Life in Seven Songs Go-Go’s singer Belinda Carlisle says her life got interesting when she got sober
Belinda Carlisle says she’s been hit by lightning three times in her career: first with the success of the Go-Go’s, then with her solo hit “Mad About You,” and most of all with the global sensation “Heaven is a Place on Earth.” But behind that meteoric success, Belinda struggled for decades with a debilitating addiction to drugs, alcohol, and the chaos that came with them.
In this episode, Belinda traces her journey from a turbulent childhood in Southern California to the LA punk scene that gave her freedom and a sense of invincibility. She reflects on the dizzying rise of the Go-Go’s, the moment she finally hit rock bottom after a three-day bender in London, and why the most interesting part of her life didn’t begin until she got sober. Here are her songs.
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The Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
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The Beach Boys, “God Only Knows”
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The Runaways, “Cherry Bomb”
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Iggy Pop & The Stooges, “Search and Destroy”
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Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen”
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David Bowie, “Fame”
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Roxy Music, “Love Is The Drug”