THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

736-Lenny Kravitz-Are You Gonna Go My Way.

1993-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 2.55. Jimi Hendrix for the 1990’s generation.

Lenny Kravitz was born Leonard Albert Kravitz, on May 26th, 1964, in Manhattan, New York, United States, he was named in honour of his uncle, Leonard M. Kravitz, who was killed in action in the Korean War at the age of 19, while defending against a Chinese attack, saving most of his platoon in the process, for which he received the posthumous ‘Medal of Honour.’ Lenny Kravitz mother was the actress Roxie Roker, (1929-1995) who portrayed ‘Hellen Willis’ in the ‘CBS’ network sitcom ‘The Jeffersons’ between 1975-1995, as half of the first interracial couple to be shown on prime time American television. Lenny Kravitz is the father of Zoe Kravitz, who is an actress, and singer, having appeared in films including ‘X-Men: First Class,’ (2011) and having released two studio Albums, and nine singles between 2013-2020. Lenny Kravitz’ mother was African/American, and his father Sy Kravitz (1924-2005) was of Ukrainian-Jewish origin, and although he didn’t grow up in a religious environment, he found religion himself at the age of 13, and later becoming a ‘ non-denominational Christian.’ Many of Kravitz songs deal with religious themes, including this one.

The discography of Lenny Kravitz includes 11 studio Albums released between 1985-2018, and 59 singles that have been issued between 1989-2023, there are also five official compilation Albums, and three live Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, five of his songs have reached the top 40, with ‘It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over,’ peaking the highest at Number 2 in 1991. In America ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ was never released as a single, and was only released to radio stations for promotional play. At that time in 1993, tracks that only received airplay were not eligible for the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, Lenny Kravitz has had eight top 40 hits, with ‘Fly Away’ from 1998 reaching the Number 1 spot. Other notable songs written by Kravitz include his co-write and production of ‘Justify My Love,’ which gave Madonna a Billboard Number 1, and UK Number 2 hit single in 1990. He also co-wrote most of the self-titled 1992 album by Vanessa Paradis, which produced the worldwide hit ‘Be My Baby’ (UK Number 6.)

‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ was co-written by Lenny Kravitz and Craig Ross, with the production being by Kravitz. The song was the first of four singles issued from Lenny Kravitz’ third studio Album of the same name from March 1993. The Album has sold in excess of two million copies in America, and in excess of three million copies worldwide. ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ which was a hit in several European countries, including France, where it made Number 4, was also very successful in Australia, where it made Number 1, and in New Zealand where it peaked at Number 2, was co-written by Craig Ross, who was born in 1964, in Los Angeles, California, United States. He first began working with Lenny Kravitz on ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way,’ and has contributed with his songwriting, and guitar playing, on all of his Albums since.

Lenny Kravitz has said that ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ is about Jesus Christ, whom Kravitz has referred to as ‘The ultimate Rock Star.’It’s about how God gives choice to man about where to turn.’ Kravitz has also explained the origins of the song,’We were just jamming in the studio. You know, I was jamming with Craig Ross, who I wrote the song with. It was one of those songs that happened in five minutes. We were jamming. I thought there was something happening. I told Henry to turn the tape machines on, and we played it. And that was it. And then I went and wrote the lyrics on a brown paper bag, I remember at my loft on Broome Street at the time. Went in and sang it the next day. And that was it. I thought the subject matter was really interesting, because it’s coming from the mouth of Jesus Christ, as I thought. So basically, ‘Are you gonna go my way?’ meaning ‘my way of love.’

As I have written on many previous occasions, ‘I don’t want to start a lawsuit,’….but, if you take a listen to the 1990 song called ‘Carry On,’ by the Christian Rock artist Philip Keaggy, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Lenny Kravitz got inspiration for ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ from that track.

‘I was born long ago, I am the chosen, I’m the one. I have come to save the day, and I won’t leave until I’m done. So that’s why you’ve got to try, you got to breath and have some fun. Though I’m not paid, I play this game, and I won’t stop until I’m done.’