group released hit after hit. Among their many successful singles are these three songs, which still rock our world today.

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“Cold As Ice”

Their second single, and second Top 10 hit, “Cold As Ice” is on Foreigner. Written by band members Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, the song is a well-written burn. 

“Cold As Ice” says, “You’re digging for gold / Yet throwing away / A fortune in feelings / But someday you’ll pay / You’re as cold as ice / You’re willing to sacrifice our love. You want Paradise / But someday you’ll pay the price / I know.”

“Lyrically, the subject was based on the idea of the stereotypical cold-hearted, bad girl – the sort of woman Joan Crawford would play in a film – but it wasn’t aimed at anyone specific,” Jones tells Louder. “Well, there was one girl at school that dumped me, so maybe that trauma stayed with me over the years and subconsciously filtered in! The other contributing factor was that it was about minus 20 degrees in New York at the time we were writing it, which may have fed into the atmosphere.”

“I Want To Know What Love Is”

On the opposite end of the spectrum from “Cold As Ice” is “I Want To Know What Love Is”. Out in 1984, the song is on their Agent Provocateur album. “I Want To Know What Love Is” is Foreigner’s only No. 1 single from the record.

Written by Jones, the song says, “In my life there’s been heartache and pain / I don’t know if I can face it again / Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far / To change this lonely life / I wanna know what love is / I want you to show me / I wanna feel what love is / I know you can show me.”

“Juke Box Hero”

Almost any rock fan can likely still sing along to “Juke Box Hero”. Written by Gramm and Jones, “Juke Box Hero” is on their fourth album, 4.

The rock anthem says, “So he started rockin’ / Ain’t never gonna stop /Gotta keep on rockin’ / Someday he’s gonna make it to the top / And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes / He’s a juke box hero / He took one guitar, juke box hero, stars in his eyes / Juke box hero, he’ll come alive tonight.”

The song is at least partly based on a true story.

“That stemmed from an experience that we had, I think it was in Cincinnati,” Gramm tells Songfacts. “We’d gone to the arena for a sound check, and it was pouring down rain, and there were a bunch of fans waiting at the door when we went in. When we came back for the show later on, all that was left was one lonely fan, a young guy waiting out there in the rain, soaked to the skin.”

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