Dirty, Rotten, Filthy, Stinking Rich

As I have said many times on this blog I grew up in the 80's and was, and still am, heavily influenced by the music of that decade. As I was riding in to the office this morning I heard Warrant's Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich or D.R.F.S.R. This song was written by Janie Lane, the lead singer at the peak of their career and was on the album Dirty, Rotten, Filthy, Stinking Rich. This album produced three top forty hits and sold over 2 million copies. Take a look at the lyrics from the title track. These were written by Janie Lane and probably described his attitude at the time; an I want it all attitude that was so prevalent back then. (My thoughts continue below the song.)

Italian cars as long as my street
I'm gonna wear exotic animals
On my feet
Pretty rocks on my fingers
Pretty bells on my toes
Lots of caviar for my mouth
Maybe I'll even pierce my nose

Give me, give me just half a chance
To lead you in this corporate dance
And I'll be dirty rotten filthy $tinking rich
Hu Huu Ha Huu Ho Huu

Sign it all in the palm of my hand
Nothing gonna get in the way
Do you understand
I got a house
I got a jet
I got a Rolls Royce painted blue
The only thing that's left
Is for me to own you too

I'm gonna have more money than you have ever seen
Baby I just want all the frills
I'm gonna insulate my body in green (mee too)
I'm going to light my cigarettes with $100 bills

I told you what I want
I want bank accounts
And I want cd's
I want early term roll overs
I want everything!

Janie went through a lot over the years and eventually died from alcohol poisoning last year. If the above song were an indication of how he ended his life it would have been a sad life with a sad ending but the end of his life was much different from the beginning. Yes he did succumb to alcohol but in the end he was victorious. Janie Lane put his faith in Christ. Based on his conversion, he wrote one of his last songs called Sin.

Living in our dark side- Idle hands at play
The apple of our eyes- Mistress hid away

In the valley of our choices- Where we drown in our own shame
Tempted by desires- Choking you back everyday

I'm aware of what I've done
Am I afraid like Adam
Hiding from the light

Let me be the man I could've been
The one you first breathed your life into
My soul in your embrace- Deliver me
Deliver me from my sins

A breath above the fire- Battered soul cries Lord
And despite the confusion- My heart cries out for more

In my mind so child like- Always twisted up and torn
On a hill called Calvary- I repent and end this war

I'm aware of what I've done
Am I afraid like Adam
Hiding from the light

In the book of Mark, Jesus asks a very important question:

Mark 8:36, 37 - 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Janie seemed to realize the lie. The world is offering us a lot but it is all empty and temporary. King Solomon realized this as well. He was the wealthiest man who ever lived and truly was Dirty, Rotten, Filthy, Stinking Rich and look at what he said:

Ecclesiastes 2: 4-11 - 4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

The world tries to lure us in with riches, success and material things but in the end it is meaningless and many tend to find themselves Dirty, Rotten, Filthy, Stinking Broke.